Apple’s Swift Student Challenge for 2025 is officially underway, giving students worldwide a platform to showcase their programming skills through app development. The competition, which encourages creativity and innovation using Swift, allows participants to submit their projects starting today.
Apple first revealed in October 2024 that the challenge would take place in February 2025, giving students ample time to prepare. In January, the company confirmed the exact launch date, and to further support participants, Apple hosted an online session featuring insights from previous winners and Apple engineers, offering guidance on how to craft compelling app concepts.
This annual challenge has been a staple for aspiring developers, historically aligning with the Worldwide Developers Conference. However, Apple shifted the timing in 2024, moving it earlier in the year. Participants are expected to design an app experience using Swift Playgrounds or Xcode, and Apple provides resources through its Develop in Swift tutorials to help them build a strong foundation in coding.
Judges will evaluate submissions based on factors like creativity, social impact, inclusivity, and overall innovation. From the pool of applicants, 350 winners will be chosen, with 50 receiving a special invitation to Apple Park for a three-day experience this summer, likely coinciding with WWDC 2025.
Students interested in participating have three weeks to submit their projects before Apple begins the review process. More details about the challenge can be found on Apple’s developer website.
