“One Student One Chip”Initiative�Learn to Build RISC-V Chips from Scratch with MOOC
OSOC Team
2025.07
Telegram Group
Website: ysyx.org/en
Email: ysyx@bosc.ac.cn
1. Background
The One Student One Chip (OSOC) Initiative
One
Student
Chip
One
The 1st OSOC (Aug to Dec, 2019)
NutShell: A Linux-Compatible RISC-V Processor Designed by Undergraduates�(1st OSOC processor chip)
A 64-bit RISC-V Processor
Tape-out w/ 110nm process
NutShell: Open-sourcing
6
Feedback from students
The working principles in the architecture course are straight-forward, often just a few short lines. However, implementing them in code turned out to be far more challenging than I had imagined.
Professor Hu Weiwu once said that as CS students, we should learn how to build computers, not just how to use them. I did not fully appreciate this statement before; in fact, I once questioned whether it was reasonable for the cs curriculum at UCAS to include so much hardware content. However, it was only after getting involved in real projects that I realized the knowledge and skills learned in university are truly valuable.
From user to creator
Compared to myself four months ago, the most significant change is this shift in mindset. When facing bugs, I no longer stubbornly focus on one point. Instead, I tell myself that bugs are written by people, and as long as I have patience and dig deep enough, I will definitely find the problem.
More confidence, more patience
The biggest difference compared to previous experiments is that there are no detailed step-by-step instructions from predecessors. Instead, I have to find my own methods, implement them independently, and then validate the results—even if it means starting over from scratch.
Self-exploring
Empower students!
It was only after getting involved in this project that I realized course assignments are like a ready-made orchard where you simply pick the fruit, whereas a project is more like being handed a barren piece of land and a few saplings. You have to do everything yourself—from clearing the ground to planting and fertilizing—without knowing whether the effort will bear fruit. For some reason, it feels like the fruit grown from scratch tastes sweeter.
Accomplishment
Report Accepted by RISC-V Global Forum 2020
NutShell: A Linux-Compatible RISC-V Processor Designed by Undergraduates
The only report given by undergraduates
2. Current Teaching and Organization Model
Explore Large-Scale (from 2021-)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 2024 | 2025 |
Acc. Enrolls | 5 | 16 | 776 | 2529 | 4410 | 7788 | 10181 | 12491 |
Update on:2025/06/29
OSOC Course Design
Application
Runtime
(Simple) OS
ISA(RISC-V)
Micro-architecture
Circuit
Synthesis
Physical design
Physical verification
GDSII
CS
EE
Everyone is welcomed. NO limitation on
Software
Chip
EDA
XiangShan
OoO
Cache
Extension
Branch Prediction
IP
Prefetch
Coherency
U-boot
UEFI
OpenSBI
Linux
GCC
LLVM
QEMU
Route
Place
Clock tree
Education equality
Full-stack training
Enter community or company
Floorplan
Standard cell
Timing analysis
Equivalence
Technology mapping
SW & HW co-design
Logical design & Physical design co-ordination
Based on open-sourced, practice-oriented, open learning
Learning Roadmap
Fill a form
[~10 mins]
sh $ cat hello.c
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf(“Hello YSYX!\n”);
return 0;
}
Preliminary
[1~2 months]
Interview
[~15 mins]
Basic
[~2 months]
Advanced
[~3 months]
Debug Exam
[~1 hour]
PLL
VGA
UART
SPI
SoC Integration
[~1 week]
Physical design
[~2 months]
Tapeout
[2~4 months]
Packaging
[~2 weeks]
PCB Testing
[~1 week]
Run demos
[~1 week]
OSOC Organization Method
Students from the uiversities
Train talent by levels:
Experts: 10%
Advanced: 30%
Basic: 60%
Recruit a large number of students (2000–4000), with a strict assessment process for registration (admitting 25%), while ensuring the proportions:
TA : Stu = 1:30
Chip Companies
Open-source Communities
Universities Research Institutions
Learning Materials are opened
Teaching with slides, codes and demos
Account in Bilibili.com
Handouts in English Version are available
BREAKING: New handouts will be released this month(ysyx.org/en),
featuring a more beginner-friendly design.
Learning Stage Division(New handouts)
Stage F, E
1+2…+10
3 inst.
9 inst.
Single-Cycle
Device(sim)
RT-Thread
RV32E(45 inst.)
Single-Cycle
Device(RTL)
Single-Cycle
Stage D
Super Mario
Stage C
Super Mario
RT-Thread
RV32E(45 inst.)
Pipeline+cache
Bus+SoC
Stage B
Super Mario
Device(RTL)
Self-design OS/Linux
Pipeline+cache
RV32GC(~100 inst.)
+Privilege
+MMU
Bus+SoC
Stage A
PAL (game)/Debian
Device(RTL)
Self-design OS/Linux
RV32GC(~100 inst.)
+Privilege
+MMU
Bus+SoC
Stage S
PAL (game)/Debian
Device(RTL)
OoO
+ arch. opt.
Entrance
Interview
Minimum CertificationLevel
Minimum
Tape-out Level
Learning Notes of a student
Date
Task
Time dedicated
Issues encountered
How to solve
Students' learning notes and meeting attendance
No Deadline for Learning
Online Debug Exam, instead of paper exam
Chip & Board
Demo by students
Delivering PCB to students
PCB designed by OSOC
Before delivering
Brought up Chips, Ran OS & Applications
Enroll Anytime, Open Year-Round
Telegram
Group
Website
ysyx.org/en
Scan the QR code or visit ysyx.org/en and click "Signup"
3. Collaboration
OSOC Roadshow Event
Professor in Kazakhstan introduces OSOC in his class
Kazakhstan Got its First Self-Designed Processor Chip from OSOC
OSOC Base in Kazakstan Nazarbayev University
Professor in Japan adopts the OSOC program
OSOC University Collaboration Pathway
Initial Stage
Plan A: Regularly provide learning reports
Applicable scenario: A small number of students begin their study
Plan C: Regularly provide reports + teaching exchange + assign TAs
Applicable scenario: A certain number of students are studying, and they form study groups
Advantages: Assign TAs to monitor student progress within the group and provide guidance and support
Plan B: Regularly provide reports + teaching exchange
Applicable scenario: Intention to initiate 'teaching collaboration' Advantages: OSOC provides targeted solutions for teaching collaboration
Plan D: Achieve OSOC credit certification
Applicable scenario: University officially recognize OSOC learning contents and award credits on it
Advantages: Combines students' extracurricular practice with academic credits, effectively motivating students to participate in
Strengthened Stage
Plan E: Set OSOC club/workshop
Advantages: Offcially make study study group and OSOC could provide some financial support
In-Depth Stage
Plan H: Offer OSOC Practical Courses
Advantages: Comprehensively cultivate students' knowledge across the entire front-end and back-end chain, as well as their hands-on practical skills
Plan I: Offer OSOC Bootcamp
Applicable scenario:University provides venue and resource support, while OSOC provides teaching organization
Advantages: Concentrated offline teaching and learning for students, with high learning efficiency, short duration
Plan J: Conduct research and teaching project collaboration
Applicable scenario: University and OSOC share common project collaboration goals
Advantages: Both parties contribute resources to tackle technical challenges and carry out research and development, with project validation and iteration experience used for curriculum reform
The plans are gradually deepened and can also be carried out at the same time.
Plan F: Integrate OSOC tools in courses
Applicable scenario: University adjusts courses to integrate relevant contents
Plan G: Integrate OSOC experiments in courses
Advantages: Enhance practical aspects of the class, develop students' hands-on skills
Future Plan
Telegram
Group Chat
website
ysyx.org/en
Thank you!
For collaboration and communication, please contact via email: suxiaoke@ict.ac.cn
FAQ
A: On the official website(ysyx.org/en), follow the signup process.
A: On the official website(ysyx.org/docs/en/)
A: Yes, you can.
A: You could study as you want, but free tape-out will be only provided for students.
A: It's open all the time, you can learn anytime.
A: This is a free project — no fees will be charged.
A: There is no screening, the project team encourages everyone to learn.
A: It varies from person to person, you can try for two weeks first.
A: There is no deadline, finish the learning and apply for defense.
More FAQs