Welcome to this super-useful "secret guide"! To help you ace OSPP program, we've prepared some tips 💁.
（1）What to Do Before Choosing a Community or Project?
⏳ Time Management Master
Start by reading the Student Guide and confirming your schedule. Ensure that you can dedicate at least 30 hours per week to the project during the program 😉
💡 Skill Tree Check
Take a good look at your: professional skills, favorite technical areas, and preferred programming languages.
These are the secret weapons for choosing the right project! (ps. Picking a project that matches your skill set can double your sense of achievement 🎉)
🌐 Don't Be Shy Online
The open source world always welcomes proactive participants! Even if you're shy offline, please switch to extrovert mode online!
Be proactive in reaching out to the community: carefully read their documentation, understand their communication norms, and dive into the project code. Who knows?
You might even unlock exclusive guidance from senior community members 😎.
（2）What to Say When Communicating with Mentors?
🎯 Communication Goals
✅ Evolve Your Plan: Bring your initial plan to the mentor and get customized optimization feedback
🧐 Make a Strong Impression: Showcase your logical thinking and precise communication skills
⚠️ Avoid Pitfalls: Spot any misunderstandings early to avoid unnecessary effort
💡 Tips
👍 Like coding standards, proper email etiquette can help you gain favor with mentors
🧠 Do your homework before reaching out. Mentors are more inclined to collaborate with prepared and thoughtful applicants
📝 Take note of significant revisions, and remember to label versions when updating your application draft
（3）What to Include in Project Application Materials?
In addition to a resume, the project application package consists of two main parts: Technical Proposal + Timeline
1. Detailed Technical Proposal
Break down the goal of the project and clearly outline the functionality of each module.
Analyze the project requirements based on your breakdown.
Clearly describe which specific files in the existing modules your solution will modify.
Or, explain which new modules your proposal will add and how these will interact with existing modules.
✅ Bonus Skills: Include citations in your proposal, such as:
Success stories from similar projects.
Theoretical references from research papers, etc.
2. Detailed Timeline
It's recommended to break down tasks into weekly milestones.
For better readability, consider dividing the timeframe into larger phases (e.g., 4 weeks per phase) and summarize core tasks for each phase.
Within each phase, use weekly increments to describe your task plans for that week.
💡 Pro Tip: Leave a 15% buffer time for debugging.
3. Resume
⭐ Must-Have Information: Your user ID for open source platforms (e.g., GitHub, Gitee).
🚫 What to Avoid: Unrelated experiences—remove them from your resume.
ℹ️ Beyond your educational background, your resume should align with the project you're applying for. Include (but don’t limit to):
Contributions you’ve made to the community of this project.
Contributions to similar open source software or communities.
Open source contributions (if you haven’t contributed to related communities).
Experience developing similar functionality in other software (even if it wasn’t open source).
If you lack all the above, focus on highlighting your proficiency with the community’s tech stack and demonstrate your ability to learn.
🤫 Pro Tip from the Organizing Committee: Checking out past outstanding students' application will skyrocket your performance! 🚀
4. The Most Critical Thing
🚨 Say NO to procrastination! Let’s repeat this three times for emphasis: Submit early! Submit early! Submit early! (The committee won’t pity late submissions caused by poor internet connectivity 🙂↔️.)
（4）What Are Selection Criteria for Students?
🌟 Selection Formula: Technical Proposal × Timeline × Resume Highlights
Technical Proposal: Demonstrates a clear implementation roadmap, technical insights, and an ability to dissect complex problems.
Timeline: Includes clear phase objectives, actionable weekly plans, and reflects project management skills.
Matching Criteria: Evaluates how the applicant's technical stack, project experience, and the community’s needs align.
❗️ Strongly suggested: Before you submit, actively communicate with community mentors about project details and proposals. The project application is key to your selection!