The GitHub Student Developer Pack offers students free access to premium developer tools and services, including cloud credits, CI/CD platforms, and more. Follow this step-by-step guide to join the program, unlock these benefits, and claim a free domain from Namecheap.

Step 1: Join the GitHub Student Developer Pack

Verify Your Student Status

To qualify for the GitHub Student Developer Pack, you must be a current student (at least 13 years old) enrolled in a degree or diploma-granting program. Here's how to confirm eligibility:

  • Check Requirements: Ensure you have a verifiable school-issued email address (e.g., ending in .edu) or other documentation like a student ID, transcript, or enrollment letter.
  • Prepare Documentation: If you don’t have a school email, gather a clear image or PDF of your student ID, transcript, or an official letter from your school stating your enrollment status.

Create or Log In to Your GitHub Account

You’ll need a GitHub account to apply for the pack.

  • Sign Up: If you don’t have an account, go to github.com and click “Sign up.” Follow the prompts to create a free account.
  • Log In: If you already have an account, log in with your credentials.

Navigate to the GitHub Education Page

  • Visit the GitHub Education website at education.github.com.
  • Scroll to the “GitHub Student Developer Pack” section and click Get the Pack or Get started.

Start the Application Process

  • On the GitHub Student Developer Pack page, click Get your pack.
  • You’ll be redirected to a form to verify your academic status.

Complete the Application Form

Fill out the application form with the following details:

  • Personal Information: Enter your full name and GitHub username.
  • School Email: Provide your school-issued email address if available. This is the fastest way to get verified.
  • Alternative Verification: If you don’t have a school email, select the option to upload documentation. Upload a clear image or PDF of your student ID, transcript, or enrollment letter.
  • Purpose: Briefly describe how you plan to use the Student Developer Pack (e.g., for coding projects, learning, or open-source contributions).

Submit Your Application

  • Review your information and uploaded documents (if applicable).
  • Click Submit to send your application to GitHub for review.

Wait for Verification

  • School Email: If you used a school-issued email, verification is often instant or takes a few hours.
  • Manual Review: If you uploaded documents, GitHub’s team will review them, which may take 1–5 business days.
  • You’ll receive an email notification once your application is approved or if additional information is needed.

Access Your Benefits

Once approved, you’ll gain access to the GitHub Student Developer Pack:

  • Log in to your GitHub account.
  • Visit education.github.com/pack to explore available tools and services.
  • Redeem offers by following the instructions for each partner (e.g., DigitalOcean, Heroku, or Namecheap). Some may require linking your GitHub account or signing up separately.

Renew Your Benefits (If Needed)

  • The Student Developer Pack is valid as long as you’re a student.
  • GitHub may periodically ask you to re-verify your student status. Follow the same process to upload updated documentation or confirm your enrollment.

Tips for a Smooth Application

  • Use a School Email: If available, this speeds up verification significantly.
  • Clear Documentation: Ensure uploaded documents are legible and include your name, school, and current enrollment date.
  • Check Spam Folder: GitHub’s response email may land in your spam or junk folder.
  • Contact Support: If you face issues or delays, reach out to GitHub Support via support.github.com.

Step 2: Avail a Free Domain from Namecheap

One of the many benefits of the GitHub Student Developer Pack is access to a free domain from Namecheap. Follow these steps to claim and set up your domain for use with GitHub Pages.

  • Claim the Free Domain: Among the benefits, you can claim a free .me domain from Namecheap. After claiming the domain, a repository named your-username.github.io will be created in your GitHub account.
  • Repository Contents: This repository will contain a CNAME file with your domain name as its content and a README file.
  • Note on SSL: For GitHub Pages, you don’t need to avail a free SSL certificate, as GitHub provides HTTPS automatically. However, if you plan to deploy your project elsewhere, you may need one, which is also freely available
  • validity of domain name: 1 year

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Set Up the Domain in GitHub

  • Navigate to your GitHub account’s Settings > Pages.
  • Under the “Custom domain” section, click Add a domain.

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  • Enter your domain name (e.g., yourname.me).
  • GitHub will prompt you to verify ownership of the domain.

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Verify Domain Ownership with Namecheap

  • Log in to your Namecheap account.
  • Navigate to the Dashboard.
  • Find your domain and click Manage.

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  • Go to the Advanced DNS tab.
  • Add a TXT record to verify ownership:
    • Host: Use the value provided by GitHub (e.g., _github-pages-challenge-yourusername).
    • Value: Enter the verification code provided by GitHub (e.g., 81e12bbe76d30d12897eea833d7ree).
    • TTL: Set to 1 minute.
  • Save the changes.

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  • Return to the GitHub Pages settings and click Verify. GitHub will check the TXT record to confirm ownership. This process may take up to 12 hours.

Add a CNAME Record (Optional)

  • In Namecheap’s Advanced DNS tab, you can also add a CNAME record to point your domain to GitHub Pages:
    • Type: CNAME Record
    • Host: www
    • Value: your-username.github.io
    • TTL: 1 min

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Enable HTTPS

  • After 12 hours, once the domain is verified, it may show a “Connection not secure” warning.
  • To enable a secure HTTPS connection, navigate to the your-username.github.io repository’s Settings > Pages.
  • Check the box for Enforce HTTPS.

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Conclusion

By joining the GitHub Student Developer Pack and claiming a free domain from Namecheap, you can enhance your development projects with professional tools and a custom domain. Follow these steps to set up your GitHub Pages site with a verified, secure domain. Start your journey today at education.github.com/pack/join!