CAN-CWIC: WiCS Sponsorship 2026

CAN-CWIC is getting ready again to welcome students to the 16th Celebration of Women in Computing Conference! This year's conference is being hosted at the University of Waterloo on Friday, November 20th & Saturday, November 21st.

CAN-CWiC provides an opportunity for attendees to connect with and learn from leading tech innovators and continues to redefine the technology ecosystem for women and non-binary technologists. CAN-CWiC is the premiere Canadian computing conference for women in technology. This annual event features networking, learning, sharing and mentoring. CAN-CWiC embodies the mission of encouraging curiosity and awareness for the digital innovations that change the community and world around us. CAN-CWIC brings together leaders in research, education and industry from across Canada.

How to Attend CAN-CWIC 2026

Option 1 — WiCS Sponsorship

WiCS provides FREE registration (including meals) to a select number of students each year. We typically fund approx. 30 - 50 students. Recipients of WiCS sponsorships will be selected via random draw.

Who Can Apply: Women and Gender-Diverse Undergraduate and Graduate Students at UWaterloo

Applications Open: Monday, August 3rd, 2026

Application Close: Sunday, September 13th, 2026 @ 11:59 pm ET

Option 2 — Volunteer with CAN-CWIC 2026

WiCS and the University of Waterloo are excited to host this year's CAN-CWIC conference, and we're looking for a small but enthusiastic team of volunteers to help make the event a success! From supporting registration and assisting attendees to serving as presentation room leads, volunteers will play an important role throughout the weekend. In return for your time, you'll receive free conference registration and are welcome to attend conference sessions outside of your scheduled volunteer shifts.

Please note: we have a limited number of volunteer positions and cannot guarantee everyone who applies will be selected to be a volunteer.

How to Apply as a Volunteer:

1. Express your interest via the WiCS Sponsorship application form below (closes September 13th). Note: indicating you would like to be a volunteer will NOT affect your chance of receiving a WiCS sponsorship. 
2. If you are not selected to receive a free WiCS sponsorship, we will invite you to complete our Volunteer Application Form in mid-September. This form will help us match volunteers to roles based on interest and availability.
3. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their volunteer application. Successful volunteers will receive instructions for completing their CAN-CWIC registration by the end of September.

Note: If you are not selected to be a volunteer, we invite you to attend the conference as a "Self-Funded" attendee (Option 3 below).

Option 3 — Self-Funded

CAN-CWIC opens a limited number of spots for self-funded students. Non-sponsored students can purchase a CAN-CWIC 2026 ticket directly from CAN-CWIC from early October - mid-November (or until sold out).