Our program is designed for students who:

1. Currently attend a U.S. college or university
2. Identify as Black and/or Latinx
3. Are seeking internships in the tech industry (SWE, AI, UX/UI, etc.) in the summer of 2026 (and NOT full-time employment)
4. Have experience coding in at least one language (i.e. Python, C++, Java, etc.)
5. Are interested in advocating for racial equity in the tech industry
6. NOTE: Students who have previously participated in the Fellows Program (hiring or summer seasons) are not eligible to apply.

There is no age limit for the Fellows Program as long as you meet the criteria above.

If that's you, then we encourage you to apply for our 2026 Fellows Program.

We require students to have some experience coding. Our Fellowship is designed for students who desire to gain experience and make an impact in the tech industry. As part of our application process we have applicants provide a code sample as part of a technical screening assessment. The technical assessment will not be a factor in determining your acceptance to the program. Instead, this will provide you with some practice and help assess your coding skills before you start applying to internships.

Our Fellows Program is designed to offer support and resources to students who will be returning to school in the Fall of 2026. While graduating students would not be eligible for our Fellows Program, we offer other workshops and socials that would suit the emerging professional. Check out our website for information on opportunities like this.

We currently do not have plans to open the program to schools outside of the United States.

As a Code2040 Fellow, you'll spend your time in an intensive career accelerator for 10 months beginning in September 2025 through July 2026, with an in-person Summit late Spring/early Summer, all travel and lodging expenses paid (in person event subject to change, depending on CDC advisories).

You'll participate in a series of monthly learning experiences designed to equip you with the tools and resources you need to advocate for yourself and others. You'll engage in racial equity advocacy work in a much more intimate cohort. You'll be equipped with knowledge on what's happening in the industry, what systems need to change, and what your role is as a racial equity advocate. You'll build community with other Black and/or Latinx technologists, receive support from mentors and managers, while redefining the future and face of tech and ensuring other technologists like you have the opportunity to succeed in the innovation economy.

We'll begin reviewing applications after all interviews are complete. Fellows will be notified by email August 2025.

• April 28th: Application Opens.
• June 27th: Application Closes.
• Early July - Early August: Applicants will participate in a 30-minute interview with a member of the Code2040 community.
• Mid August: Applicants will be notified if they were selected to be a Fellow, and onboarding will begin!
• Mid September: Hiring Season Programming begins.

You can access it through the portal the same way you did when you created it.

Qualified is an online testing platform that helps organizations assess engineers. Code2040 has partnered with Qualified to provide students with a valuable assessment process in multiple coding languages.

So, here's the thing. This assessment was created to help YOU be successful in YOUR internship. This means that: if you are able to complete and pass the code sample, you will feel more prepared and confident for your internship. It is open-book, but not open-person (or open-ai), and we trust that you'll answer the questions yourself.

In order to really understand the answer to this question, it is important to know the distinction between challenges and assessments in Qualified. One assessment is made up of many challenges.

An assessment can only be submitted once. This is done by hitting the green button that says 'SUBMIT MY ASSESSMENT'. Once you submit your assessment you will be unable to edit, make corrections or retake the assessment.

Challenges, on the other hand, are short coding problems and each assessment has a few challenges for you to solve. You can submit solutions to challenges as many times as you like. This is done by hitting the green button that says 'SUBMIT SOLUTION'. Each time you do so, test cases will be run to let you know if you have successfully completed the challenge.

There is one required assessment with two coding challenges and one Q&A challenge that you will need to complete in order to move on to the next step. There are also three optional assessments that you can complete if you'd like to continue practicing.

There is no time limit to the code sample! The assessment is there for you as a practice tool and to help us assess your skills.

You can take the assessment in many languages including JavaScript, Ruby, Java, Python, Swift, Objective-C, C-Sharp, C++, C, and more.

From September 2025 through March 2026, we will be offering learning experiences that lean deeply into internship search & interview support, with a deep emphasis of racial equity education. The opportunities will be synchronous via workshops and webinars, and also asynchronous via a complimentary Leetcode Premium subscription, access to Career Guides, and more!

Yes, all required hiring season programming workshops will be remote. There will be some in-person community pop ups that you will have access to but will not be required as part of the program.

We will send an official Calendar of Events specifically for Hiring Season Programming once you are accepted as a Fellow in mid-August.

Workshops will be monthly, and asynchronous programming will be available to access more frequently if preferred.

The topics for workshops can vary from year to year, but they all center around our direct vision of blending racial equity education, workforce development, and technical upskilling to create a unique learning experience.

Fellows are expected to attend all synchronous workshops, Summit and Hackathon related events, but we understand that things come up! If you are unable to make the commitment or need to miss a workshop or two due to a conflict, please let us know as soon as possible once you've received the dates and timeline.

All curriculum will be hosted/led by Code2040's program manager, external facilitator & industry leaders, as well as alumni of the program!

Absolutely! We take into consideration that the program will likely not be your highest priority, and create the curriculum and expectations based on this. Most of our fellows work jobs and/or are a part of other organizations.

The Fellows Program no longer has partner companies. We've shifted our focus to providing high level internship support, and weaving that with a deeper emphasis in racial equity.

Absolutely! Many of our fellows are international students.

Mentor Assignments: Mentors are assigned to fellows based on factors like industry experience, career interests, and availability. We conduct a mentor survey as well as a Fellow survey and we compare answers.

Support from Mentors: Mentors provide various forms of support, including resume reviews, interview prep, and career advice. They help fellows navigate the hiring process. Emotional support, encouragement, and helping fellows build confidence are also core parts of their role.

Meeting Frequency: Fellows and mentors are requested to meet at least 3 times but the goal is 6+ meetings. We have noticed that the more frequent the meetings the better relationship is built between mentor and mentee. Meetings can be over a video call, phone call, or in person. Regular check ins over Slack are also encouraged.

How the Relationship Works: The mentor-mentee relationship is structured yet flexible. Mentors are expected to provide guidance, but fellows are also encouraged to take initiative—following up, setting goals, and making the most of the mentorship experience.

As a fellow, you will be added to a Slack community with over 2,500 alumni and industry professionals! You will have access to ask questions, seek support, and generally connect with folks. Additionally, we offer a Career Guides program in which you can connect with an industry professional 1:1 during the hiring season. Of course for the summer, you will receive 1:1 direct mentorship for the duration of the summer.

You will continue to be a part of the Code2040 Family, and our Community of Practice team will continue to tap you in for volunteer opportunities, educational opportunities, as well as alumni connections!

The current acceptance rate for the fellows program is about 30 - 35% of applicants for the past few years.