WordPress Credits is a contribution-based program by the WordPress FoundationWordPress Foundation The WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software. Find more on wordpressfoundation.org. that specifically connects higher education students with the global open-source community. Its coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. purpose is to offer students real-world, mentored experience that helps them fulfill academic requirements while directly contributing to the WordPress project. It is designed to guide the next generation of contributors through hands-on learning. To learn more about the program’s structure, phases, and benefits, please explore the pages in this section.
What the WordPress Foundation Offers Institutions
By joining WordPress Credits as a partner institution, your university, college, or training program gains access to:
- A ready-made open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. internship framework
The WordPress Foundation provides a structured program template – including onboarding flows, learning paths, contribution tracks, and wrap-up evaluation – that institutions can adapt to fit their academic calendar and credit requirements. - Mentorship from experienced WordPress contributors
Each participating student is paired with a vetted mentorEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. from the global WordPress community. MentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. provide guidance, regular check-ins, and project feedback throughout the program. - Free tools and resources for students
Through the program’s sponsors, students receive free hosting, domain names, and access to premium plugins (like Weglot for website translation or WPBakery page builder) to support their personal contribution projects and learning journey. - Public recognition and visibility
Institutions that partner with WordPress Credits are listed on the official program page as recognized partners, alongside institutions from around the world. This positions your program as a forward-thinking contributor to open source education. - Flexible program formats
The program accommodates different academic formats – from semester-long arrangements to year-round participation. The WordPress Credits Administrators work with each institution directly to define appropriate contribution goals and timelines. For example, the University of Pisa pilot runs over 15 weeks with a 150-hour contribution goal. - A global network
Participating institutions join a growing international network of universities and colleges that bridge academia and the open source world.
What Students Gain
When your students participate in WordPress Credits, they:
- Develop practical, transferable skills in web development, content, translation, design, community, or project management
- Build a publicly visible contribution portfolio on WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/
- Earn mentored experience they can highlight to future employers
- Join a global community of over 100,000 WordPress contributors
- Receive certificates upon completing the program
How It Works
The program runs in three main phases:
- Onboarding – Students set up their WordPress.org profiles, complete foundational courses on Learn WordPress, join the community’s SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ workspace, and connect with their mentor.
- Project Work – Students define and carry out a personal contribution project aligned with their skills and academic goals. This can include translation, documentation, code, design, community support, event organization, and more.
- Wrap-up – Students prepare a final presentation, submit program feedback, and ensure their work is publicly accessible.
Throughout all phases, students receive support from both their assigned mentor and a dedicated WordPress Credits Administrators.
Who Is Already Involved
WordPress Credits launched in partnership with the University of Pisa (Italy) and was announced at WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They’re one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2025. Since then, institutions from across the world have joined, including universities in Costa Rica, Bolivia, Latvia, Bangladesh, Poland, Spain, and the United States.
Where to Learn More
Full program documentation – including the program structure, contribution examples, sponsorship information, and the student and mentor guides – is available in the WordPress Credits main handbook.
Ready to Get Involved?
If your institution is interested in integrating WordPress Credits into your academic program or traineeship pathway, we’d love to hear from you.
