diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/validate.js b/app/assets/javascripts/validate.js
index 6eec34797..8da91b2f8 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/validate.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/validate.js
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ document.addEventListener('turbolinks:load', function() {
               }
             }
             break;
+          case 'phone':
+            if (value) {
+              var phoneReg = /^[\+]?[0-9]{0,3}[-\s\.]?[(]?[0-9]{1,3}[)]?[-\s\.]?[0-9]{1,3}[-\s\.]?[0-9]{4,6}$/;
+              if (!phoneReg.test(value)) {
+                notify(this, 'Please enter a valid phone number');
+                success = false;
+              }
+            }
+            break;
           case 'file-max-size':
             if (
               this.files &&
diff --git a/app/models/questionnaire.rb b/app/models/questionnaire.rb
index 2a2436ac2..1cb47671e 100644
--- a/app/models/questionnaire.rb
+++ b/app/models/questionnaire.rb
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ def vcs_url=(value)
     super value
   end
 
+  def phone=(value)
+    # strips the string to just numbers for standardization
+    value = value.try(:tr, '^0-9', '')
+    super value
+  end
+
   def school
     School.find(school_id) if school_id
   end
diff --git a/app/views/questionnaires/_form.html.haml b/app/views/questionnaires/_form.html.haml
index 4e8c45f8c..b895acebe 100644
--- a/app/views/questionnaires/_form.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/questionnaires/_form.html.haml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
           = markdown(HackathonConfig['disclaimer_message'])
 
       .form-inputs
-        = f.input :phone, label: "Phone number", input_html: { "data-validate" => "presence" }
+        = f.input :phone, label: "Phone number", input_html: { "data-validate" => ["presence", "phone"] }
         = f.input :date_of_birth, start_year: Date.today.year - 5, end_year: Date.today.year - 90, order: [:month, :day, :year], input_html: { "data-validate" => "presence" }
 
         = f.input :school_id, as: :school_selection, input_html: { "data-validate" => "presence" }
diff --git a/test/controllers/manage/questionnaires_controller_test.rb b/test/controllers/manage/questionnaires_controller_test.rb
index 03a992781..ab7f84023 100644
--- a/test/controllers/manage/questionnaires_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/controllers/manage/questionnaires_controller_test.rb
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class Manage::QuestionnairesControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       assert_equal @user.id, @questionnaire.checked_in_by_id
       assert_equal true, @questionnaire.agreement_accepted
       assert_equal true, @questionnaire.can_share_info
-      assert_equal "(123) 333-3333", @questionnaire.phone
+      assert_equal "1233333333", @questionnaire.phone
       assert_equal "new_email@example.com", @questionnaire.email
       assert_match /Checked in/, flash[:notice]
       assert_response :redirect