FAQ

  1. How many people can be on a team?

    2. There is a limit of up to 5 members per team.

  2. Can I team up with a friend from another campus?

    3. As long as they are registered for at least one UTSC course. The competition is open to all UofT students taking courses at UTSC.

  3. What are the costs of entering this competition?

    4. None! This competition is completely free!

  4. What are the prizes?

    5. The grand prize is $3000 in cash! The 2nd and 3rd place prizes are $2000 and $1000 respectively.

  5. Are there certain criteria the apps must follow?

    6. The only criteria are that the app must demonstrably benefit students at UTSC. The rest is up to you.

  6. Does that mean I can make games?

    7. Yes! If you can explain how it benefits the students of UTSC.

  7. How will the submitted applications be judged?

    8. Please see the evaluation criteria for specifics on how the applications will be judged for the competition.

  8. What if I don’t know how to develop an app?

    9. Come to our AppStar Mixer Event on Mar 21! It’s a chance to learn more about the completion and to mingle with other students?you might just find a great collaborator to work with. Also, feel free to contact student clubs on campus to find others looking for partners.

  9. What operating systems are permitted?

    10. Apple iOS and Android.

  10. What versions of these operating systems are we allowed to create apps for?

    11. All versions will be accepted.

  11. Why only iOS and Android?

    12. They are the devices used most widely by UTSC students and we’d like to ensure that the applications build have the widest audience possible.

  12. What about the developer packages that one would have to pay for to get the license?

    13. You don’t need to pay for those! We are evaluating the apps on emulators, this eliminates the need for teams to purchase an account.

  13. Are the Milestones mandatory? What if I can’t make it to one of them?

    14. Yes they are mandatory. If you cannot attend one (or both) of the Milestones in person, please let us know and we will make arrangements for you to attend them via internet.

  14. What if my application makes use of on-device functionality that cannot be tested through an emulator?

    15. The planned AppStar evaluation process is to test all submitted applications using emulators. In the event that a particular app makes use of any device-specific functionality (for example, an onboard camera or GPS) that cannot be tested with an emulator, that specific functionality can be tested on a specific mobile device (details to be provided). In order to allow for the deployment of the application to the evaluation team’s test devices, a specific provisioning profile will be created for the evaluation team devices and used when compiling the application code.

    Each team can request a similar provisioning file for their application for their own on-device testing. Teams will be limited to one testing device each. Please contact the AppStar team at appstar@utsc.utoronto.ca for more details.

    Any requirement for this additional testing should be indicated in your final submission.

    Please note that emulators will still be used for testing basic operations and usability for all applications.