What is a hackathon?

A student hackathon is a marathon of innovation, usually 24-36 hours in which students passionate about creating concepts and technology form teams and compete with other teams to generate, develop and/or implement a new idea from scratch in order to learn and have fun."

How much does it cost?

Nothing. Zero. Null. The event is completely free for eligible and registered students. We will provide you with the venue, food, drinks, place to sleep if needed, Wi-Fi, etc. You just need to show up!

Who can come?

All current undergraduate and graduate students, or those who graduated within the last 12 months, are allowed to attend (if you registered through Eventbrite). If you currently attend the University of Tennessee, you are guaranteed a spot, with or without registration — but please register to make sure we have enough swag and food!

Will you provide travel reimbursements?

At this time, we are not providing travel reimbursements. If you sign up, please make all efforts to attend!

Will there be free food, drinks, and caffeine?

Yes! Absolutely! We will provide catered meals, drinks at all times, snack breaks, and endless caffeine.

Where do I sleep?

We will have a designated quiet sleeping area on site, and you are encouraged to bring sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, toiletries, and anything else you need to sleep. There are no showers at the venue, so please be prepared to go without showering unless you have other accommodations.

When and where is VolHacks?

VolHacks will take place on October 27 th to October 29th, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the Min Kao EECS Building. Click here for directions.

How do teams work?

There is a maximum of 4 people per team. Once the idea brainstorming session is done, there will be an open mic and networking time to find a team. Everyone registered will also be invited to the VolHacks Slack team prior to the hackathon in order to network and discuss ideas.

Will you have a hardware lab?

Yes! VolHacks is not just software! The Hardware Lab is an area where you can borrow hardware you need to create your hack, using your official student ID card. Feel free to bring your own hardware or send suggestions on what feel you would like to use. You can review a list of hardware lab here.

Is there a code of conduct?

Yes, we abide by the Major League Hacking Code of Conduct.

Do I need to stay the entire time?

Nope, we are not a lock-in. We realize that 36 hours is a long time, and that some people might have other commitments during that time. Feel free to stay and leave as you choose.

Where do I park?

Free parking is available in the 11th Street Parking Garage, right across the street from Min Kao.

I've never been to a hackathon before, what should I do?

No worries at all. We will be providing mentors during the hackathon and running workshops, as well as providing food and drinks and a place to sleep if you don't have one. We will also have a Slack team for anyone to get help at during the hackathon. You don't need to be good at writing code or building things, this is a learning experience and chance to have fun above everything else!

What should I bring?

You will definitely need your laptop, phone, their chargers, as well as a valid student or government ID. Feel free to also bring along a sleeping bag, and we recommend some comfortable clothes.

What kind of things can we hack up? Are there any limits?

You are not limited to what you can make, hack, or build for the hackathon except for the following restrictions:

• It cannot be illegal in any way
• It cannot go against the MLH code of conduct
• It cannot compromise the integrity of the UTK networks, resources, faculty, or staff
• It cannot go against the UTK code of student conduct (find that here)

I don't know what to build — any ideas?

Don't worry at all! We will walk you through how to brainstorm great ideas at the beginning of VolHacks.