Git Hub Student Pack Application Rejected - Verification Issues

[GamingboyYTMI]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Evidence and Image Capture

Hi everyone,

Hi everyone, I am trying to apply for the GitHub Student Developer Pack, but my application got rejected. The rejection reasons state that the image does not contain my school's name, there is no date showing current academic affiliation, my first name doesn't match the GitHub billing information exactly, and my profile name doesn't match my academic documents. Could you please provide guidance on how I can properly present these details to get verified? Thank you!

[harshkhairnar63]

Hi @GamingboyYTMI,

First, the good news is that your rejection email gave you the exact reasons why you were rejected. This makes fixing it much easier!

However, please note that posting in the GitHub Education Discussions will likely just result in an automated bot reply or advice from other users. To actually get your application approved, you must fix the issues below and then resubmit/appeal through the official support link.

Here is exactly how to fix the four specific issues mentioned in your rejection:

1. "The image does not contain my school's name"
   The Fix: The document you upload must clearly display the official name of your university or college.
   What to upload: Use an official transcript, a formal enrollment letter on university letterhead, or a physical Student ID card. Do not use a screenshot of your online student portal, as these often lack the official school branding or get rejected.

2. "There is no date showing current academic affiliation"
   The Fix: GitHub needs proof that you are a student right now.
   What to upload: Ensure the document you upload has a visible date. This can be:
   An expiration date on your Student ID that is in the future.
   An issue date on an enrollment letter that is recent.
   A semester/term date (e.g., "Fall 2023", "Spring 2024", or "Academic Year 2023-2024") on a transcript.
   Note: If the date on your document is from a previous year and doesn't clearly imply you are still enrolled, it will be rejected.

3. "My first name doesn't match the GitHub billing information exactly"
   The Fix: GitHub checks the name attached to your billing account against your student documents. They must match exactly.
   How to fix it:
   Go to your GitHub Settings.
   On the left sidebar, click Billing and plans (or Billing).
   Look for your Payment Information or Billing Contact details.
   Update the First Name in your billing settings so it matches the first name on your student ID/transcript exactly (including middle initials if they are on the document).

4. "My profile name doesn't match my academic documents"
   The Fix: The public "Name" on your GitHub profile must match your legal/academic name. It cannot be your username (GamingboyYTMI) or a nickname.
   How to fix it:
   Go to your GitHub Settings.
   Under the Public profile section, find the Name field.
   Change this name to match the exact name printed on your academic document (e.g., if your document says "John Doe", your profile name must be "John Doe"). Note: This does not change your @username, just your display name.

What to do next:
Once you have updated your GitHub Profile Name and GitHub Billing Name, and you have a clear photo/PDF of your document that shows your School Name, Your Exact Name, and a Current Date, you need to appeal.

Check the rejection email you received from GitHub. There should be a button or link that says "Appeal this decision" or "Resubmit".
If you cannot find the link in your email, go to the GitHub Education Support Form.
Select GitHub Student Developer Pack as the topic.
Upload your newly corrected document and politely mention in the text box: "I have updated my GitHub Profile Name and Billing Name to match my academic documents, and I have attached a document showing my school name and current academic date."
Good luck! Make sure all your names match perfectly across your Profile, Billing, and the Document, and you should be approved.

[Mehrab-Javadzadeh]

Hi man,

I just got rejected for the Student Developer Pack with these reasons: name mismatch, missing school name, no current date, and billing name mismatch. Here's how I fixed it:

1. Fix your name (MUST match exactly in 3 places):

• GitHub profile name → Settings → Profile
• GitHub billing name → Settings → Billing & Plans → Payment Information
• Your academic document
  They must be letter‑for‑letter identical. Log out and back in after updating.

2. Show your school name clearly:

• Full official name must appear (not just a logo)
• Combine student ID with transcript/enrollment letter/receipt if needed

3. Show current enrollment date:

• Document must have a semester/year or expiration date
• Enrollment Verification Letter from registrar works best

4. Image quality:

• Use scanned PDF or high‑res photo (300 DPI)
• No glare, all corners visible, text readable

5. If you don't have a school email:

• Select "I don't have a school‑issued email" during application

Still rejected?

• Try a different device
• Email education@github.com for manual review
• Open a ticket at support.github.com/contact/education

Double‑check everything, reapply, and you should be good!

Good luck! 🚀

[shondsouza]

It looks like GitHub has told you exactly what needs to be fixed. Before submitting again, I'd recommend checking the following:

• Use a document that clearly shows your school's name.
• Make sure it includes a recent date or another indication that you're currently enrolled.
• Ensure your GitHub profile name and billing name match the name on your academic documents exactly (including your first name).
• Upload a clear, high-quality image where all the text is easy to read.

Once you've updated these details, submit a new verification request. If it still gets rejected after that, you can contact GitHub Education Support and ask them to review your application and explain what is still missing.

Good luck with your application!

[GamingboyYTMI]

Hi everyone, I'm finding it difficult to get my document verified for the GitHub Student Developer Pack because the image quality isn't good when I use the front camera. Is there any way to use the back camera or get a higher quality scan approved?

[Laithamr05]

@GamingboyYTMI about your follow-up (front camera image quality) — yes, there are ways around it:

1. Do the application on your phone, not a laptop. On mobile, the capture widget usually has a camera-flip icon, and the rear camera is far sharper than any front/laptop camera.

2. If it keeps defaulting to the front camera, set the rear camera as the site's default in your browser (Chrome on Android: lock icon in the address bar → Permissions → Camera, or Settings → Site settings → Camera and pick the back lens), then reload the verification page.

3. Capture tips that get documents accepted: bright even lighting (near a window, no flash glare), document flat with all four corners in frame, fill the frame, and hold still a second so it focuses. Blurry text is the most common rejection cause.

4. If the live capture still won't come out readable, open a ticket with GitHub Education support at https://support.github.com/contact/education and explain the camera limitation — they can review a properly scanned document through the ticket instead.

Also do the name/date/school-name fixes from the earlier replies before you recapture, so one clean photo covers everything at once.