Student Volunteers is your chance to go behind the scenes at the world’s largest supercomputing conference! As a volunteer, you’ll play a key role in making SC26 a success — helping conference organizers, supporting attendees, and keeping the conference running smoothly.
In return, you’ll gain exclusive access to the Students@SC program, explore the latest breakthroughs on the exhibit floor, attend cutting-edge technical sessions, and connect with some of the brightest minds in AI, quantum, and HPC
Join the team. Build your future. Power the next generation of high performance computing!
Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student — local or international — this is your opportunity to build lasting friendships, grow your professional network, and take your first step into the global supercomputing community.
Student Volunteers ChairSuzanne Prentice, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Student Volunteers Vice ChairLayla Freeborn, University of Colorado
Student Volunteer Applications Open 8 December 2025
8 DEC 2025
Applications Open
16 MAR 2026
Applications Close
29 MAY 2026
Notifications Sent
Student volunteers perform a wide range of tasks for the SC Conference such as providing support for presenters, working the Information Booths, and staffing conference activities. Student volunteers work 15–20 hours during the conference, allowing plenty of time to engage in important educational and career-advancing activities such as tutorials, technical talks, panels, poster sessions, and workshops.
If you are interested in high performance networks and are available the week prior to the conference in addition to the week of SC, consider applying as a SCinet student volunteer.
Approximately 20 students are selected to work with various SCinet teams, including fiber, network security, routing, and communications, to build and operate SCinet. These students work directly alongside professionals from educational institutions, HPC centers, network equipment vendors, national laboratories, research institutions, research networks, and telecommunications carriers. These students arrive at the convention center one week prior to the conference to set up the network, and stay a day after the conference ends to perform teardown tasks.
Former SC student volunteers interested in deeper involvement in running the conference with more responsibility and greater access while learning how to organize events are encouraged to apply for a role within the Lead Student Volunteers program.
Student volunteers are given specific tasks and take on a variety of roles at the conference. Tasks include but are not limited to:
Students pay a reduced conference registration fee of $150. International students are responsible for producing their own visa to come to the U.S. for the conference.
You must be 18 years old on the date you arrive at the conference.
To be a student volunteer in the Students@SC program, you must be enrolled as a student at the time of the conference. High school, undergraduate, and graduate students are all eligible. Students of all majors are welcome, and students in non-computing majors are particularly encouraged to apply.
Regular student volunteers must arrive at the convention center in time to attend orientation and jacket pick-up at 3 pm on Saturday, November 14. Plan to allow yourself ample time to check into your hotel room or drop off your bags upon arrival in the city before heading to the convention center.
Student volunteers are expected to attend during the dates listed below. There are some volunteer shifts on Friday morning; please do not expect to leave early. Hotel costs will be covered for the dates below.
To ensure that applicants will have the time required to fully participate in the program and the conference at large, all applicants may not have other commitments at SC (such as working at your university’s booth or other programs) that exceed 10 hours during the duration of the conference. This includes other roles on the SC planning committee.
Student volunteers are expected to dress appropriately for the conference. Dress in clean, business casual or casual clothing while performing volunteer duties – lightweight, comfortable clothes and shoes (appropriate T-shirts, polo shirts, sweaters, jeans, trousers, skirts, dresses). Many conference attendees dress casually during the conference and during most events; business attire is not expected or required. Please make sure all clothes provide coverage appropriate for a professional event.
The Students@SC program includes a Job Fair and two evening events: the Grand Opening Gala Reception and the Technical Program Reception. Students may choose to bring more formal attire for these events.
Please remember that this is a professional conference. If you are not sure if something is appropriate or could be considered offensive, please ask.
Students are required to follow the SC Code of Conduct at all times.
*Rooms are booked by the conference to ensure student volunteers have quick and easy access to the convention center to work their shifts. Even if you are local to the area, you still need to stay in your reserved hotel room.
Overall, students are responsible for their own meals during the conference. Several events during the conference do provide food including the Grand Opening Gala Reception and the Technical Program Reception. Vendor events and booths occasionally provide food.
Students have access to conference coffee and snack breaks, which take place halfway through the morning and afternoon sessions. Breakfast is provided for SCinet student volunteers; all other student volunteers provide their own breakfast.
SC provides travel support to all accepted student volunteers. Travel support is only available to accepted student volunteers. Students must make their travel arrangements through the SC travel agency.
Create an account in the online submission system and complete the form. A sample form can be viewed before signing in.
If you have questions about Student Volunteer applications, please contact the program committee.
Former student volunteers are encouraged to elevate their SC volunteer experience and apply to become a lead student volunteer.
