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adamltyson merged 2 commits into from
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Update GSoC guidance #339

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Update GSoC guidance
adamltyson Oct 22, 2026
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Update wording
adamltyson Oct 22, 2026
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8 changes: 5 additions & 3 deletions docs/source/get-involved/gsoc/application_template.md
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Expand Up @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ substantial chunk (i.e. whole sentences) are created with AI.
:::


Please use the following template to submit your application to the NIU GSoC 2026 program, and to discuss your proposal with the community.
Please use the following template to submit your application to the NIU GSoC program, and to discuss your proposal with the community.

The more closely you follow this template, the easier it will be for us to review your application! Please include clear headings for all the different sections.

Expand All @@ -30,9 +30,11 @@ Please include the following information:
- **Zulip username**
- **Location & time-zone**
- **Personal website / project portfolio** (optional)
- **Code contribution**
- **Community contribution**

Please link a pull request, ideally submitted to your chosen project or one of the NIU tools. Applications without a code contribution won't be considered. It must be publicly visible and represent your own work, although you may have help from other developers in the community to further improve it. It must be meaningful code contribution (i.e. not just fixing a minor spelling mistake). While AI tools (such as Copilot etc) can be a very useful, contributions mostly created by AI are unlikely to be useful, and will not be accepted. You can link more than one pull request if desired.
Please briefly describe how you have contributed to the NIU software, developer or user communities. This could be a pull request, code review, some research you have undertaken etc.
Make sure to include a publicly accessible link.
While AI tools can be very useful, contributions mostly created by AI are unlikely to be useful, and will not be accepted. You can link more than one contribution if desired. **N.B. Applications without a community contribution won't be considered.**

## Project proposal
_Length: max 1 page_
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58 changes: 22 additions & 36 deletions docs/source/get-involved/gsoc/guidelines.md
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# GSoC NIU Contributor Application Guidelines

## General tips
These tips are largely based on the [OpenAstronomy guidelines](https://openastronomy.org/gsoc/contributor_guidelines.html), with adaptations for the NIU.
These tips were originally based on the [OpenAstronomy guidelines](https://openastronomy.org/gsoc/contributor_guidelines.html).

1. **Get in touch with the community**

Expand All @@ -17,57 +17,43 @@ These tips are largely based on the [OpenAstronomy guidelines](https://openastro

A good starting point as a user could be `movement`'s [gallery of examples](https://movement.neuroinformatics.dev/latest/examples/index.html) or [BrainGlobe's tutorials](https://brainglobe.info/tutorials/index.html).

3. **Get ready to be a developer**

Create a [GitHub](https://github.com/) account and learn how to use [git](https://git-scm.com/) - the version control system used by most open-source projects.
3. **Contribute to the community**

If you are not familiar with either, there are many resources available online to help you get started. Some nice ones are:

- [Software carpentry's Version Control with Git](https://swcarpentry.github.io/git-novice/)
- [GitHub skills courses](https://skills.github.com/) - especially the first day and first week series.
- [git visualisation tool](https://cfinnberg.github.io/visualizing-git/)
- [Oh my git!](https://ohmygit.org/) an open-source game about Git.
- [Julia Evan's How Git Works! zine](https://jvns.ca/blog/2024/04/25/new-zine--how-git-works-/)


4. **Get started with open-source development**

Check the GitHub issues for the projects you are interested in. Sometimes issues are labeled as "good first issue" or "help wanted". These are usually easier to solve and are a good way to get started with the project. Otherwise, have a look and see if there are any issues you can help with!
A key part of applying to GSoC is to get involved with the community, to show that you understand how the projects work, and that you would be able to contribute effectively during GSoC.
In previous years, this would usually take the form of Pull Requests (PRs), to address open issues within NIU repositories. In the age of LLMs, writing code is no longer the bottleneck (and we struggle to review every PR we have!).

You will need to submit a pull request (ideally to one of the NIU or BrainGlobe projects) as part of your application. It does not have to be accepted - the goal is to show that you know how git, GitHub, pull requests and code reviews work. This also allows mentors to evaluate your application based on a real code contribution. If you have previously contributed to an NIU or other open source project, you can point to those pull requests in your application too. If you are a new
contributor, please also see our [policy on AI contributions](../ai_policy)
PRs are still a great way to demonstrate your understanding of a project and show off your skills! If you want to contribute in this way, please make sure to:

If you are new to open source software or would like a refresher, these are some nice resources to check:
- Get familiar with Git and GitHub (e.g. with the [Software carpentry's Version Control with Git course](https://swcarpentry.github.io/git-novice/) and the [GitHub skills courses](https://skills.github.com/))
- Read about how open source contributions work with the [First contributions project](https://github.com/firstcontributions/first-contributions) and this GitHub blog post: [New to open source? Here’s everything you need to get started](https://github.blog/open-source/new-to-open-source-heres-everything-you-need-to-get-started/)
- Read the contributing guidelines of the specific project you are interested in, e.g. `movement`'s [How to Contribute guide](https://movement.neuroinformatics.dev/latest/community/contributing.html#target-contributing). The NIU also publishes some general [development guidelines](https://neuroinformatics.dev/get-involved/languages_frameworks.html).
- Read our [policy on AI contributions](../ai_policy)

- The [First contributions project](https://github.com/firstcontributions/first-contributions)
- The GitHub blog post: [New to open source? Here’s everything you need to get started](https://github.blog/open-source/new-to-open-source-heres-everything-you-need-to-get-started/)
However, there are many other ways you can contribute, such as:
- Raising issues to describe bugs within our tools (the more detailed the better)
- Contributing to existing issues, e.g. by carrying out research to understand the best way to tackle an issue
- Reviewing existing PRs

Before contributing to a project, make sure you read through their contributing guidelines. These will give you an idea of the required steps, and what is expected of you. An example is `movement`'s [How to Contribute guide](https://movement.neuroinformatics.dev/latest/community/contributing.html#target-contributing). The NIU also publishes some general [development guidelines](https://neuroinformatics.dev/get-involved/languages_frameworks.html).
In all cases, please think very hard about how you wish to contribute. Unfortunately, many unsolicited contributions can appear to be spam. A single, small, well-thought-out contribution that addresses a real need is far better than many superficial contributions. We want to see what specific skills you would bring to the project, not just that you can feed an issue into an LLM!

::: {admonition} Contributions
:class: warning
However you contribute, please make only one contribution (PR, new issue etc.) until you have received feedback from a core NIU member. This helps make sure you're on the right track, and gives us time to review everything properly. Making many contributions without waiting for feedback won't strengthen your application, and may be treated as spam.
:::

5. **Prepare your application**
4. **Prepare your application**

Make sure you carefully read through the [GSoC guidelines](https://google.github.io/gsocguides//student/writing-a-proposal) (and these guidelines!) when preparing your application.
Make sure you carefully read through the [GSoC guidelines](https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal) (and these guidelines!) when preparing your application.

Select one of the projects from our project list and prepare a plan on how to tackle it, and the time you will need to complete it. Or if you have an idea that is not covered by the project list, feel free to pitch it to us. Use our [application template](#application-template) to structure your proposal and don't be shy to ask for feedback from the community.
Select one of the projects from our project list and prepare a plan on how to tackle it, and the time you will need to complete it. Or if you have an idea that is not covered by the project list, feel free to pitch it to us. Use our [application template](application_template) to structure your proposal and don't be shy to ask for feedback from the community. **N.B. Applications not following this template will not be considered.**

Include specific examples in your application to support your skills - these will help reviewers build a better picture of you. These could be things like "Qualified in final round of XXXX" or "Participated in XXXX hackathon".


6. **Submit your application**
5. **Submit your application**

Remember to submit your application before the deadline!

Please do not send any applications directly to the NIU team, they won't be considered - all applications must go through [Google's application system](https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/)


## Application template

Please use our [application template](application_template.md) to structure your proposal. Applications not following this template will not be considered.


## References
- [GSoC Contributor guide: writing a proposal](https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal)
- [INCF Application template 2022](https://www.incf.org/sites/default/files/files/INCF_GSoC_2022_Application_template.pdf)
- [OpenAstronomy Application template](https://github.com/OpenAstronomy/openastronomy.github.io/wiki/Contributor-Application-template)
- [Python Software Foundation Application template](https://github.com/python-gsoc/python-gsoc.github.io/blob/main/ApplicationTemplate.md)
23 changes: 9 additions & 14 deletions docs/source/get-involved/gsoc/index.md
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Expand Up @@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ Initially focused on university students, since 2022 the program has expanded to

The Neuroinformatics Unit (NIU) takes part in GSoC to offer paid experience working on open-source neuroscience and machine learning tools. The computational neuroanatomy project, [BrainGlobe](https://brainglobe.info/) is also included within the NIU for GSoC.

::: {admonition} GSoC 2026
::: {admonition} GSoC 2027
:class: note
Applications for GSoC 2026 are now closed. Details about our participation in future years of this program will be posted here and on our social media.
We expect to take part in GSoC 2027, although this is not yet confirmed. Details about our participation will be posted here and on our social media.
:::

## How does GSoC work?
Expand All @@ -19,21 +19,16 @@ To learn more about the program, we recommend reading the [GSoC FAQs](https://de

## Apply to GSoC with NIU

As part of your application to GSoC, you will need to submit a project proposal. To help you with this, we provide some [NIU guidelines](guidelines) on how to write a successful proposal to work with us.
As part of your application to GSoC, you will need to submit a project proposal. To help you with this, we provide some [NIU guidelines](guidelines) on how to write a successful proposal to work with us. You may also want to check out the [GSoC Contributor Guide: writing a proposal](https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal).
Applicants are given about 2 weeks to complete their applications.

You may also want to checkout other useful application guides, such as:
- The [GSoC Contributor Guide: writing a proposal](https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal),
- The [Python Software Foundation guide](https://python-gsoc.org/),
- The [OpenAstronomy](https://openastronomy.org/gsoc/contributor_guidelines.html) one, or
- The [INCF](https://www.incf.org/recommendations-gsoc-contributors) one,

all of which we are closely following. Applicants are given about 2 weeks to complete their applications. For further details see the [GSoC Contributor Guide](https://google.github.io/gsocguides/student/writing-a-proposal).

If you are interested in working with the NIU for GSoC, feel free to get in touch on our [GSoc Zulip channel](https://neuroinformatics.zulipchat.com/#narrow/channel/487898-Google-Summer-of-Code) with any questions. Please reach out in public channels, rather than via DMs or personal conversations - communicating in the open is a big part of open source! However, if you have any concerns you wish to discuss privately (such as accessibility), please contact one of the organisation admins.

For clarity, please always use your full name when getting a [Zulip](https://neuroinformatics.zulipchat.com/) account, when registering for the program, and when submitting your project plan.
If you are interested in working with the NIU for GSoC, feel free to get in touch on our [GSoC Zulip channel](https://neuroinformatics.zulipchat.com/#narrow/channel/487898-Google-Summer-of-Code) with any questions.
Please reach out in public channels, rather than via DMs or personal conversations - communicating in the open is a big part of open source!
However, if you have any concerns you wish to discuss privately (such as accessibility), please contact one of the organisation admins.

For clarity, please always use your full name when getting a [Zulip](https://neuroinformatics.zulipchat.com/) account, when registering for the program, and when submitting your project plan.

Please also check existing threads in case your question has already been asked. We typically receive more questions than we can answer in a timely fashion!


## Further details
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