GitHub Student Pack, JetBrains, Azure credits, Figma, Cisco and Huawei courses: free pro tools and certificates for students, how to claim them, and why you should do it before you graduate.
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When I was a student, I didn’t know my university email could unlock tools that professionals pay for every month. Big tech companies give students free software, cloud credits, courses and certificates. Most students never claim them, then graduate and lose access. Usiache bure.
The catch: free, for now
These deals only work while you have a valid uni email or student ID. The day you graduate, most of them switch off. Claim them in first year and you get three or four years of free tools, not three months.
Coupon 01: GitHub Student Developer Pack
Start here. Verify once with your uni email or a photo of your student ID, and you get:
- GitHub Copilot Pro, free while you’re a student
- A free domain name for a year
- Cloud credits to host your projects
- Dozens of paid developer tools
Claim it at education.github.com/pack.
Coupon 02: Build like a pro
- JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and the rest): a free licence with your uni email, renewed every year. jetbrains.com/student
- Figma Education: pro design tools for UI and prototypes. figma.com/education
- Notion: the free Education Plan (unlimited pages and file uploads) when you sign up with your uni email. Verify once a year. notion.com/students
Coupon 03: Cloud & office
- Azure for Students: $100 in credits every year, no credit card needed. azure.microsoft.com/free/students
- Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive, free if your university is set up for it. Sign in at office.com with your uni email.
- AWS Educate: free cloud labs and digital badges, no credit card. aws.amazon.com/education/awseducate
Coupon 04: Learn & get certified
- Cisco Networking Academy: free self-paced courses in networking, cyber security and Python, with certificates. netacad.com
- Huawei ICT Academy: cloud, AI and networking tracks through partner universities. Ask your department.
- Microsoft Learn: free learning paths for Azure, AI and data, plus student discounts on exams. learn.microsoft.com
How to claim them this week
- Activate your uni email. Most deals check it. If you don’t have one, ask your ICT office.
- Take a clear photo of your student ID. Show all four corners, with your name readable.
- Look for “Students” or “Education” at the bottom of each website.
Rejected? Upload your admission letter or fee receipt instead. Usikate tamaa.
Watch out: free means free
- Never pay anyone to “activate” a pack. Real student deals cost nothing, so a middleman asking for money is running a scam.
- Use your real details. Fake IDs get your account banned.
- Don’t sell or share your account. It’s tied to your name and your GitHub history.
- Download your certificates before you graduate, and add them to LinkedIn now.
Offers change, so always check each website for the latest deal.
Which one are you claiming first? Niambie kwenye comments, and share this with a classmate who’s still paying for tools.
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