Call for project ideas and mentors for GSoC 2026

INCF plans to apply as a mentoring organisation for Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2026, and we are inviting experienced researchers, developers, and community members to propose project ideas and serve as mentors.

Please feel free to forward this call to potentially interested mentors in your network.

Important: Interested mentors need to submit their proposals to the INCF GSoC Proposal Portal. Full project descriptions need to be submitted by 1 February 2026.

What we are looking for

We are calling for open source software development project ideas with a neuroscience connection. This can include: 
    •    Fixes or extensions to large, broadly applicable tools used by neuroscience researchers 
    •    Improvements to smaller or niche tools serving specific neuroscience communities 
    •    Projects aligned with initiatives in computational neuroscience 
    •    Tools, workflows, or infrastructure that support neuroscience research

Projects that support or implement INCF-endorsed standards or best practices are especially encouraged.

Who can participate 
    •    Mentors: researchers, developers, or maintainers with experience in open source software 
    •    Contributors: students and beginners in open source software development are welcome

Please note that participation is subject to INCF being accepted by Google as a mentoring organisation. Google will announce accepted organisations in February 2026, and there is no guarantee of acceptance.

Important dates and timeline
    •    Expression of interest deadline for mentors: 19 January 2026
    •    Organisation applications open: 19 January 2026
    •    Organisation applications close: 3 February 2026
    •    Full project descriptions due: 1 February 2026
    •    Target date for public project ideas list: mid January 2026
    •    Accepted organisations announced by Google: February 2026

The timeline is slightly earlier than in previous years, so early engagement is strongly encouraged.

How to get involved

If you are interested in mentoring:
    1.    Send a declaration of interest as early as possible to gsoc@incf.org
    2.    Prepare a full project description
    3.    Submit your project via the INCF GSoC Proposal Portal by 1 February 2026

Early contact helps us coordinate project scope, ensure a good mix of project sizes, and publish a strong project ideas list.

Help spread the word

We encourage you to share this call with colleagues, labs, and open source communities who may be interested in mentoring or proposing projects.

We look forward to working together to support open source software development for the global neuroscience community.