Student Guide

Welcome to WordPress Credits!

This guide will walk you through what to expect when joining the program, how it works, and how you can make the most of your experience.

WordPress Credits is open to students from all our partner institutions. If you don’t see your school on the list, please reach out to a faculty member or your institution’s administration office and ask them to fill out the interest form.

As an alternative, you can fill this student interest form after reaching out to a faculty member or your institution’s administration office.

What is WordPress Credits?

WordPress Credits is an educational program of the WordPress Foundation. It gives students the opportunity to practice their skills in a real, global, open-source environment. Over the course of 150 hours (typically 13 to 18 weeks), you’ll contribute to WordPress projects, guided by an experienced mentor, while learning how to collaborate in a distributed team.

WordPress Credits is open to students

What to Expect

Mentorship
You’ll be paired with a mentor who will guide you throughout the program. Mentors will meet with you once per week and provide asynchronous support (via 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/ or other communication channels).
Time Commitment
The program requires at least 150 hours (flexible to meet each institution’s needs). This usually means about 8–12 hours per week, depending on the program length (13–18 weeks). You can spread your hours flexibly, but you are expected to stay consistent. The program includes a theoretical onboarding phase and hands-on, practical activities.
Projects
You’ll design and carry out a contribution project aligned with your studies and interests. Projects can involve many areas of WordPress, from community and events, to education, documentation, accessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), and more.
Community Involvement
You’ll join the WordPress.org Slack, attend team meetings when possible, and interact with global contributors. This is a chance to build connections and learn how an open-source community works.
Deliverables
- Weekly updates on your project (usually published on your personal WordPress site)
- A final presentation and wrap-up post about your journey and outcomes
- Contribution credits in the WordPress ecosystem

What we mean by contributing to WordPress

Contributing to WordPress means taking part in a global open-source project where everyone can play a role. It is not limited to writing code: there are many ways to contribute based on individual interests and abilities.

Through the WordPress Credits program, you will discover that contribution is about engaging with the official teams that support the project. For example:

CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. team develop and maintain the WordPress software itself, improving performance, fixing bugs, and introducing new features that keep the platform stable and modern.
Polyglots work on translations, making WordPress available in different languages.
Documentation team review and improve guides, ensuring instructions remain accurate and clear.
Support team answer questions in the forums, helping users solve problems.
Community team organize local events and meetups, showing how collaboration helps projects grow. That’s the team behind the WordPress Credits project.
Training create learning materials for learn.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/, turning knowledge into shared resources.

These activities are essential to WordPress. By contributing, you will learn to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, practice communication, and understand how projects are organized on a global scale.

Contributing does not require building a pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. or fixing code. It means choosing a team, learning how it works, and dedicating time to support its goals. This is a practical way to gain experience and develop skills that are useful both inside and outside the WordPress community.

Immediate Contribution Opportunities

The WordPress project thrives on contributions from people all over the world. With WPCredits, we aim to guide you towards meaningful and accessible ways to get involved in the WordPress ecosystem. Below are some of the immediate contribution areas where you can start your journey.

Build

For developers and tinkerers who want to write code, build tools, or improve existing projects.

Contribute to Data Liberation

Join the Data Liberation team and help build tools for importing, exporting, and migrating WordPress data across platforms. The project’s goal is to make content truly portable across the web, with no lock-in or barriers. This is ongoing development work that spans multiple phases and requires experience with PHPPHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. https://www.php.net/manual/en/index.php and WordPress development.
Build a WordPress Playground Blueprint

Playground Blueprints let anyone launch a WordPress demo in a single click, with a theme, plugins, and even content. This guide explains how to create a Blueprint and ship it to a gallery where people share their blueprints for others to use and learn from.
Create a Community Blueprint

Help theme and plugin contributors get started faster by creating a Playground Blueprint for their project. A Blueprint is a JSONJSON JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a minimal, readable format for structuring data. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web application, as an alternative to XML. file that spins up a ready-to-go WordPress instance with the right extensions and content pre-loaded — useful for demos, testing, and reviewing PRs.
Contribute to Theme Check Plugin

Help maintain the plugin that checks WordPress themes against directory submission requirements. Every theme submitted to WordPress.org is run through Theme Check, so improvements to this plugin affect thousands of themes.
Contribute to GatherPress

GatherPress is an open-source event and meetupMeetup All local/regional gatherings that are officially a part of the WordPress world but are not WordCamps are organized through https://www.meetup.com/. A meetup is typically a chance for local WordPress users to get together and share new ideas and seek help from one another. Searching for ‘WordPress’ on meetup.com will help you find options in your area. plugin for WordPress. Join the team, start with testing and triage, work up to beginner-friendly fixes, and settle into a feature area as you find your footing.

Design

For designers, photographers, and anyone with an eye for how things look and work.

Design a WordPress Workshop Kit

Design a reusable set of assets that anyone can use to run a polished WordPress workshop. The Training team provides detailed guidance on planning, hosting, and facilitating workshops. Your kit complements that guidance with ready-made design assets so organizers can focus on teaching instead of designing from scratch.
Design a Meetup/WordCamp Kit

Design a set of reusable assets in Figma — slide templates, graphics, signage, and other event materials — that anyone can use to put together a WordPress meetup or 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.. Your work gives organizers a polished starting point without needing design skills, and lets them easily swap in their own details.
Create Block Patterns

BlockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. patterns are ready-made layouts you can insert into a page or post, such as a newsletter signup or a pricing section. In this guide, you’ll learn what makes a good pattern, then design and submit unique, helpful patterns to the Block Pattern Directory.
Contribute to the WordPress Photo Directory

Upload at least 5 CC0-licensed photos to the WordPress Photo Directory. Your photos give contributors worldwide free images to use on WordPress sites.
Join the Photos Moderation Team

You’ll review community-submitted photos and approve or decline them based on quality and content guidelines. Moderators keep the WordPress Photo Directory a reliable resource for contributors worldwide.
Review a Theme

Theme reviewers help theme authors get their themes into the official WordPress theme directory. You’ll install and test themes, review code for security issues, and confirm GPLGPL GPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples. compatibility — all of which keep the directory safe and high-quality for everyone.

Write

For writers and editors who want to improve documentation, create guides, or develop learning content.

Answer WordPress Support Questions

Help WordPress users solve their problems by answering questions in the support forums. You’ll troubleshoot issues, share solutions, and help people get unstuck.
Write or Update GatherPress Documentation

GatherPress is an open-source event and meetup plugin for WordPress. You can help by improving user guides, developer documentation, or inline docs so organizers and contributors can understand how the plugin works.
Help build the Accessibility Knowledge Base

Help build the WP Accessibility Knowledge Base, the WordPress community’s accessibility documentation. You can write a new page on a topic that interests you, review existing content, or report an error you notice.
Update Theme Check Plugin Documentation

Review the Theme Check plugin handbook page, identify what’s outdated or missing, and draft improvements for the Themes team. The handbook page is the go-to reference for theme reviewers, and keeping it accurate helps the entire theme review process run smoothly.
Write a Migration Guide for WordPress

Help people move their content to WordPress by writing a migrationMigration Moving the code, database and media files for a website site from one server to another. Most typically done when changing hosting companies. guide. Pick a platform, document the step-by-step migration process, and submit your guide to the Data Liberation project. Migration guides are one of the most direct ways to make the web more open, and every new guide helps someone make the switch.
Create Content for Learn WordPress

Create, update, or improve lessons, courses, and workshops on Learn WordPress. Work with subject-matter experts to develop educational content that helps people learn to use, extend, and contribute to WordPress.
Create a Pathway Guide

Help clear barriers for new WordPress contributors by turning a pathway idea into a finished guide. Map out a clear route to contribution, get feedback, and get it published.
File a Documentation Issue

Report documentation problems like outdated content, typos, dead links, or missing information. Well-filed issues help the team prioritize fixes and update documentation faster.
Document a WordPress Release

This pathway describes how the Documentation team prepares, publishes, and maintains documentation for a major WordPress release. Following a consistent process ensures users and developers have accurate, up-to-date information when a new version ships. This process is actively evolving and may change from release to release.
Work on Documentation Issues

You’ll review documentation issues for accuracy and relevance, then either review existing fixes or write new ones when needed. This takes the heavy lifting off team members and helps publish fixes faster.

Test

For detail-oriented people who want to find bugs, verify fixes, or review guides.

Review Themes for Accessibility-Ready Tag

Review a WordPress theme against the accessibility-ready requirements and report what you find. Your review helps a theme earn the accessibility-ready tag, which tells users it works with keyboards, screen readers, and other assistive technologyAssistive technology Assistive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology.
Test WordPress Bug Reports

Test bug reports to see if you can trigger the same problem. Many reports turn out to be plugin conflicts or user mistakes, not WordPress bugs. Your testing helps developers focus on real issues.
Test Beta Releases

Test a pre-release version of WordPress (betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. or RCRelease Candidate A beta version of software with the potential to be a final product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge.) to find bugs and usability issues before the final release. Your test reports help make each WordPress release stable and reliable.
Review Content on Learn WordPress

Review published lessons and courses on Learn WordPress. Your feedback helps keep educational content accurate, up to date, and useful for learners.
Test WordPress Patches

Test patches on WordPress core tickets to validate fixes before release. Test independently at your own pace, or join weekly team sessions for guided support.
Review a Pathway Guide

Help keep pathways accurate and newcomer-friendly by actually completing the contribution a guide describes. Follow every step as a first-timer would, note where you get stuck or confused, flag broken links, and file an issue with what you find.
Audit GatherPress Documentation

GatherPress is a community-powered event management plugin for WordPress. You’ll audit sections of its documentation against the actual plugin, identify gaps or inaccuracies, and file issues on GitHubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/. Every gap you find helps make the plugin easier for new users and developers to adopt.
Test for Accessibility

You’ll find accessibility tickets, test them using your keyboard, browser tools, and optionally a screen reader, then report your findings. Every test result helps the Accessibility team identify and fix barriers that prevent people with disabilities from using WordPress.

Translate

For multilingual contributors who want to make WordPress accessible in more languages.

Translate Top Themes and Plugins

Help make WordPress accessible to more users by translating themes and plugins into your first language. As a native speaker, you’ll translate the interface text that users see every day – buttons, menus, and settings that make WordPress work.
Translate Training Content

Help make Learn WordPress available in more languages by translating existing lessons, courses, and lesson plans into your language. Every translated piece of content makes WordPress education accessible to more people around the world.

Organize

For people who like coordinating, triaging, and keeping things running smoothly.

Triage Theme Check Issues and PRs

The Theme Check plugin validates themes against WordPress directory requirements, and every theme reviewer depends on it. Help keep it healthy by triaging open issues and pull requests: confirm bugs, test fixes, categorize enhancement requests, and flag stale items.
Volunteer for a Team Meeting

Help keep your Make WordPress team running by volunteering to facilitate a meeting or take notes. Most teams need volunteers for these roles every week, and it’s one of the most direct ways to contribute once you’ve joined a team.
Triage Gutenberg Issues

Triaging keeps the GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ repository healthy. You review issues, check whether bugs still happen, add labels, and organize reports so the right people can act on them. You do not need to be a developer or designer.
Label Documentation Issues

Help the WordPress Documentation team keep its issue tracker organized by labeling new issues. When issues have the right labels, they reach the right people faster and documentation stays accurate and up to date.
Become a GitHub Issues Coordinator

Take on the GitHub Issues Coordinator role for the WordPress Documentation team. Beyond labeling, you’ll assign contributors to issues, welcome them with the right resources, manage project board columns, and help prevent issues from going stale.
Volunteer at a WordPress Event

Sign up to volunteer at a WordPress event like a WordCamp. You’ll help with registration, room support, or other tasks that keep the event running. Volunteering is a common first step toward becoming an event organizer.
Organize a Student Club

Start a student-led WordPress Student Club on your campus where members learn, build, and contribute to the WordPress open-source project. It’s a way to grow the community from the ground up while gaining real-world 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. experience.
Suggest a Pathway

Help grow the pathways index by suggesting a new contribution pathway. You can point to an existing process already documented in a team handbook, or share a contribution idea that’s supported by a team.

Promote

For communicators who want to help spread the word and support community events.

Conduct Surveys

Gather insights about how people use WordPress and identify areas where awareness is low. Design a survey, collect responses, and share your findings in #community-team and with your local group. Fresh perspectives, especially from students and newer community members, help the project understand what’s working and what needs attention.
Promote a Local WordPress Event

Help a local WordPress event reach more people by running a short promotional campaign. The most effective local promotion combines online sharing with physical placement — flyers in coffee shops, mentions at other meetups, posts in local groups. Pick what fits your community.
Add Captions to WPTV Videos

Help make WordPress.tv videos accessible by adding captions or translating existing subtitles. You’ll pick a video, caption it using Amara.org, and submit it for review.

Your Responsibilities

Dedicate the required time and stay consistent with your contributions
Communicate proactively with your mentor and team members
Share progress updates regularly
Respect the community’s Code of Conduct
Approach challenges with curiosity, responsibility, and openness

What You’ll Gain

By the end of the program, you will:

Gain hands-on experience in open-source collaboration
Build technical and professional skills like project management, communication, problem solving, and teamwork
Connect with mentors, peers, and professionals in the WordPress ecosystem
Create a portfolio of contributions you can showcase in your career path

Inside the Course

Next Steps

Once your institution has signed a partnership with the WordPress Foundation, you can enrol in the program by following the next steps:

Apply using the application form that your institution shared with you.
Once selected, you’ll receive the instructions to set up your student account.
Connect with your mentor and complete the onboarding phase.
Start contributing and building your project!

If you don’t see your school among our partner institutions, please reach out to a faculty member or your administration office and invite them to fill out our Institution Interest Form so we can explore a partnership together.

As an alternative, you can fill this student interest form after reaching out to a faculty member or your institution’s administration office.

Remember

This program is not just about completing hours. It’s about learning, growing, and contributing meaningfully. Take initiative, stay engaged, and use this opportunity to connect your studies with real-world practice.

We’re excited to have you join the program and can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

If you have any questions before applying, please send us an email at [email protected].

Student Guide

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