Getting AWS Credits

Official sources of credits

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Unofficial sources of credits

For individuals wishing to cover the cost of small-scale tests within their own AWS accounts, the easiest way to obtain free credits is simply to speak with the AWS staff present at an event.

Alternatives

Using temporary accounts generated for the event

Using free tier resources

The AWS free tier allows for the use of up to 750 instance-hours per month of certain small instance types, and a limited amount of EBS storage. The free tier for these services lasts for a period of 12 months from account creation, after which point normal pricing applies.

Using free accounts via online learning sites

Many online training sites allow for relatively unhindered access to "free" AWS accounts as a way for customers to practice with the course material. Resources are usually deleted after a short period of time and functionality may be limited, but nonetheless these sandbox accounts offer an ideal environment to learn the basics of operating EC2 and related services.