Next week (September 24-28), we will be sharing all things Imagine Cup on the Worldwide Microsoft Student social media pages: Microsoft Student Facebook and @MS_Student Twitter handle.
Join our first ever Twitter chat hosted by Microsoft Imagine Cup 
Competition Manager, John Scott Tynes, and Imagine Cup alumna, Sally Buberman. On September 26th from 10-11 am PDT, John and Sally will be answering your questions via Twitter, so be sure to follow the hashtag #imaginecup (and include the #imaginecup hashtag in your Tweets). Make sure to RSVP for all of the details.
Throughout the week we will be sharing helpful resources, alumni advice, information about past winners, how to get started and much more.
If you’re not familiar with Imagine Cup or are wondering exactly what the competition is, read below for more details and then get ready for tips and tricks about Imagine Cup all week long. 
What is Imagine Cup?
Microsoft’s Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition, bringing together student innovators from all over the world. All eligible students are invited to use their imagination and passion to create a technology solution in one of the six competitions and challenges. Over the past ten years, more than 1.65 million students from more than 190 countries have participated in Imagine Cup. Now in its 11th year, Imagine Cup has three main competitions, which are highlighted below:
World Citizenship: Make an app that could change someone’s life. Pick your cause: the environment, education, health, you name it. Use technology as an agent of change. The key to success in the World Citizenship Competition is impact. What global challenge can you help solve with technology? Got an idea for an app that will help reduce world hunger, provide better treatment for disease, raise awareness of environmental issues, or provide better access to education?
Games: Create a game on your favorite gaming platform: Windows (PC or touchscreen), Windows Phone, Xbox Indie Games, or Kinect SDK. Embrace your love of gaming and show us what you can do. Be fearless: Use the Microsoft platform to change up an existing genre, make something crazy and new or deliver a killer new visual style. Let your skills in game design, art direction, and storytelling run wild. Take the first step and you never know what could happen. The future of gaming is in your hands!
Innovation: Use your skills and creativity to design a totally new app experience. From concept to functionality to interface, you run the show. You’ll architect, design, develop, and test your app – and create something that could change people’s lives. Reinvent social networks. Transform online shopping. Experience music in a new way. Do something amazing with GPS. It’s time to take that crazy idea of your and ship it.
The Imagine Cup Challenges are another way of competing: Sign up > Beat the quiz > Submit for Finals > Worldwide Finals > Win!
Windows 8 App Challenge: The Imagine Cup 2013 Windows 8 App Challenge will test your team’s ability to design and build a Windows Store app that takes advantage of Windows 8 features and design principles to deliver an exceptional experience and wows not only us but those across the globe. We’re bringing the platform. You bring the idea. Make it for PC, make it for slates, just make it!
Windows Azure Challenge: The Imagine Cup Windows Azure Challenge is about getting you and your Team started on the “next big thing” by leveraging Windows Azure platform features to build a web application. We encourage you to keep an open mind and apply your creativity when considering what a web application is, as it can be more than just a website; it may be a service tier for supporting Windows Phone or Windows 8 client applications, embedded systems, a front-end for complex back-end workloads or anything you can think of.
Windows Phone Challenge: The Windows Phone Challenge is calling! Now is your chance to make your work available on a mobile device used around the world. Great apps start with strong functionality, add device-focused utility, and finish with a delightful Windows Phone user experience. And with Windows Phone 8 you can now write your apps in native code! Are you ready to step up to the challenge?
Imagine Cup 2013 is your chance to:
- Break new ground, solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business
- Get involved in the next wave of games and applications – the future is in your hands
- Learn new technological skills
- Test yourself against the brightest students around the world
- Make new friends
- Win cash, grants, and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2013 Worldwide Finals!
The biggest prizes in the history of the Imagine Cup will be awarded this year. For each competition:
First Place: $50,000 (USD)
Second Place: $10,000 (USD)
Third Place: $5,000 (USD)
Every finalist team and their mentor will also get a free trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, to compete in the Worldwide Finals!
If you are ready to join the completion, register today! If you have any questions about the competition, feel free to leave us a comment below or on our Facebook page.