How I Won the Swift Student Challenge

First Things First: Actually Read the Rules

I can't stress this enough - read the rules. Like, actually read them. Not just skim through them while you're excited about your amazing idea.

• Your app needs to be under 25MB when zipped

• No network dependency whatsoever

• Must work on Swift Playground 4.5 or Xcode 16

Find Something That Actually Matters to You

Here's the thing about unique ideas - they don't have to be revolutionary. They just need to be personal.

I remember watching a video about previous Swift Student Challenge winners, and one thing that stuck with me was how the story behind your app matters as much as the app itself. When you're writing your application, think about it from the judge's perspective. They're probably going through hundreds of submissions. What's going to make yours memorable?

Keep an Eye on What Apple's Actually Working On

This might sound obvious, but pay attention to what Apple's been focusing on lately. When I was brainstorming, I noticed they'd been pushing AR and spatial computing pretty hard. RealityKit was getting updates, and there was this whole narrative about making digital experiences feel more physical and integrated into our real world.

AI is Your Friend (But You Need to Be Smart About It)

Tools like ChatGPT or Claude can be super helpful for things like brainstorming ideas or cleaning up your code — but only if you know how to guide them properly. At the end of the day, Apple’s really looking for people who can think creatively and actually solve problems on their own.

The key is knowing how to use AI effectively. But here's the important part - you need to understand what you're asking for. I spent time learning Swift and the basics of RealityKit first, so I could ask the right questions and understand the answers. AI can write code for you, but it can't think through your app's core logic or understand why certain design decisions matter.

And yes, I was honest about using AI in my application. There's no shame in it. The judges want to see that you can leverage modern tools effectively, not that you can memorize syntax.

Learn from Others (But Don't Copy)

I spent a lot of time going through previous Swift Student Challenge winners on GitHub. Not to copy their ideas, but to understand what made them successful. You can see patterns in the winning submissions - they solve real problems, they're well-executed, and they have a clear personal story behind them.

If You're Thinking About Applying

Don't overthink it. Find something that matters to you personally, learn the technologies well enough to ask good questions, use AI to help with implementation, and make sure you follow the rules. The judges want to see passion and potential, not perfection.

The Swift Student Challenge is an incredible opportunity, and if you're reading this, you're probably already thinking about applying. Trust your instincts, find your story, and build something that you'd actually want to use. The rest will follow.

About my project