Frequently asked questions

Students from any discipline, working professionals and independent innovators. Teams have 1–3 members. You do not need to be a computer science student — strong teams mix technical skill with domain understanding.

Season 2 registration and payment collection are closed. Existing participants can sign in to review their team and payment history.

No. Payment gives every team the complete three-lock build experience with AI evaluation reports. Physical-final selection is earned through the evaluated locks and human review — it is never bought.

Access to all three build locks, a structured submission journey, AI evaluation reports with criterion-level improvement recommendations, responsible-AI guidance, participant resources, community access, participation recognition and the opportunity to qualify for a physical final.

Contact the organiser about mixed-institution teams and the applicable payment category before paying. Teams have 1–3 members.

Each lock is scored by AI against a transparent rubric, producing criterion-level strengths, weaknesses and recommendations. Human evaluators verify important decisions, and large AI-versus-human score differences automatically trigger moderation. AI never independently decides the winners.

A working prototype: live product link, GitHub repository, demo video, screenshots, final architecture, a contribution declaration from every member and honest known limitations.

Yes — Lock 3 requires a repository link so evaluators can inspect what was actually built. The repository can be private with access shared for evaluation, and our GitHub submission guide covers exactly what it must contain.

No new edition selection is available because Season 2 registration is closed. The Chennai edition remains published as a historical programme record.

Your team keeps ownership of what it builds. By submitting you grant StudAI One a limited licence to evaluate your work and to feature approved showcase material. The full terms are in the Participant IP section of the Terms and Conditions.

No. Teams qualifying for a physical final arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodation. Food is also not included in the registration fee.

Final selection weighs all three locks plus human review, with Lock 3 (the working prototype) carrying the most weight. The jury confirms the winners at the physical final.