Forty scholarships, with travel

A free pass is only half of what makes a conference possible. The flight, the hotel and the days off work are usually the larger cost, and they are what keeps many people at home. So, for the third year, every Summit scholarship includes travel.

What a scholarship covers

There are forty places for 2027, double last year's number, funded by our partners and by a share of every team ticket.

• A conference pass for both days, with a guaranteed workshop seat

• Travel to Lisbon, booked by us, up to €600 within Europe and €1,200 from further away

• Four nights' accommodation in a hotel near the venue

• A daily allowance of €40 for meals outside the conference

• A buddy from our speaker alumni, who meets you on day one and introduces you around

We book and pay for travel directly, so no one has to spend money upfront and wait to be reimbursed.

Who can apply

The programme is for people who are under-represented in the software industry, including women, non-binary people, people of colour, disabled people, people from working-class backgrounds and those who are changing careers. You do not need to be senior or employed in tech right now. Students are welcome too, though they may prefer the half-price student passes on the tickets page.

You can apply from anywhere. Last year scholars came from twenty-three countries, and around a third had never been to a conference before.

How we choose

The form takes about fifteen minutes. We ask what you work on, what you hope to take home from two days in Lisbon and whether anything would make attending easier for you. There are no essays and no references.

Every application is read by two people from a panel of five, and we do not see your name or photo until the final round. Places go to the people for whom Summit would make the most difference, not to the most polished writers.

The question we weigh most is the simplest one: what would you do with what you learn here?

Dates

• Applications open today and close on 15 December.

• Decisions go out by 31 January, before early-bird passes end.

• Travel is booked with you during February.

If you need help with the form, or would like to apply in Portuguese or Spanish, write to me and I will help. Every scholar is covered by our code of conduct in the same way as every other attendee, and the venue is step-free throughout.