GitHub Education student verification rejected 13 times due to name/school mismatch

[dang-hoanghai1209]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Verification Help & Guidance

Hi everyone,

Hi GitHub Education Community,

I am a current student at Nha Trang University and I am trying to apply for GitHub Education / GitHub Student Developer Pack.

My application has been automatically rejected 13 times with repeated reasons such as:

• my academic document does not contain my school name
• my first name / last name does not match my GitHub billing information
• my GitHub profile name does not match my academic document

I have already updated and tested my GitHub public profile name and billing information several times. My public profile name matches my academic document. I also tried different billing name formats to match Vietnamese name order, but the application was still rejected with the same reasons.

My academic document is from the official Nha Trang University student portal. It shows my full name, student ID, full school name, academic year, class, program, and major. I am applying as a student, not faculty. The proof type I selected is “Other (Screenshot of school portal)”.

Could someone from the GitHub Education team, community moderators, or other students who had a similar issue please advise what exact document format I should submit? For example, should I use an enrollment verification letter, transcript, class schedule, or a different type of school portal screenshot?

The automatic system keeps rejecting my application even after updating my profile and billing information, so I would like to know what information or document format is still missing.

Thank you.

[github-actions[bot]]

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[alikulaOwen]

I’m experiencing the same issue. I have an enrolment letter with the school name, student number and my name but it addresses me by my surname, middle name and first name in that order. However, billing uses my first name and last name. I’ve tried four times on the platform and it still says my name doesn’t match. I need help here too.

[Dan-Tsesarsky]

Same here. My uploads getting filtered out instantly, even though my name format actually matches theirs perfectly.

The automated scanner clearly breaks down if a document doesn't fit its exact expected template.

[SirRmelTheThird]

A few things worth ruling out:

• Location: Browser location access must be on, and ideally you should be submitting from your campus network or somewhere close to your institution. GitHub cross-checks your IP against known school address ranges.
• VPN or proxy: Even a work VPN you forgot to disable can trigger rejection. Turn off everything including privacy DNS before submitting.
• Document type: An enrollment certificate or official registrar letter works more reliably than a student ID card alone. It needs to clearly show your name, the institution name, and current enrollment period (not just a date of issue from a past semester).
• File format: A clear photo or direct scan tends to do better than a PDF in some cases.

For escalation: email education@github.com with your GitHub username and a description of what you have submitted. It gets reviewed by humans and is more useful than the community forum for individual cases.

One more thing to try before that: during the application, select "My selected school has incorrect or incomplete information." That often routes the submission to manual review instead of the automated rejection pipeline.

[utkarshcs18]

Applying for the GitHub Student Developer Pack can be frustrating when the automated system (OCR) repeatedly rejects your documents. Having 13 rejections suggests a specific mismatch in how the AI reads your Vietnamese documentation versus your GitHub account settings.
Here is a step-by-step guide to solving the specific issues you mentioned, tailored for students in Vietnam and Nha Trang University.

1. Fix the "School Name" Recognition
   The system often fails to recognize "Nha Trang University" if the document is only in Vietnamese (Trường Đại học Nha Trang) or if the name is only in a logo.
   The Solution: If your student portal has a language toggle, switch it to English before taking the screenshot.
   Alternative: If you cannot switch to English, use a browser extension (like Google Translate) to translate the page to English, then take the screenshot. This ensures the text "Nha Trang University" is clearly visible in text form, not just a logo.
   Better Document: Instead of a screenshot of the portal, try to download an Official Enrollment Certificate or a Transcript in PDF format, then take a photo of it.
2. Solve the Name Match (Vietnamese Name Order)
   GitHub’s system is often confused by the Vietnamese naming convention (Surname + Middle + First).
   GitHub Profile: Go to [GitHub Public Profile Settings]. In the Name field, type your name exactly as it appears on your school document. If your document says NGUYEN VAN A, type NGUYEN VAN A in your profile.
   Billing Information: Go to [GitHub Billing Settings].
   The name here must be identical to the profile name and the document.
   Order Tip: If your document lists your name as Nguyen Van A, but GitHub expects First Last, try setting your GitHub Name to Van A Nguyen or Nguyen Van A—the key is that the full string of characters must match what the camera sees on the document.
3. Document Type Recommendations
   "Screenshot of school portal" is the most common reason for rejection because it is easy to forge.
   Best Option: Student ID Card. If your ID card has Nha Trang University's name, your photo, and a valid date (or year of study), use it. Place it on a plain background and take a clear photo.
   Second Best: Official Enrollment Letter. Request a "Giấy xác nhận sinh viên" from the Registrar’s office. These usually have a red seal ,which the GitHub AI recognizes as "official" more easily than a website screenshot.
   If using a Screenshot: Make sure the URL bar of the browser is visible in the screenshot to prove it is from the official ntu.edu.vn domain.
4. Critical Technical Steps
   Disable VPN: Do not use a VPN. GitHub checks if your IP address location matches the school's location (Nha Trang).
   Use the Camera, Not Upload: If you are applying via a mobile phone, use the "Take a photo" option rather than uploading a saved file. Live photos are trusted more by the system.
   Browser Location: Ensure you allow the browser to access your location (GPS) when prompted by the GitHub Education page.
   Check the "Dated" Proof: Your document must have a date from the current semester. If your portal doesn't show "2024-2025" or a current date, the AI will reject it for being "outdated."
5. What to do if it fails again?
   If you reach 15+ rejections, the automated system might "soft-lock" you.
   Open a Support Ticket: Go to the [GitHub Education Support] page.
   Be Specific: Mention that you are a student at Nha Trang University and that you have aligned your Profile Name and Billing Name but the OCR is failing to read your Vietnamese documents.
   Attach the Document: Upload the highest quality version of your document (the one with the school seal) to the ticket.
   Summary for your next attempt:
   Set GitHub Name to exactly match your Student ID.
   Use your Student ID card (Front and Back in one photo) if possible.
   Ensure you are using Campus WiFi or are physically in Nha Trang when applying.
   Ensure the document clearly shows "Nha Trang University" in English text.