Open Source Promotion Plan (OSPP)

Guide to OSPP — China’s open-source summer program by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, open to students worldwide

TL;DR — OSPP is a summer program organized by the Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Open to university students worldwide. Projects are difficulty-tiered with bonuses up to ¥12,000 RMB (~$1,650 USD). Runs annually since 2020.

What is OSPP?

The Open Source Promotion Plan (开源之夏) is a summer program launched in 2020 by the Institute of Software at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its goal is to encourage university students worldwide to participate in open-source development.

Key features:

• Open to international students — not China-only
• Difficulty-tiered projects — Basic and Advanced levels with different bonuses
• Wide range of projects — From Linux kernel to web frameworks to AI tools
• Growing rapidly — Increasing number of communities and projects each year

Eligibility

• Must be a currently enrolled university student (undergraduate, master’s, or PhD)
• Must be 18 years or older
• Open to students worldwide (not limited to China)
• Students can only participate in one project per summer

Timeline (Based on Recent Cycles)

Phase	Approximate Timing
Community registration & review	March
Communities submit projects	April – Early May
Student registration & applications	May – Mid June
Application review	Mid – Late June
Selected students announced	Late June
Coding & development period	July – September
Mentor review & PR merging	October
Final committee review	Early November
Results announced	Mid November

Bonuses (Stipend)

Projects are divided into two difficulty levels:

Level	Bonus	Description
Basic	¥8,000 RMB (~$1,100 USD)	Suitable for beginners, smaller scope
Advanced	¥12,000 RMB (~$1,650 USD)	More complex, requires deeper expertise

Bonuses are paid after successful project completion. International students receive payment via wire transfer.

How to Apply

Step 1: Browse Communities and Projects

Visit summer-ospp.ac.cn and browse participating communities once projects are published (usually April–May). Each project lists:

• Technical requirements
• Difficulty level (Basic or Advanced)
• Mentor contact information
• Expected deliverables

Step 2: Contact Mentors Early

Reach out to mentors of projects you’re interested in:

• Introduce yourself and your background
• Ask clarifying questions about the project scope
• Discuss your approach to the project
• Some mentors may assign small pre-application tasks

Step 3: Submit Your Application

Register on the OSPP platform and submit your application with:

• Personal information and university enrollment proof
• Project selection (you can apply to multiple but only work on one)
• A detailed project proposal with technical approach and timeline
• Relevant experience and portfolio links

Step 4: Development Phase

If selected:

• Work on your project from July through September
• Maintain regular communication with your mentor
• Submit code via pull requests / merge requests
• Document your work and progress

Tips for Success

1. Start early — contact mentors within the first week of project publication — Projects with popular communities (Apache, openEuler) fill up fast. Mentors form opinions about candidates early, and being the first to engage with a thoughtful question gives you an advantage.
2. Show initiative with a preliminary contribution — Fork the project, fix a small bug or improve documentation, and submit a PR before your application. Even if the PR is not merged by the application deadline, having it open demonstrates that you can work with the codebase.
3. Write a detailed proposal with a risk section — Include a technical design with architecture diagrams or pseudocode, a week-by-week timeline with concrete deliverables, and a risk assessment section that identifies what might go wrong and how you would handle it. The strongest proposals show that you have already thought through the implementation challenges.
4. Communicate in English or Chinese — Most communities accept both languages, but check the project’s primary communication language. If the mentor communicates in Chinese, writing your proposal in Chinese shows cultural awareness and makes review easier for them.
5. Choose the right difficulty level honestly — Selecting an Advanced project when your skills align with Basic will result in a weak proposal. Conversely, if you have strong relevant experience, an Advanced project gives you a higher stipend and less competition. Match your actual skill level to the difficulty tier.
6. Cross-reference with GSoC organizations — Many OSPP communities also participate in GSoC. If an organization appears in both programs, you can apply to GSoC as a backup or use your OSPP experience to strengthen a future GSoC application.

Resources

Resource	Link
Official Website	summer-ospp.ac.cn
Help Documentation (English)	summer-ospp.ac.cn/help/en
GitHub	github.com/summer-ospp
Contact Email	[e-mail]

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OSPP only for Chinese students?

No. OSPP is open to university students worldwide. The platform and many project descriptions are available in English.

Can I participate in OSPP and GSoC in the same year?

Potentially, if the timelines don’t conflict with each other. Check both programs’ policies on concurrent participation.

What languages are the projects in?

Projects span many languages — Python, Java, Go, C/C++, JavaScript, Rust, and more. It depends on the participating community.

How competitive is OSPP?

Less competitive than GSoC overall, but varies by project. Some popular communities (like Apache projects) are highly competitive.