Events and Competitions
This page shows events and competitions being hosted by our Supporters' Club members.
Jane Street In House Programs
FOCUS: (7 - 10 Jan in LDN) Created for students currently enrolled in university who identify with an underrepresented ethnic or racial minority group, FOCUS gives attendees an in-depth look at the work Jane Street does across our trading, software engineering, and business development teams. Jane Street will cover all travel expenses to and from London, including housing, meals, and a variety of social events throughout the programme. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 30th November.
INSIGHT: (13 - 18 April in LDN) INSIGHT is a programme for students who identify as women, transgender or gender-expansive to learn about our work through a set of trading and programming classes and activities. Attendees will receive an in-depth look into the ways Jane Street uses math and computer science to solve problems.Jane Street will cover all travel to and from London, including meals, housing, and a variety of social events. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 11th January.
FTTP: (7 - 11 April in LDN) Our First-year Trading and Technology Programme (FTTP) is intended for first-year undergraduate students planning to study math, physics, computer science, or other STEM-related majors. Attendees will learn more about Jane Street’s work through a series of interactive classes and a team-based mock trading simulation game.Jane Street will cover all travel expenses to and from London, including housing and meals. Deadline to apply is Sunday, 18th January.
If you are interested in multiple opportunities, we welcome you to apply to both!
GSA SPARK 2025
GSA SPARK 2025 is back, starting from November 24th until the December 14th, 2025. This coding challenge is especially suited for first-year undergraduates from all STEM disciplines. There are lots of daily prizes up for grabs (such as Apple TV, XBOX, Fitbit and so much more) and £1000 for the overall winner.
Join us in the fight against SPARK!
In GSA's boardroom sits SPARK - a decades-old blade server, entombed forever in acrylic to be displayed as a proud reminder of GSA's journey.
SPARK was an invaluable step toward the sophisticated algorithms in use today, but was retired from active trading and destined never to be booted up again.
But last night, through a series of unfortunate errors, the server was reconnected to GSA's internal network. In the decades spent sitting on the boardroom shelf its algorithms have warped beyond recognition. SPARK now has a conscience of its own...
Compete to win prizes!
Compete with other students in a race to shut SPARK down before it finds a way to dominate every electronic trading market in the world.
For 21 days a range of exciting daily prizes will be on offer to those brave enough to take on SPARK in a series of fiendishly difficult challenges.
The contestant deemed to have been most instrumental in the fight against SPARK will also be eligible to win a grand prize.
Sign up for SPARK today to prepare for the fight!
Optiver Programs and Events
Graduating soon, or just starting your university degree? Discover where a career in trading or tech could lead.
In 2026, we’re offering immersive five-day, all-expenses-paid student programs in Amsterdam.
Whether you’re exploring trading or technology, each program gives you the chance to sharpen your skills in real-world scenarios, learn directly from seasoned experts, and experience life inside a leading global trading firm.
Career Kickstarter: Trading [ Career Kickstarter - Trading - Optiver ]
2-6 March or 9–13 March
Suitable for: May 2025 – Feb 2027 graduates
Potential career pathways: Full-time Graduate Trader
FutureFocus: Quants [ https://optiver.com/recruitment-events/futurefocus-quants/]
23-27 March or 13-17 April
Suitable for: 2028 graduates in the UK or Ireland
Potential career pathways: Quant Trading Intern or Quant Research Intern
Career Kickstarter: Women In Tech [ Career Kickstarter - Women in Tech - Optiver]
13-17 April
Suitable for: female-identifying 2024 - 2027 graduates
Potential career pathways: Full-time Graduate Software Engineer
Event from Bending Spoons
First Ascent UK 2026
First Ascent UK 2026 is a tech retreat designed for top computer science students. Spend a few days with other talented peers, diving into challenging problem-solving sessions, exploring cutting-edge tech topics, and connecting with Bending Spoons engineers. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and have fun while getting to know one of Europe’s leading tech companies. Apply here: First Ascent UK 2026
