Constant Rejection

[FatMetalJesus]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Re-verification/Repeat Application

Hi everyone,

Hey yall. I work in K-12 in Oklahoma. I am attempting to apply for the Teacher side of the GH Edu benefits. Its not working at all. I have now done several applications and have even gone as far as submitting my employee contract. It is constantly getting rejected. Does anyone know of any tips or tricks to at least get it reviewed manually or something that wont get auto rejected? It didnt even like my badge because it doesnt state Faculty on it.

[syedsafeer]

Hi @FatMetalJesus,

The auto-rejection is likely happening because the AI can't find the word "Faculty" on your badge. Here are a few tips to get it through:

1. Use your Phone: Instead of a laptop webcam, use your phone’s browser to apply. The better camera focus helps the AI read the small text on contracts and IDs much more clearly.

2. The "Two-in-One" Photo: If your badge doesn't say Faculty, try taking a photo of your badge placed right next to a recent pay stub or a letter from your school that confirms your current employment. This way, all the proof is in one frame.

3. Check Location: Make sure you aren't using a VPN and that your browser’s location services are turned on. GitHub's system checks if your IP matches the school's location.

4. Manual Review: If you still get rejected, you can open a ticket for manual review here: https://support.github.com/contact/education

Hope this works for you! If it does, please Mark as Answer

[Venu5198]

You’re not alone. This happens a lot with GitHub Education verification, especially for teachers. The system is heavily automated and rejects anything that doesn’t clearly match what it expects.

From what you described, your issue is very likely document recognition, not eligibility.

What’s likely going wrong

• Your badge doesn’t include keywords like “Faculty” or “Teacher”
• Your contract may not be easily parsed by their system
• The system isn’t confident enough to approve, so it auto-rejects instead of escalating

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What actually works

1. Use your official school email
Make sure you’re applying with your institution-issued email (not Gmail, etc.). This is a major signal.

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2. Upload stronger proof (this matters more than the contract)
Instead of relying only on a contract or badge, try one of these:

• A staff directory page from your school website (with your name visible)

• A letter on school letterhead that clearly states:

  • Your name
  • Your role (Teacher/Faculty)
  • School name
  • Current date or academic year

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3. Include explicit role wording
If none of your documents say “Teacher” or “Faculty” clearly, the system often rejects them. Add a document that does.

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4. Combine everything into one PDF
Put your badge + contract + supporting proof into a single file. This improves your chances with the automated checks.

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5. Escalate for manual review
There’s no direct button for this, but you can:

• Reapply with improved documents

• After rejection, contact GitHub Education support and include:

  • Your application ID
  • A short explanation
  • Your documents again

This is usually how people finally get approved.

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What not to do

• Don’t keep resubmitting the same documents
• Don’t rely on badge alone
• Don’t assume contracts are enough

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Bottom line:
You’re probably eligible. The system just isn’t recognizing your documents. Once you make your role and institution obvious, approvals usually go through.