FAQs

Participation FAQs

Who can compete at UNIHACK?

UNIHACK is open to all university and TAFE students in Australia and New Zealand who are 18 years and older.

You must be an enrolled student on the date that UNIHACK starts. If you have completed your studies but have not had your graduation ceremony yet, you are still eligible to compete at UNIHACK.

We reserve the right to terminate your participation if you do not meet this requirement.

How many people can be in a team?

Teams must have between four and six people.

I don't have a team for UNIHACK?

Don't worry, we have that covered. Simply join the UNIHACK Discord and post a message in #team-finder channel.

  • If you're looking for a team, mention your interests and skills!

  • If you're looking to fill up your team, mention what you're looking for.

I have never been to a hackathon, is that okay?

Certainly! Hackathons are a great way to learn new skills, and there will be mentors available to help you along the way to help you build the best possible idea during the event.

Do you do travel reimbursements?

We do not provide travel reimbursements. Our event is also a virtual event, so you will not be required to travel to compete for the event.

Where can I find the rules?

You can find the rules on our website. If you have any queries or questions, feel free to raise an issue and one of the organisers will be able to assist.

Projects FAQs

Can we work on our idea beforehand?

No. You are not allowed to start any development or design work on your project before the event. This includes code, graphics, sounds and 3D designs. However, you can research any ideas and concepts before the competition begins.

Can we work on existing projects?

No, you will not be allowed to work on existing projects at UNIHACK. We want to see new ideas that you and your team can come up with in allocated time.

You can use your own projects in your idea if it is open sourced.

Does our idea have to follow a particular theme?

No, you are free to work on any idea that you like.

Some minor or sponsored prizes, however, may require you to follow a particular theme or subject matter. However, competing for those prizes are optional.

Submission and Judging FAQs

What and how do I submit my project to UNIHACK?

A full guide on how to submit your project to UNIHACK for this year's competition will be released soon. But in summary:

  • you will need to submit a project on Devpost; and
  • you will need to make a three minute video of your submission, and that video must include a demonstration of your project.

Is this a vaild submission?

We do not have a list of "valid submissions" here at UNIHACK. You are free to submit your project in whatever format you like. This includes, but not limited to:

  • a website
  • a mobile app
  • a hardware hack

With that said, we strongly recommend you read the judging criteria for the Main Prize - and the criteria for all other prizes on offer - to see if your project ticks the boxes. You can find them all on the main website.

Why do I need to submit my code repository?

We require this for a couple of reasons:

  • We (and the judges) are always curious on how you built things;
  • Some prizes might require you to submit your code as part of their judging criteria;
  • Transparency

Please only submit a link to your public code repository (e.g. on GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket). Do not submit a ZIP file with your code.

Unless specified in a judging criteria for a sponsor prize, we are not evaluating your code quality (and we're not in any position to judge either). However, please ensure all secrets and API keys are removed before submitting your code repository.

Do I need a business plan?

No. We do not require participants to think on how they could monetise their idea.

However, you should consider post-hack viability in your pitch (for example: the future state - what you would have liked to put in that is not in your MVP). You should also consider who the target audience of your project and build it according to their needs.

Other FAQs

I have a question that isn't listed here?

If you have any questions, feel free to send a message to our social media profiles or by sending an enquiry here.