I'm building an app which runs around the Foundation model framework. My expected output is generated when testing on a real device or in preview in Xcode but it throws Foundation Model error when I try running it on the simulator. I'm using a Macbook M1 air and have apple intelligence turned on and my simulator run destination is also an iPad Pro M5 (26.0). Any solution for this as this is my submission for the SSC so I need to make it work on the simulator iPad. Thank you👾

With AI getting so powerful, do you think Swift Student Challenge will change a lot next year? Will Apple update the rules or change what they're judging? Would love to hear thoughts from anyone who's followed SSC for a while.

Hi, I submitted my Swift Student Challenge 2026 app and I'm worried about a build error I got when testing. I have both PlateClassifier_2.mlmodel and PlateClassifier_2.mlmodelc in my Sources folder. Only the .mlmodelc is listed in my Package.swift resources. When building I got: PlateClassifier_2.mlmodel: No predominant language detected. Set COREML_CODEGEN_LANGUAGE to preferred language. Build failed — 1 error Will judges hit this same error? Does having an unlisted .mlmodel alongside the .mlmodelc cause a hard build failure on other machines too, or is this specific to my setup (Xcode 26.2 beta, building to physical device)? Will this get me instantly disqualified? Any help appreciated.

Hello, I recently submitted my Swift Student Challenge app playground (“Crest”) and realized after submission that I accidentally selected Swift Playgrounds as the software to run it, instead of Xcode 26 or later. My project builds and runs successfully in Xcode 26 using the iOS 26 SDK and simulator. However, when opening the same .swiftpm project in the Swift Playgrounds app on iPad, it does not compile because Swift Playgrounds currently only supports up to iOS 18 SDK and does not support iOS 26 APIs. The submission itself is complete, builds correctly in Xcode, and was submitted before the deadline. The incorrect selection of Swift Playgrounds was an honest mistake during the submission process. I wanted to ask whether reviewers are able to run the submission using Xcode 26 in cases like this, or if there is anything I should do. Thank you very much for your time.

Hi all, The SSDC states: Challenge submissions are due by Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST I am curious does this apply to local timezone? I am GMT+0, so would this mean the deadline for GMT+0 is on the 1st of March at 7:59AM? Kind regards, Adam

Originally, I set my iOS deployment target to 18.1, but now that I'm integrating Foundational Models, I set it to iOS 26.0. Is this ok?

Hello Apple Developer Community, I am planning to participate in the Swift Student Challenge 2026. However, while reviewing the application form, I noticed that my country of residence is not listed in the address dropdown menu. I would like to clarify the correct way to proceed in this situation to avoid disqualification: Is it permissible to use the address of a relative who lives in a supported region as my contact address? Is filling out the shipping address mandatory for the initial submission, or is there an option to proceed without it? I want to ensure I fully comply with the Terms and Conditions. Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello everyone, I have already submitted my app playground for the Swift Student Challenge. After submission I noticed a few things I would like to improve and fix. Is it possible to withdraw my current submission and then immediately resubmit an updated version? Any clarification (especially from Apple staff or anyone who has done this before) would be very helpful. Thank you!

I’m building a Swift Playgrounds app (.swiftpm) in Xcode 26.2 and I consistently see this warning, even on brand-new Swift Playgrounds apps created from the default template: “Skipping duplicate build file in Compile Sources build phase: /Users/.../.swiftpm/Media.xcassets” Everything builds and runs normally and all images/assets appear correctly, so it seems like it’s just an annoying warning. I’ve checked for duplicates and don’t see the asset catalog listed twice, but the warning still appears whenever I add an asset catalog to any playground project in Xcode. Is this warning safe to ignore for submission, and it won’t affect Swift Student Challenge eligibility?

The deployment target for my app was set to iOS 18.1 originally, but now that I'm using Foundational Models framework, it has been set to iOS 26.0. Is this ok?

Hello, I built my app in Xcode and used IOS 26 latest frameworks like Foundation Models. But some of this frameworks don't work properly in Swift Playground(MyApp.swiftpm) and cause crashes. My question is can I submit a MyApp.xcodeproj file and choose Xcode 26 as a software to run my app ? Thank you in advance.

My swift student challenge submission is an iPad app built in Xcode and I'm planning on selecting the Xcode 26 option for testing in the dropdown provided in the application. Just have to confirm that the run destination for the playground in Xcode will be an iPad simulator right? Recently I have seen many participants post their submission screenshot for iPhone renders so just wanted to confirm the run destination. Thank you👾

Hello everyone, I’m looking for some clarity from the community regarding eligibility for the Swift Student Challenge 2026, particularly for students taking a gap year in India. I graduated from high school (Class XII, CBSE – India) in May 2025. After graduating, I chose to take a gap year to prepare for competitive entrance examinations in India, with the goal of pursuing Computer Science / Engineering. I’ll be applying to accredited universities for programs starting in mid-2026, and I’m not currently enrolled in a college. My question: The eligibility guidelines state that high school graduates must have graduated within the past 6 months and must be awaiting acceptance or have received acceptance to an accredited institution. Since the submission deadline is February 28, 2026, my graduation would be about 9 months prior, which puts me in a gray area. Has anyone here participated in, or seen others participate in, the Swift Student Challenge while taking a gap year and preparing for university entrance exams? Is there any known flexibility or precedent for students in this situation? I’ve been following the Swift Student Challenge since 2023 and would really love to participate if I’m eligible. Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am preparing for Swift Student Challenge, but it seems like the iPad Playground app still not support the latest SDK. I can't use frameworks like FoundationModel, etc., directly in playground app My playground for this year would require iPad environment since it uses PencilKit, ARKit, etc., and I also want to use the latest tech + the liquid glass UI Right now, I develop the project as a normal Xcode project, and I am wondering how do I post it? As Xcode playground, it must run on macOS As Swift Playground project, the iPad version of Playground does not support latest APIs and it can't compile

Hello! Because the compilers used by different versions of Xcode 26 may be different, and I find that my app may not be able to ensure that all versions of Xcode 26 are successfully compiled. For example, my app can run on Xcode26.3 but will report an error at 26.4 (I have fixed it now). So I want to confirm which version of Xcode the jury uses to run my app, whether it is a known version or the latest version in the future. Thanks!

There is a week left for end of the Swift Student Challange submissions. I've built an app which uses FoundationModels but unfortunately there is no support for it in the Swift Playground. Is there any chance it might be coming up in the following days?

Hello. I'm building my Swift Student Challenge Project. But I noticed that the FoundationModels Framework isn't supported in Swift Playgrounds. My app uses ARKit, so it definitely should be tested on real device. So, is it possible to somehow implement a foundation models to my Swift Playgrounds app? Or is it possible to ask judges to test the app on real device launching it from xcode. Your answer is really important for because the functionality of my app directly depends on Foundation Models availability. Thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m currently developing my submission for the Swift Student Challenge. My app idea heavily relies on CLLocationManager to track the user's movement (recording coordinates, altitude, and calculating distances) to provide a localized, real-world experience. I have a few questions regarding how this will be evaluated during the judging process: Testing Environment: Since the rules mention that Xcode app playgrounds are run in the Simulator, but submissions optimized for iPad are run on real devices, will the judges physically test an app that requires real-world walking/movement? Location Permissions: Will the judges accept the iOS location permission prompts to experience the app, or should I build a "Simulation Mode" with mock GPS data to ensure they can evaluate the core logic without leaving their desk? Judging Criteria: Does a location-dependent app fit well within the "Technical Accomplishment" and "Creativity" criteria, or is it too risky if the judges cannot test the physical movement aspect easily?

Hi, I was wondering if there’s a way to ensure my submission is tested on an iPad simulator in Xcode as some UI elements were designed with a large display in mind ?

I have a question about the full-time employment eligibility requirement for the Swift Student Challenge 2026. The rules state that applicants cannot be "employed full time as a developer" at the time of submission. My situation is a bit nuanced: I work as a software engineer at a company, but my contract explicitly distinguishes between summer and school year employment. During the summer I work full-time, but during the school year my hours are part-time and flexible, and therefore not a fixed schedule. Since the submission deadline is February 28th, I would be submitting during the school year, at which point I am not working full-time. My question: Does the eligibility rule apply strictly to full-time hours at the time of submission, or does being employed in a developer role at all (even part-time during the school year) disqualify me?