I currently have the student plan, but I have become a professor at university and I cannot update my status

[joaquinglc]

Hi everyone,

This year I was a student at my university, but after finishing my studies I have a contract as a professor. How do I transition from student to professor (GitHub copilot benefits are different between both of them)

[devsebastian44]

From what I understand, there isn’t really a “transition” button between student and teacher — GitHub treats them as separate verifications.

You basically need to apply again as a teacher through GitHub Education using proof of your academic employment (like a faculty email or contract). Once you’re approved, your account should reflect the new status.

Also, eligibility (including Copilot benefits) is rechecked periodically, so your benefits may update automatically after your status changes.

If you’re no longer a student, your student benefits might expire, but once your teacher verification is approved, you should regain access to the educator benefits (including Copilot).

If anything feels stuck, it’s probably worth reapplying as a teacher rather than waiting for it to switch on its own.

[joaquinglc]

But in my GitHub education page I cannot reapply for the teacher benefits nor reject my current status as student. And I cannot open a ticket because GitHub support says that everything is automatically handled.

[devsebastian44]

Hi! I’ve seen this situation before. GitHub Education automatically manages eligibility, but it doesn’t allow manually switching from student to teacher on the portal.

What usually works is:

Wait a short period (1–2 weeks) after your official status change — GitHub sometimes updates automatically based on your university email domain.
Check your university email: Make sure your new role (professor/teacher) is reflected in your institutional account. GitHub Education relies on that to verify teacher eligibility.
If the automatic update doesn’t happen, you can contact GitHub Education via this form specifically for teacher verification: GitHub Education Teacher Verification

You don’t need to reject your student status manually — once your teacher status is verified, your Copilot and other benefits should update automatically.