Unable to get Education benefits as a University Staff

[liviucatalinmara]

Hi everyone,

It is the third application denied.. What more info should I put in my profile?? Is a very frustrating experience so far

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Please complete your GitHub billing information with your full name exactly as it appears in your academic affiliation document. You do not have to add a payment method. You may need to log out and log back in to GitHub before reapplying. If you have only a single legal name, enter it in both the first and last name fields.

Your document does not appear to indicate you as a faculty member. If you meant to apply as a student, please cancel your application and reapply [here](https://education.github.com/discount_requests/student_application).

You are unlikely to be verified until you have completed your [GitHub user profile](https://docs.github.com/en/account-and-profile/setting-up-and-managing-your-github-profile/customizing-your-profile/personalizing-your-profile) with your full name exactly as it appears in your academic affiliation document. Please do not use a variation of your name or a nickname. Once you have updated your profile information log out and log back into GitHub before re-applying.

[Pallandos]

Hello there,
I think the message is pretty clear : you need to be a student. I do not know what kind of document you are sending but as you said in your title you are a staff member and not a student.

I think this is why you keep being denied.

Hope it helps, good luck!

[liviucatalinmara]

Hi, thank you very much for your reply. The reason related to the student issue is new; I think I am entitled to the Education benefits as university professor, too. The problem is that they keep asking me to complete my profile, and I sincerely do not know what information they want from me. That is why I am a bit frustrated.

[Saad200724]

🔑 Solving GitHub Education Verification Issues

This is indeed a frustrating experience, especially after multiple attempts. The rejection notice you provided gives us three specific steps that need to be followed perfectly for the application to be approved.

Here is a step-by-step solution based on the rejection notice:

1. Ensure Name Consistency (Crucial Step)

The most common reason for rejection is a mismatch between the name on your GitHub account and the name on your official document.

• Action: Go to your GitHub Profile Settings (or the GitHub Billing Information link provided in the notice).
• Requirement: Your first and last name fields must exactly match the name on your academic staff ID, employment letter, or any other primary academic affiliation document.
  • If you have a single legal name (mononym), enter it in both the first and last name fields.
  • Do not use variations, initials, or nicknames.

2. Complete the GitHub User Profile

The rejection notice explicitly states you are unlikely to be verified until your profile is complete.

• Action: Go to your main GitHub User Profile and ensure the following fields are filled out:
  • Name: Must match Step 1.
  • Bio: Add a short professional bio (e.g., "University Staff Member, Department of [X]").
  • Company/Work: List your University/Institution name.
  • Location: Add your location.

3. Document Clarity (Faculty Status)

This is the central issue for staff/faculty applications.

• The Problem: The document you submitted does not clearly indicate you are a faculty member (Staff/Employee).
• Action: You must submit a document that clearly shows your employment status and current dates. Examples include:
  • A photograph of your University Staff ID (which usually explicitly says "Faculty" or "Staff").
  • An employment verification letter from your HR department, dated within the last 3-6 months, stating your role and employment status.
  • A current payslip showing the name of the institution.

4. Re-Application Procedure

After making all three updates above, you must reset the system:

1. Log out of GitHub completely.
2. Log back in to GitHub.
3. Cancel any pending applications if possible.
4. Reapply for the GitHub Education Benefits, ensuring you select the Faculty/Staff option.

Following these precise steps should significantly increase your chances of successful verification, as they directly address the points raised by the review team.

[davevad93]

Hi @liviucatalinmara,

Make sure to fill in your billing info and GitHub profile with your full name exactly as it appears on your academic transcript. Then log out and log back into GitHub before reapplying, because the application system gets stuck in a loop even after the required information has been updated.

If you still get rejected, submit the application using another device, such as a smartphone or another PC.

If none of the above works, I recommend you contact support by opening a ticket here, select "Other" and explain your problem.

[murilochaves]

I went through something similar recently, so I’ll share some practical tips that worked for me:

In your GitHub profile and billing information, enter exactly the same name as shown on the document proving your connection to the university (no abbreviations, nicknames, or variations).

Make sure your profile has a filled-out bio, the institution’s name in the “Company/Work” field, and your location. Believe it or not, these details can influence approval.

The document you send must clearly show that you’re a member of the faculty or staff. If possible, get updated paperwork from HR with your position and current dates, or send a photo of your work badge that shows your role.

After updating everything, log out of GitHub, log back in, and try applying again as “Faculty/Staff.” If it still fails, try submitting the application from another device (like your phone or another computer).

If the denial persists, open a support ticket with GitHub explaining your case in detail (using this page: support.github.com/contact/account) and choose “Other.” They often clarify exactly what’s missing.

Hope one of these tips helps you out. Good luck!

[calmintp]

university staff? you need to be a student or a teacher. If you are one or another, there is probably something related to your university database / ID. Good luck

[Srujanrana07]

hey there i know that the educational benefits are for teachers as well but i think the application must be same so

when my GitHub educational benefits expired this year when i was a place which is distinct form my collage location it denied me to grant it, only when i was inside the college then it accepted the claim

and when i applied for the first time it took me 7 tries to get the pro using educational benefits
in my last try i did it with my mobile phone to take a clear picture of the id card so if you try using phone it may work