Student devs & educators: Here's how you can get a leg up on Apple's Swift Student Challenge

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — The Apple Swift Student Challenge is one many aspiring student developers look forward to, and with good reason.

Just preparing to participate is already a great trial run for what goes into creating a workable app and being selected as a winner would be for many students just the icing on the cake.

If you're a student developer or an educator (or very concerned parent) looking to support one, there's good news.

You can enrol in a special online session on January 16, 8.45am that will get you some great app-building insights as well as helpful tips from a former Challenge winner.

Register for the special session here.

If you need more motivation to join the challenge once it starts taking applications from February 3 to 23, how about hearing from previous Student Challenge winners and their experiences

There's still plenty of time to get updated with Swift by checking up the latest Swift tutorials or perhaps just install Swift Playgrounds on the App Store that teaches Swift in a fun, interactive manner that's accessible to aspiring coders of all age groups.

Also check out the official Swift Student challenge page here.

The eligibility requirements are simple: be a minimum of 16 years of age or older, be registered for free with Apple as an Apple developer or be a member of the Apple Developer Program; and

fulfill one of the following requirements:

* Be enrolled in an accredited academic institution or official homeschool equivalent;

* Be enrolled in a STEM organisation’s educational curriculum;

* Be enrolled in an Apple Developer Academy; or

* Have graduated from high school or equivalent within the past 6 months and be awaiting acceptance or have received acceptance to an accredited academic institution.

Do note that you can receive a Swift Student Challenge award up to four times, but you may only be selected as a Distinguished Winner one time only.