copilot VS code in educational benefits is useless?

[NOYO-HASSU]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Product Feedback

💬 Feature/Topic Area

VS Code

Body

The Shift to Credit base '200' credits.
If you are a developer and want a UI code for a single screen/page 200 credits is just not enough for a whole month.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[Fatiihunza89]

Not necessarily. GitHub Copilot included with the Student Developer Pack can be extremely valuable, but whether it's useful depends on how you use it.

What it does well:

Code completion and suggestions in VS Code.
Generating boilerplate code.
Explaining unfamiliar code.
Helping with debugging and refactoring.
Learning new frameworks and languages faster.

What it doesn't do well:

Replacing a solid understanding of programming fundamentals.
Solving complex architectural problems without guidance.
Always producing correct or secure code.

If you're a student learning programming, Copilot can save hours and act like a coding assistant. If you're expecting it to build entire applications with minimal input, it may feel underwhelming.

Also note that some advanced AI models and premium features may require paid Copilot plans beyond the basic student benefits, depending on GitHub's current offerings.

For most students, I'd say it's far from useless—but it's best used as a productivity and learning tool, not as a replacement for learning to code.

[YuriySamorodov]

Explaining unfamiliar code

This will take 200 credits in a blink of an eye.

[VincenzoKoestler]

I literally had 300 Lines of code that needed explaining and after one follow-up question 45% of my monthly quota was gone. So yeah. Pretty much useless nowadays. But I mean hey, 2$ worth of tokens ey? I wonder who can actually afford to pay for that.

[VURE-SATHVIK-22]

I agree that the new credit-based system feels restrictive for students who use Copilot heavily for learning and development.

For example, generating UI code for even a single moderately complex page can consume a significant portion of the monthly 200-credit allowance. Students often use Copilot not just for code completion but also for prototyping, debugging, refactoring, and learning new technologies, so the current limit may not be sufficient for active projects.

It would be helpful if GitHub could consider a higher credit allocation for verified students or provide additional credits for educational use cases.

[narc-kany]

I completely get your frustration. UI development is highly iterative you rarely get a complex page right on the first try. Tweaking, refining, and debugging can easily burn through 200 credits in a single afternoon, making it feel way too restrictive for a whole month.

200 credits is definitely tight for active developers. Hopefully, the team can consider a "top-up" option or an unlimited tier for power users soon!

[mitrajotiprova-droid]

Not necessarily, but there are some limitations that make it feel less useful for some students.

If you're getting GitHub Copilot through the GitHub Student Developer Pack, you generally receive access to GitHub Copilot, but:

Usage limits may apply depending on the model and plan.
Premium AI models can have stricter quotas than the standard model.
Heavy usage (large code generation, long chats, agent mode, etc.) can hit limits quickly.
Features available in VS Code may differ from what paid individual/business users receive over time as GitHub updates plans.

What Copilot is still good at for students:

Autocompleting code.
Generating boilerplate.
Explaining code snippets.
Writing tests.
Learning new frameworks and APIs.
Debugging common issues.

Where it often disappoints:

Solving entire assignments correctly.
Large multi-file projects.
Advanced algorithmic problems.
Long conversations after quota limits are reached.

If you're a 3rd-year CSE student preparing for internships and interviews, Copilot is usually most valuable as a coding assistant while you write code yourself, rather than as a replacement for learning. For DSA, C, DBMS, OS, and interview preparation, a general AI assistant often provides more detailed explanations than Copilot's inline suggestions.

[YuriySamorodov]

Generating boilerplate

200 credits is not enough for this