By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
180 core hours of Codespaces a month, free.4 That alone lets a computer science student at King Saud University build and run course projects from a browser in the college lab, with nothing installed on an old laptop. GitHub Pro, Copilot and JetBrains licences come on top. Applications still get rejected for small, avoidable reasons.
Who can apply for the GitHub Student Developer Pack?
Anyone enrolled in a degree- or diploma-granting programme who owns a personal GitHub account and is at least 13.1 That covers public and private universities in the Kingdom, diploma students at technical colleges, and postgraduates. Your major does not matter: an accounting student learning Python in an elective qualifies as much as an engineer.
GitHub lists three cases that do not qualify: an informal learning programme that grants no degree or diploma (a short course or a bootcamp), a degree that ends in the current academic session, and anyone under 13.2 A final-year student applying in their graduation semester risks a refusal, so apply a semester earlier.
Lecturers and teaching assistants are not eligible for the student pack; GitHub Education has a separate programme for teachers and staff.4 A teaching assistant who is also doing a master's applies as a student, with a document from the graduate studies deanship. Expat students qualify on the same terms as Saudis, because the test is the programme, not nationality.
What documents does GitHub accept as proof?
One document showing you are a student now:1
- A photo of your university ID with a current enrolment date.
- This semester's class schedule.
- Your transcript.
- An enrolment verification letter, which most Saudi universities issue through the academic portal.
If your university issues academic email and GitHub requires it for your school, add and verify that address on your account before applying. If your university does not issue student email, upload official documentation explaining that, such as a page on the university website or a letter on letterhead.1
How do I apply for the GitHub Student Developer Pack?
- Add your university email
Go to Settings > Emails, type it in lowercase, and verify it from the message you receive.
- Open Education benefits
Settings > Education benefits, then Start an application under GitHub Education.
- Pick your school and fill in the form
Use the English name from the university website, for example King Abdulaziz University.
- Upload the photo
Clear and well lit, showing the date, your name and the university.
- Submit and wait
Approval and Copilot activation are separate; student benefits can take several days to appear after verification.5
What is included in the GitHub Student Pack?
| Benefit | What you get | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Pro | Free while you are a student | Stops if your verification lapses |
| Codespaces | 180 core hours and 20 GB storage a month | The same allowance as a Pro account |
| Copilot Student | Unlimited code completions plus GitHub AI Credits | Chat and agent use run on auto model selection only |
| Partner offers | Licences and tools from companies such as JetBrains | Each partner sets its own terms |
The Codespaces figures come from GitHub's education docs and match the GitHub Pro allowance.4 GitHub re-checks your Copilot Student eligibility every month, and because the plan is free you cannot cancel it through the usual billing flow.5
How do I activate GitHub Copilot for free after approval?
Open your GitHub Education benefits page, choose Copilot under the developer resources section, follow the prompts, then set the usage policies you want.5 If nothing appears after several days, go straight to the Copilot free sign-up page. Before using it on coursework, read your department's policy, since some courses ban assistants on assignments; more in AI for computer science students.
Are JetBrains licences included?
Yes, by two routes. JetBrains verifies students by university email, an ISIC card, or a GitHub Student Developer Pack account, and the licence lasts one year, renewable free while you remain a student.6 It requires full-time study at an accredited institution in a programme of at least one year, for non-commercial use.6 Once GitHub has approved you, use that account for JetBrains instead of uploading another document.
Why was my GitHub Education application rejected?
GitHub's own list, each with its fix:2
- Blurry image, or no clear current status. Reapply with an image showing at least one date.
- Unverified email domain. Contact GitHub Education Support with your school's full name, website and the domain you used.
- The academic email was already used for the pack on another account. It cannot be reused, and holding several personal accounts breaks GitHub's terms.
- Formatting: lowercase, no plus-addressing. Delete and re-add it under Settings > Emails.
- A programme ending this session, or a course that grants no degree.
Do I need the best laptop for programming if I have the pack?
No. Codespaces is a development environment running on GitHub's servers that you open in a browser, so a modest laptop handles first- and second-year courses while your monthly allowance lasts.4 A larger virtual machine burns the 180 core hours faster, so pick the smallest size your project needs. A strong laptop still matters if you train machine-learning models locally or build iOS apps; see laptops for computer science students.
Should my graduation project be on GitHub?
Yes, once your supervisor agrees. A tidy repository is the first thing a tech recruiter opens from your CV. Some projects use data from a training host, a hospital or a company, though, and those stay private until the organisation agrees in writing. Write the README in Arabic and English, and state your own part if it was a team project. More in building a portfolio.
What mistakes do students make with the pack?
The first is photographing an old university ID with no date on it, then retrying with the same photo. The second is creating a fresh account with the university email and applying from it, then finding after graduation that every repository sits on an account tied to an address that is about to close. Keep your personal account as the main one and add the university email as a secondary address. The third is forgetting to renew. Verification lasts two years, then you prove enrolment again;3 a four-year bachelor's student will do this at least once.
