Built for students
The Next Gen Award gives active students aged 13 and older their own prize lane, whether they are in high school, university, bootcamp, or another academic program.
Student prize category
New for 2026Next Gen Award
A Shipaton prize category for students aged 13 and older, with no store submission or paid developer account required.
What is Next Gen?
A lower-friction path into Shipaton.
The Next Gen Award is the student category for Shipaton 2026. Active students aged 13 and older can build, learn, and show what they can make by submitting a video and source code instead of an app store listing. Students under the age of majority where they live need a parent or legal guardian to consent and agree to the official rules on their behalf.
No store submission required
Students can submit a video and source code, so they do not need to buy an Apple or Google developer account just to participate.
Open from age 13
Students under the age of majority where they live can enter with consent from a parent or legal guardian. Teams that include a minor may compete only for Next Gen.
For minor entrants
Ask a parent or guardian to confirm your entry.
If you are under the age of majority where you live, your parent or legal guardian must review the official rules and complete the consent form. Teams that include a minor may compete only for the Next Gen Award.
Next Gen eligibility
Check your academic email.
The Next Gen Award is for active students aged 13 and older in high school, college, university, bootcamp, or another academic program. Students under the age of majority where they live need consent from a parent or legal guardian. You will also need a student or academic email on Devpost. This check uses JetBrains/swot and confirms the email domain only. Review the official rules for every eligibility requirement.
Enter your student email to check whether its domain is recognized.
Loading domain data...
Email domain checks use JetBrains/swot.
Campus Party
One campus gets a Campus Party.
We are picking one school to celebrate with a fully sponsored Campus Party. We will choose it from the campuses that get most involved and where the best work is happening.
For schools and clubs
Turn Shipaton into a campus hackathon.
Approved campus events can receive Shipaton swag to give out to student builders, plus promotion templates and organizer resources to help clubs, schools, and universities spread the word.
Run a kickoff session for your CS club, mobile dev group, entrepreneurship program, or design school.
Host a weekend build sprint where students can form teams, build demos, and take home Shipaton swag.
Use the Shipaton IRL event program to get approved, promoted, and supplied with giveaway materials.
Spread the word
Bring the next generation of app builders into Shipaton.
Share the Next Gen Award with your school, invite student builders, and turn Shipaton into a campus-wide reason to ship.
