Quickstart for GitHub Educators

Introduction

Educators who teach a course on software development can use discounts, partnerships, training, and tools from GitHub Education to effectively teach relevant skills to students.

In this guide, you'll get started with GitHub, sign up for accounts and discounted services through GitHub Education, and create a space for your course and assignment on GitHub Classroom.

Creating accounts on GitHub

First, you'll need to create a free user account on GitHub.

1. Go to GitHub's Pricing page.
2. Read the information about the different products and subscriptions that GitHub offers, then click the upgrade button under the subscription you'd like to choose.
3. Follow the prompts to create your free user account.

After you create your user account, create a free organization account. You'll use this organization account to create and manage classrooms GitHub Classroom.

1. In the upper-right corner of any page, click your profile photo, then click Settings.
   
2. In your user settings sidebar, click Organizations.
   
3. In the "Organizations" section, click New organization.
   
4. Follow the prompts to create a free organization.

For more information, see "Types of GitHub accounts."

Applying for an educator discount

Next, you'll sign up for discounts on services from GitHub. To apply for an educator or researcher discount, you must meet the following requirements.

• Be an educator, faculty member, or researcher.
• Have a verifiable school-issued email address.
• Upload documents that prove your school affiliation.
• Have a user account on GitHub.

1. Go to GitHub Education and, in the top right, click Get benefits.

2. Under "Individuals", click Get teacher benefits.

   

3. Select or add the email address you use for school.

   

   Tip: Selecting a school-issued email address, if you have one, gives you the best chance of a speedy review.

4. If prompted, upload proof of your academic status.

   • Click Use your camera to take a picture.

     

   • Optionally, to change the camera you want to use, use the camera drop-down menu.

     

   • Place your valid academic ID or other proof of current academic status in the frame, then click Take photo.

     

   • If you can't take a picture of your proof of academic status, to upload an image from your computer instead, click Upload image.

     

     Note: PDF files are not supported, and you cannot upload them as proof of academic status.

5. Enter your school's name.

   

6. Describe how you plan to use GitHub.

   

7. Verify your application details, then click Submit your information.

   

   If your application is approved, you'll receive a confirmation email. Applications are usually processed within a few days, but it may take longer during peak times, such as during the start of a new semester.

Set up GitHub Classroom

With your user account and organization account, you're ready to get started with GitHub Classroom. GitHub Classroom is free to use. You can track and manage assignments, grade work automatically, and provide feedback to your students.

1. Sign into GitHub Classroom.

2. To authorize GitHub Classroom to access your user account on GitHub, review the information, then click Authorize GitHub Classroom.

   

3. Review the information. To authorize GitHub Classroom to access your organization account on GitHub, click Grant.

   

   Tip: If you see a Request button instead of a Grant button, you are a member of the organization, not an owner. An owner must approve your request for GitHub Classroom. You must be an organization owner to create and manage classrooms and assignments in GitHub Classroom. For more information, see "Authorizing OAuth Apps."

4. Click Authorize github.

   

Create your classroom

A classroom in GitHub Classroom is where teachers and students interact during a course. Teachers can create a student roster for the classroom, then create, assign, review, and grade assignments within the classroom.

1. Sign into GitHub Classroom.
2. Click Create your first classroom or New classroom.
3. In the list of organizations, click the organization you'd like to use for your classroom. Optionally, you can create a new organization. For more information, see "Creating a new organization from scratch."
   
4. Type the name for your classroom.
   
5. Click Create classroom.
   

Next steps

You've created a classroom, and you're ready to enrich your course with GitHub and GitHub Classroom! 🎉

• Watch some videos about GitHub Classroom. For more information, see "Basics of setting up GitHub Classroom."
• Manage your classrooms and classroom admins, and create a roster of students for your classroom. For more information, see "Manage classrooms."
• Create an assignment for individual students or teams. For more information, see "Create an individual assignment" or "Create a group assignment."
• Write and implement automated tests to provide immediate feedback to students directly in assignment repositories. For more information, see "Use autograding."
• Participate in the GitHub Education Community.