United Hacks V8 is a fully online, free hackathon run by Hack United on 8-10 January 2027. It is open to participants aged 13 and over from anywhere on earth, and the total cash prize pool is $18,700. Projects must be submitted by 10 January 2027 at 12:00 EST. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the organiser's official site and its Devpost page and set out the details below.
Not an Erasmus+ or ESC Programme: Please Read First
⚠️ Different event: United Hacks is organised by Hack United. It is not an Erasmus+ project and not a European Solidarity Corps activity, and it is not a mobility or volunteering programme: everything happens online
💳 Cost: the organiser calls it 100% free; there is no participation fee
🔎 Check before you register: read how we review listings in how Youth Works Hub checks opportunities and confirm every rule on the organiser's pages
What United Hacks V8 Is
💻 Format: a hackathon where you build a project over one weekend and present it
🌐 Place: fully online
🗓️ Dates: 8-10 January 2027
🎂 Age: 13 and up, anywhere on earth
🏆 Cash prizes: $18,700 in total, as shown on the Devpost page
🏷️ Tags on Devpost: Beginner Friendly, Design, Education
The organiser describes it as the world's largest hackathon run by high schoolers. The schedule is built for a crowd across 50+ countries and runs on Eastern Time. Workshops, mentors and judges are included.
Who Can Take Part
🎂 Age: ages 13 and up
🌍 Location: anywhere on earth; Devpost says all countries and territories, excluding standard exceptions
🎓 Students and professionals: the official site says students and professionals are both welcome. The Devpost page, however, lists the event as "Students only", says students above 13 years of age are welcome and states that companies and professional organisations are excluded. Read the full rules on Devpost before you register
👥 Teams: up to 4 people; working solo is also allowed
🗣️ Language: your entry must be in English
Key Dates (Eastern Time)
🎬 Opening ceremony: 8 January 2027 at 7:00 pm EST, with the theme track reveal and important updates
📤 Submissions due: 10 January 2027 at 12:00 pm EST
🎉 Closing ceremony: 10 January 2027 at 8:00 pm EST
Workshop times are posted in the organiser's Discord server, and the livestream links stay there as well. The Devpost page lists the workshop schedule as to be determined, and its submissions page showed "Submissions open soon".
Rules of the Weekend
📏 Original work: projects must be original and built during the weekend. You start from an idea and end with something real
🧰 Anything goes: web, mobile, hardware, AI, games or anything else you can demo
📦 What to submit: a demo video, a GitHub repo and a description
🤝 Code of conduct: follow it and keep the room kind
How Judging Works
Judges come from engineering, software, business and medicine, including people from Oracle, Amazon and Walmart. They score every project on five things:
🎨 Creativity
⚙️ Technical complexity
🛠️ Practicality
🖌️ Design
🎤 Presentation
You also receive feedback after the event, and you can meet your judges in the Discord server. People who work in the industry can apply to judge V8 through the organiser's site.
How to Register
📝 Sign up on Devpost: register on the United Hacks V8 Devpost page
💬 Join the Discord: the server is the organiser's primary way of communicating with participants, and you can find teammates there
🌐 Enrol on both: the rules require you to be enrolled in the hackathon on both Devpost and the organiser's website
📖 Read more: the organiser's event website explains the rest
The organiser's pages do not give a separate registration closing date, so register early. The key date to plan around is the project deadline on 10 January 2027 at 12:00 pm EST. Find more online competitions like this one in the Others category on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is United Hacks V8 free?
Yes. The organiser states that it is 100% free.
Who can join United Hacks V8?
Anyone aged 13 or over from anywhere on earth. The official site welcomes students and professionals, while the Devpost page says students only and excludes companies and professional organisations, so check the rules on Devpost.
When does the hackathon take place?
From 8 to 10 January 2027, fully online. The opening ceremony is on 8 January at 7:00 pm EST and projects are due on 10 January at 12:00 pm EST.
Can I take part alone?
Yes. Teams can have up to 4 people, and working solo is allowed.
What do I need to submit?
A demo video, a GitHub repository and a description of your project. The entry must be in English and the project must be built during the weekend.
How much can I win?
The Devpost page lists $18,700 in cash prizes in total.
Is this an Erasmus+ or ESC programme?
No. United Hacks is organised by Hack United and is not part of Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps.
Deadline
⏳ 10 January 2027
Links
🌐 Official website: https://unitedhacks.hackunited.org
📝 Devpost registration page: https://unitedhacksv8.devpost.com/
