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Ωmega
Build Android + iOS apps. Get rewarded for both.
Ship apps across two platforms, earn badges, and trade your approved hours in the Omega shop.
▣ Jul 27 – Sep 15, 2026 · ~2 months2 months
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✦ How it works
Your launch sequence
Build apps on Android and iOS. Reviewers approve your hours, you earn Ω tokens to spend on what you actually want.
▲ Android app ◉ iOS app ◷ 25+ hrs each ❥ Max 2 projects
01
Pitch your idea
Submit a proposal — tell us what you're building and how it'll help people. We'll review and get back to you.
Submit proposal →02
Build your app
Minimum 25 hours per project. Log everything in Hackatime — reviewers verify every session.
03
Submit your project
Drop your repo, a demo video, and your hour log. Up to 2 projects per person over two months.
Submit project →04
Get reviewed & earn Ω tokenskens
Reviewers and orgs approve your hours. Ω Tokens = approved hours × your tier multiplier.
05
Spend in the Omega shop
Pick what you actually want — phones, dev licenses, dev tools, and more.
✦ Judging criteria
What makes a great project?
Every submission is scored across five dimensions. Nail them all and you're climbing into Elite tier.
01
Unique idea
Does it stand apart from everything else out there?
02
Complexity
Technical depth, real systems, real engineering.
03
UI / UX
Beautiful, intuitive, thoughtfully designed screens.
04
Feature quality
Every feature ships complete — no half-baked work.
05
Real-world use
Would people actually download and use this app?
✦ Achievement badges
Unlock badges by hitting specific milestones. Click any badge to learn what it takes.
✦ The shop
Spend your hours on real stuff
10–15 Ω per approved hour depending on your tier. No fixed reward — pick what you actually want from the shop.
Mobile phones
Android or iOS devices from the catalog to test your apps on real hardware.
hardwarePlay Store license
$25 Google Play Developer account grant — publish your Android app.
dev accountiOS dev license
$100 Apple Developer Membership — land your app on the App Store.
dev accountDev gear
Software, accessories, and productivity tools for serious builders.
tools✦ Tier system
Go harder. Earn more.
Your tier is set by app complexity. Higher tier = bigger multiplier. Elite is intentionally rare — only the sharpest builds reach it.
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Starter
Basic mechanics, clean UI, working features
1.0×
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Builder
Multiple systems, polished design, real-world value
1.25×
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Elite ⚡
Exceptional complexity, shipping quality — truly rare
1.5×
✦ Ground rules
Mission parameters
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No double dipping. Omega submissions cannot count toward any other YSWS program. No exceptions.
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25 hours minimum per project. Hackatime logs required. Reviewers verify every session.
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Max 2 projects per participant over the two-month window.
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AI is allowed — but declare it. Copilot, Claude, Cursor, whatever helps you ship. The idea, the architecture, and the understanding have to be yours, and you tell us what you used it for when you submit. Undeclared AI is what gets you rejected — not AI.
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Fraud = ban. Fulfillment cancelled, case sent to the Hack Club fraud team. Severity determines the ban length.
✦ AI policy
Use AI. Just tell us.
Use AI freely : up to 1/3 of your coding time can be AI-assisted. What matters is that the project is actually yours: your idea, your architecture, your understanding..
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Declare it when you submit. Be specific. "Used Claude to debug X and generate Y" is good, "used AI a bit" is not.
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Be able to explain your code. Reviewers will ask how it works. "The AI wrote it" isn't an answer.
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Log honest hours. If AI generated it in 5 minutes, don't log 5 hours.
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Hiding it is the problem. Undeclared AI or code you can't explain = rejected. Repeat offences = banned.
✦ FAQ
Got questions?
Do I need to build Android AND iOS?
You can build for both, it is not compulsory to create apps for both the platforms
How does Ω tokens work?
Approved hours × tier multiplier = Ω tokens — 10 per hour at Starter, up to 15 at Elite. Spend them on anything in the shop.
Can I use AI to build my project?
Yes. Use whatever tools help you ship — but you have to declare what you used them for when you submit. The rule is simple: you must be able to explain every line of your own code. A reviewer may ask, and "the AI wrote it" isn't an answer.
What counts as a good AI disclosure?
Be specific and be honest. "Used Claude to debug my Room database migrations and generate the settings screen boilerplate" is a great disclosure. "Used AI a bit" is not. Nobody has ever been rejected for an honest disclosure — people get rejected for hiding one.
Can I also submit to other YSWS?
No. No double dipping with any other YSWS program whatsoever.
Who's eligible?
High schoolers or younger. 100% free — funded by Hack Club donors.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. The entire program is free, funded by donations to The Hack Foundation.
I still need help!
Jump into #omega on Hack Club Slack — we're always there.