About

SparkHacks

What?

SparkHacks is a 24-hour hackathon hosted by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Chicago along with several different CS-based student organizations. This is the second iteration of SparkHacks and aims to provide an environment to learn, collaborate with peers, and build a project that tackles our problem statements for a chance to win prizes!

Why?

Experience: You will get complete hands-on experience of building something outside of your standard curriculum. You can add this as a side project on your resume which sets you apart during your internship search!
Technical Skills: We are introducing Pre Hack Workshops this year to equip you with the skills to tackle various prompts and build your technical expertise. These along with various Sponsor Workshops give you a chance to explore Computer Science from the perspective of the industry.
Community: Surviving Computer Science is all about building your support network. Here you get a chance to ideate and code with your friends as you eat free food, wear-free merch, play games, and win amazing prizes!

When?

SparkHacks will be held on Friday, February 9th from 2:30 pm - 9 pm and Saturday, February 10th from 9 am - 8 pm. We will also be having Pre-Hack Workshops from Monday-Thursday, February 5th - 8th.

Where?

Day 1 of SparkHacks will be held at Student Center East (SCE) and Day 2 will be at the Academic and Residential Complex (ARC).

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Hack Pack

Pre-Hack Workshops

February 5th

ARC 136

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Git Yourself Together (Intro to Git and Version Control)

February 6th

ARC 241

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Intro to React.js and Tailwind CSS

February 7th

ARC 242

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Intro to Google Firebase (Backend)

February 8th

SELE 2260

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Team Formation + Social

Schedule

February 9th

Friday

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm | Check-In and Career Fair

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm | Opening Ceremony and Releasing Tracks & Prompts

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm | ‘Creating a Basic Web App’ Workshop with John Deere

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm | Resume Review Workshop with CAT

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Brainstorm Project Ideas with Mentors

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm | ‘How to Host your Hack Project using AWS’ with Discover

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm | Interviewing Tips and Tricks from Abbvie

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Intro to API Workshop with CAT

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Dinner

8:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Mario Kart Tournament with Insomnia Cookies

February 10th

Saturday

9:00 am - 10:00 am | Check-In and Breakfast

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Destress Social with Anime

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm | Lunch

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm | How to Submit your Project: DevPost 101

4:00 pm | Project Submission Deadline

4:15 pm - 5:15 pm | Project Expo

5:30 pm - 6:00 pm | Meet your Organizers & SparkHacks 2025

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Announcement of Winners & Closing Ceremony

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Dinner

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can participate?

SparkHacks is open to anyone! Whether you're a freshman with no coding experience or a senior with a keen interest in technology, you are welcome to join. We encourage diversity and a mix of skills to create a dynamic and enriching experience for all participants.

What is the deadline to apply for SparkHacks?

There is no deadline to apply but we will be accepting applications on a rolling basis and will close registrations once we hit a certain threshold. Please apply as soon as possible since we only have a limited number of spots available! Encourage the rest of your team to apply as soon as possible as well.

Is SparkHacks overnight?

Unfortunately, at this time we cannot offer an overnight Hackathon experience. You are welcome to continue hacking at home within the hacking period but we cannot provide facilities for sleeping on campus.

How are projects judged, and what is the criteria?

The Judging Criteria will be available within the HackPack. A panel of experienced judges from the industry along with faculty will evaluate the projects and determine the winners.

What if I don’t want to code?

No problem! We have a No-Code track where you can take one of our prompts and implement it using Figma!

Do I need a team to participate in SparkHacks?

Yes, teams must consist of 2 to 5 members; Individual participation is not allowed due to devpost rules, and the event's nature is not conducive to solo participation. However, we will be having a Team Formation Social to help you find potential teammates!

Can I start working on my project before SparkHacks begins?

No, all projects must be started and developed during SparkHacks. Participants are expected to attend the opening session to learn of the tracks and corresponding prompts.

Where can I find SparkHacks resources?

All SparkHacks resources, including guidelines, workshops, resources to help you best prepare, and other relevant information, is currently available in the HackPack.

How to find support during the hackathon?

Mentors will be available throughout SparkHacks in person as well as through Discord to provide guidance, answer questions, and assist participants with technical challenges. You can reach out to a mentor at any time during SparkHacks!

How can I submit my project?

All submissions will be made through Devpost which is also how we will be keeping track of teams. There will be a session to familiarize yourself with how to submit your project through Devpost during the hackathon.

What prizes are available for winners?

Prizes may vary, but typically winners will receive recognition as well as valuable tech gadgets. Prizes are track-specific and the list of prizes can be found in the HackPack.