A weekend of coding, creativity, and collaboration.
KentHackIt 2026 has finally come to an end. Thank you to everyone who took part, built projects, shared ideas, and made the weekend truly memorable. Your creativity and effort have brought amazing concepts to life.
You can also check out each team's submitted projects here on Devpost.
– The KentHackIt 2026 Team
KentHackIt is the University of Kent's annual hackathon, set up by the Kent Computing Society where students of all skill levels come together to learn, collaborate, and bring innovative ideas to life. Within 24 hours, participants form teams, attend technical workshops, receive guidance from mentors, and develop working prototypes before presenting their projects to a panel of judges.
Whether you’re an experienced developer or trying a hackathon for the first time, KentHackIt is an exciting opportunity for students to explore new skills, gain practical experience, and showcase their ideas in a supportive environment.
Why join KentHackIt?
A hackathon is a creative computing competition where students work together to build projects such as applications, websites, games, and more within a limited timeframe. Participants work in multidisciplinary teams to develop creative solutions, compete for prizes, and learn by building together.
KentHackIt is open to students and recent graduates aged 18 and over from universities across the UK, regardless of their background or level of experience. No prior experience is required, technical workshops and experienced mentors will be available throughout the event to support you.
KentHackIt is completely free to attend. We provide participants with meals, snacks, drinks, and other essential items to support their needs and dietary requirements.
Interest registration for KentHackIt 2027 has not been opened yet. Keep an eye out on our website and social media accounts for updates.
KentHackIt is an in-person event and will take place inside Kennedy Building, School of Computing, University of Kent, Park Wood, Canterbury CT2 7FS.
No, you can arrive on your own. Team formation takes place after the opening ceremony, making it easy to meet other participants. Teams can consist of 1 to 4 members.
Project development begins after the opening ceremony. You’re welcome to brainstorm ideas beforehand, but all code and project work must be created during the event. Existing frameworks, libraries, and tools may be used, provided they are appropriately credited.
KentHackIt takes place over a weekend and includes 24 hours of dedicated hacking time. Participants are welcome to head home overnight, stay awake throughout the event, or get some rest inside Kennedy Building. We provide dedicated sleeping and quiet rooms.
If you plan to stay overnight, we recommend bringing something comfortable, such as a pillow, blanket, or hoodie.
We recommend bringing your laptop and charger, headphones, any peripherals you'd like to use (e.g. a mouse or keyboard), and some comfortable clothing if you plan to stay overnight.
Hardware will not be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own devices and equipment.
As we’re introducing a new ticketing system, places will be allocated based on availability once tickets are released. If demand exceeds capacity, a waitlist may be opened.
If you’re interested in mentoring or volunteering at KentHackIt, please complete our Google Form to register your interest. We’ll be in touch with more information closer to the event.
Coming soon...
