Please refer to the HackOHI/O Guidebook for details on the competition rules, judging rubric, code of conduct and waiver. Additionally, the FAQ is attached in the guidebook.
Dates
October 24-25, 2026
Eligibility
Anyone who is a student at a university with a valid .edu email address. Undergrads and grad students are both welcome. We encourage all levels of expertise to join. Whether this is your first hackathon, or you’ve been to hackathons around the nation, HackOHI/O provides an opportunity to collaborate and create something amazing.
If you are under the age of 18 AND you are not an OSU student you are not eligible to participate, per policy set by The Ohio State University. However, if you are an OSU student under the age of 18, you are eligible to participate. Likewise, if you are not an OSU student AND you are over the age of 18, you are eligible to participate.
Project Submission Rules
Projects must conform with all federal, state, and local laws. No illegal or dangerous projects submitted will be eligible to win prizes.
Each team can only submit one project during the hackathon. Any additional projects submitted after the first project for any track will not be considered for judging. Teams that are found circumventing this rule will be disqualified from the competition
Originality, Prior Work & Fair Judging
OHI/O supports iterative innovation. Teams are permitted to continue developing ideas or projects started before the event. However:
- Judging is based solely on work completed during the official hackathon timeframe.
- Teams must clearly disclose any prior development and identify what was built during the current event.
- Projects that have previously won awards may not be resubmitted without substantial new contributions made during this hackathon
- Failure to accurately represent prior work or the scope of development during the event may result in disqualification. We value integrity, transparency, and fair competition. Participants are expected to uphold these standards.
