GitHub Education — apply on day one¶
GitHub gives verified students a set of paid tools for free. Two of them are used directly in this course.
Apply in week 1. Verification is not instant. It can take a few days, and longer if your first application is not approved. Apply now and the benefits are ready when you need them.
Apply here: https://github.com/education
What you get¶
| Benefit | Free account | Verified student |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Limited | Free, including the paid features |
| Codespaces compute | 120 hours a month | 180 hours a month |
| Codespaces storage | 15 GB-month | 20 GB-month |
| Private repositories | Limited features | Full GitHub Pro features |
The pack also includes offers from other companies. Those change over time. The two above are the ones this course uses.
Why this matters here¶
Copilot is an AI assistant built into VS Code. Week 3 is about working
with an AI assistant, and weeks 4 and 5 depend on one. Copilot is not the
only option, and you are free to use another. See
chinese-services.md for alternatives. But if you
want the one that runs inside your editor, this is how to get it without
paying.
Codespaces is the escape hatch in this course. If installing Python on
your own machine fails, you move to a Codespace and lose nothing. See
codespaces.md. The larger allowance means you are far less
likely to run out of hours during the project weeks.
Before you apply¶
You need three things.
1. A GitHub account. Create one at https://github.com. It is free.
2. Your university email address, added and verified on that account.
Go to Settings → Emails, add your @leeds.ac.uk address, then click
the link GitHub sends to it.
Do this first. Many applications are refused only because the academic email was never added.
3. Proof that you are a student. Any one of these:
- a photograph of your student card showing a current enrolment date
- your class timetable
- your transcript
- an enrolment verification letter
Your student card is usually the quickest. Make sure the date is readable in the photograph.
How to apply¶
- Sign in to GitHub.
- Go to https://github.com/education.
- Click Start an application.
- Give your school name, your academic email address, and your proof of enrolment.
- Submit.
You receive an email when the application is decided.
If your application is not approved¶
This happens, and it is usually fixable. Common reasons:
| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| No academic email on your account | Add and verify your university address, then apply again |
| The date on your document is unreadable | Photograph it again in better light, with the whole document in frame |
| The document does not show current enrolment | Use a document with this academic year on it |
| Your school was not recognised | Reapply and type the full official name of the university |
You may apply again. Wait until you have fixed the reason given in the email.
GitHub's own guidance is at https://docs.github.com/en/education/about-github-education/github-education-for-students/apply-to-github-education-as-a-student.
While you wait¶
Nothing in the course is blocked. A free GitHub account is enough for every week:
- Codespaces works on a free account, with 120 hours a month instead of 180.
- Week 3 works with any AI assistant. See
chinese-services.md.
The benefits make the course easier. They are not a requirement for it.