Student application rejected over name matching — Chinese document has no Latin letters, requesting manual review

[sssj11559-hub]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Verification Help & Guidance

Hi everyone,

Hello, I need a manual review of my GitHub Student application, please.

I am a full-time master's student at Hebei University of Engineering (Handan, Hebei, China). My application has been rejected three times. The stated reason each time was name matching: the system requires my academic document to contain my first and last name exactly as they appear in my GitHub billing information.

The problem: my only official enrollment document is the "Online Verification Report of Student Record" issued by CHSI (China Higher Education Student Information Network, operated by China's Ministry of Education). Like all Chinese official documents, it shows my name ONLY in Chinese characters: 师申举. There are no Latin letters anywhere on the document, so no spelling of my name in English letters can literally appear on it.

For reference:

• Name in Chinese: 师申举
• Pinyin transcription: SHI SHENJU (family name SHI 师, given name SHENJU 申举)
• My GitHub profile name: 师申举 (exactly as on the document)
• My GitHub billing information name: Shenju Shi
• The document is dated 8 Nov 2026 and confirms I am currently enrolled (registered student status), master's programme in Metallurgical Engineering, expected graduation 31 July 2028.
• The report has an online verification code that can be checked on CHSI's website (www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgcx.jsp).
• I have also applied to CHSI for the official English version of this report; it takes 3-4 working days.

Could someone on the Education team please review my case manually, or tell me what document format would be accepted for a Chinese student whose official records exist only in Chinese characters? I can attach the original report and its official English translation as soon as it arrives.

Thank you very much.
— Shenju Shi (GitHub: sssj11559-hub)

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[NaniToka]

Hi @sssj11559-hub,

Here is how you can resolve the name matching rejection for your GitHub Student Pack application:

Why It Fails

The GitHub Education automated verification system uses OCR regex to compare the text on your uploaded document with the exact name listed in your GitHub Billing Information (https://github.com/settings/billing/payment_information). Because your billing name is in Pinyin (Shenju Shi) while the CHSI report only contains Chinese characters (师申举), the automated parser rejects it.

Step-by-Step Fix:

1. Update Your GitHub Billing Profile Name:
   • Go to your GitHub Billing Payment Information.
   • Change your first and last name to match the Chinese characters on your document:
     • First Name: 申举
     • Last Name: 师
       (Or format it as Shenju (申举) Shi (师) so both Latin and Chinese characters are present).
2. Submit the Official English CHSI Verification Report:
   • Since you mentioned you requested the official English translation report from CHSI (学信网英文在线验证报告), wait for it to arrive. The official English report contains both your name in Pinyin, the school's English name, and the verifiable 16-digit online verification code/QR code, which the automated scanner accepts smoothly.
3. Application Environment Checks:
   • Turn off any VPN or proxy when submitting.
   • Use your device's camera to take a clear, high-contrast, uncropped photo of the printed document (do not upload a screenshot or digital PDF export directly).

[xiaoc5831]

Could you please take a look at my case? I have been waiting for a long time — my application was approved on October 31, 2026, but my benefits are still showing "Awaiting Benefits."

[NaniToka]

Hi @xiaoc5831,

Don't worry — your application has successfully passed the academic verification stage! The "Awaiting Benefits" status is a known provisioning queue state. Here is why this happens and what you should check:

1. Batch Provisioning Queue (Standard 7–14 Days)

Once your verification proof is approved, GitHub's backend system does not always grant the perks instantly; licenses (GitHub Pro, GitHub Copilot, and partner pack coupons) are provisioned asynchronously in automated batches. While it typically takes 72 hours, during high-volume periods it frequently takes 7 to 14 business days to finish provisioning all partner offers to your account.

2. Crucial Settings to Double-Check Right Now

To ensure the automated provisioning job doesn't stall:

• Keep School Email Verified: Go to your GitHub Email Settings and ensure your verified school/academic email address is still attached to your account. Do not remove or unverify it.
• Keep Billing Profile Intact: Ensure your first and last name in GitHub Billing Information match what was verified.
• Force an Entitlement Re-sync: Try logging out of GitHub, clearing your browser cache, logging back in, and visiting the GitHub Student Developer Pack page. Often, visiting the pack page while authenticated triggers an entitlement refresh.

3. When to Contact Support

Since your application was approved on October 31 (approx. 6–7 business days ago), your account is likely just making its way through the provisioning queue.

If your status does not automatically update to "Active / Granted" by November 14 (14 business days):

• Submit a ticket directly to the GitHub Education Support Portal.
• Select "Student Developer Pack" > "Benefits not provisioned after approval", and attach a screenshot of your October 31 approval confirmation. A support specialist will manually unlock your perks.