The “far away from your college” rejection usually happens when GitHub’s automated verification system detects an IP address or location mismatch. Even if you’re physically on campus, network routing or VPN/proxy settings can sometimes make your location appear different.

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Turn off any VPN, proxy, or mobile hotspot and retry the application from your campus Wi-Fi.
2. Upload a clear photo of your official student ID (front side showing your name, ID number, and validity period).
3. If possible, also upload an enrollment letter or any document issued by your college confirming you live in on-campus housing.
4. If the automated check still rejects you, open a support ticket directly with GitHub Education here:
   https://support.github.com/contact
   → Choose “GitHub Student Developer Pack” and include your ID photo + explanation.

The Problem
Your application keeps getting rejected because GitHub's automated system thinks you're not physically near your school — even though you're
literally living in the campus hostel. This has been going on for over a year with repeated rejections.

Why This Happens

GitHub uses geolocation checks during the verification process. It compares your detected location against the campus coordinates stored in their
database. This can fail for several reasons:

• GitHub has the wrong campus location in their database — this is the most common cause. If your school has multiple campuses or if the
  coordinates are slightly off, the system flags you.
• Your network is misreporting your location — mobile hotspots, certain ISPs, and VPNs can make your IP appear to be in a completely different
  city or state.
• Your school has satellite campuses — if you're at a branch campus but GitHub only has the main campus location, you'll fail the geofence check.
• Browser location permissions — if you denied location access, GitHub falls back to IP-based geolocation, which is often inaccurate.

How To Fix It

1 — Fix your location signal (try before reapplying)

• Turn off any VPN or proxy — these are the Welcome to GitHub product feedback #1 cause of location mismatch
• Don't use a mobile hotspot — mobile data IPs often geolocate to a different city
• Use your campus Wi-Fi — this is the most reliable way to show you're on campus
• Allow browser location access — when GitHub asks for your location, click "Allow." GPS/browser location is far more accurate than IP geolocation
• Check your detected location at https://mylocation.org/ before applying — if it shows the wrong city, your application will fail

2 — Try your university's VPN (counterintuitive but effective)

One user in the thread confirmed this worked after ~20 attempts:

• Connect to your university-provided VPN — this routes traffic through your school's network, making your IP match the campus location
• If your university offers a virtual machine you can remote into, try applying from there
• This ensures your IP address is clearly associated with your institution

3 — Report the incorrect campus location (the real fix)

The most likely root cause is that GitHub's database has wrong or incomplete campus coordinates for your school.

Open a support ticket at: https://support.github.com/contact

Select: "My selected school has incorrect or incomplete information (e.g., domains or campus location)"

Include:

• Your school's full name
• The campus you attend (with the actual address)
• Evidence that this campus is part of your school (screenshot from your school's website showing campus locations, Google Maps link, etc.)
• Mention that you live in the campus hostel
• Your student ID photo

This gets GitHub to update their location data, which fixes the problem permanently — not just for you, but for all future applicants from your
campus.

4 — If the support ticket form won't let you write details

This was an issue mentioned in the thread — the "application not approved" option doesn't give you space to explain. Workaround:

• Go to https://support.github.com/contact/account
• Select "Other" as the category
• This gives you a free-text field where you can fully explain the situation

5 — For multi-campus institutions

If your school has multiple campuses across different cities and you're at a branch campus:

• The same support ticket approach applies
• Ask GitHub to add your specific campus location to their records
• Provide documentation that your campus is officially part of the institution

What NOT To Do

• Don't use a random VPN to fake your location — GitHub can detect commercial VPN IPs and it'll make things worse
• Don't keep reapplying without changing anything — the automated system will reject you the same way every time
• Don't give up — this is a database/geolocation issue, not a problem with your eligibility

The Fix Priority

1. Check your detected location at mylocation.org while on campus Wi-Fi
2. If location is wrong → try university VPN or wired campus network
3. If location is correct but still rejected → open a support ticket to fix the campus coordinates in GitHub's database
4. Include your student ID and campus address evidence in every attempt

The support ticket to fix the campus location is the permanent solution. Everything else is a workaround.

hey please choose other option and describe the issue in the description box the education team will review your answers and verify you as student but make sure to have proper student credentials

1. Technical Fixes (Immediate)

   • Enable Browser Location: Ensure your browser has permission to access your precise location. GPS is more accurate
     than IP-based location.
   • Use Campus Wi-Fi: Avoid using mobile hotspots, public Wi-Fi, or commercial VPNs. Connecting to your school's
     official network is the strongest signal to GitHub that you are on campus.
   • Disable Proxies/VPNs: Turn off any VPN or proxy services that might be masking your IP address to a different
     region.

2. Correct GitHub's Database (If School Info is Wrong)
   If GitHub has the wrong coordinates for your campus (e.g., it only recognizes a main campus while you are at a
   branch), you need to report it:

3. Go to support.github.com/contact (https://support.github.com/contact).

4. Select: "My selected school has incorrect or incomplete information (e.g. domains or campus location)."

5. Provide the correct address and a link (like Google Maps) to verify the campus location.

6. Contact Support Directly
   If the automated system keeps failing:

7. Use the Contact Support Form (https://support.github.com/contact/account).

8. If the standard student pack option doesn't allow a text explanation, select "Other" to get a free-text field.

9. Explain that you are physically at the school (mentioning your hostel or specific campus) and offer to provide
   additional proof like a Student ID, Enrollment Letter, or Proof of Residence.

This "far away from college" error is usually IP-based.

Fix that worked for me:

1. Turn off any VPN/proxy
2. Use your college WiFi or mobile data on campus
3. Reapply at https://education.github.com/benefits
4. If it asks "Why are you not on campus?" select Other and write: "I live in campus hostel. My IP may be routing incorrectly. I have valid student ID for verification."

If still rejected, contact GitHub Support via https://support.github.com/contact → Account → Other

The issue is most likely caused by GitHub’s automated location verification system. During the verification process, GitHub compares the user’s detected IP/GPS location with the campus location stored in their database.

This mismatch can happen due to:

• Incorrect or incomplete campus coordinates in GitHub’s database
• Use of VPNs, proxies, or mobile hotspots
• ISP routing issues causing inaccurate geolocation detection
• Browser location permissions being disabled

Recommended solutions:

• Apply using the official campus Wi-Fi network
• Disable any VPN or proxy services
• Enable browser location access for accurate GPS detection
• Upload a valid student ID and, if possible, proof of on-campus residence
• If the issue continues, raise a support ticket under:
  “My selected school has incorrect or incomplete information (e.g., campus location)”

This is generally a system verification issue rather than a problem with student eligibility.

This may be a location verification issue rather than a problem with your student status. Try reapplying using your campus network or with location services enabled, and ensure your profile location matches your college location. Also submit your valid college ID and hostel/campus proof if available, then contact GitHub Education Support for manual review.

If your Student Developer Pack application is being affected by a location issue, double-check that the country in your GitHub profile matches your verification documents. If everything is correct and the issue persists, contact GitHub Education Support—they can review your application manually.

Why this happens

This location rejection is a common issue with GitHub's automated system. Even if you are physically on campus, the system checks two different things:

1. HTML5 Geolocation (GPS): The physical coordinates reported by your device.
2. Network IP Address Location: The geographical location associated with your internet connection.

If you are using campus Wi-Fi or a regional ISP, your internet traffic is usually routed through a central server hub miles away from your actual campus. GitHub detects that remote IP address and falsely flags your application as being "far away."

Step-by-Step Fixes

1. Use Mobile Data + True Phone GPS (Highest Success Rate)

• Disconnect from campus/hostel Wi-Fi completely.
• Turn on Mobile Data (4G/5G) on your phone.
• Enable GPS / Location Services on your phone.
• Open Chrome (Android) or Safari (iOS), go to [education.github.com/pack](https://education.github.com/pack), and accept the prompt for Precise Location Access.
  (Mobile phones send actual satellite GPS coordinates, overriding the wrong IP location provided by Wi-Fi).

2. Check Browser & Privacy Settings

• Disable VPNs / Proxies: Make sure no VPN or location-masking software is active. (On iOS, disable iCloud Private Relay under Apple ID settings).
• Disable Ad-Blockers: Turn off extensions like uBlock Origin or Brave Shields for github.com, as they can block browser geolocation requests.
• Match Primary Email: Ensure your official school .edu / institutional email address is set as your Primary Email under your GitHub Account Settings before submitting.

3. Submit a Ticket for Manual Review

If the automated system keeps auto-rejecting you:

1. Go to the [GitHub Education Support Portal](https://support.github.com).
2. Choose "My selected school has incorrect or incomplete information (e.g. domains or campus location)".
3. State that you are physically on campus grounds, but the automated check is failing due to regional ISP/IP routing, and attach your valid student ID for a manual override.

If GitHub Education is rejecting the application because it thinks you are “far away from your college,” but you actually live in the college hostel on campus, the best approach is to make the next verification attempt using documents that establish both your current student status and your physical connection to the university.

Try this:

1. Use a current college ID showing your university name and your current enrollment.
2. If available, provide an official hostel allotment letter, hostel ID, or university document showing that you are residing in the campus hostel.
3. Also keep a recent enrollment certificate, fee receipt, transcript, or class schedule ready, preferably showing a current date.
4. Complete the verification from the college/hostel Wi-Fi or another normal connection associated with the campus, and do not use a VPN or location spoofing.
5. Make sure the GitHub account profile and university information exactly match the documents.
6. If the automated location check still rejects the application, use the GitHub Education verification/support route and specifically explain that the applicant resides inside the university campus and that the automated distance check is incorrect.

The key is not to try to manipulate the location check. Instead, provide official university/hostel documentation that proves the applicant is a current student and lives on campus.

Hi everyone,

I have been trying for more than a year to get the GitHub Student Developer Pack, but my application keeps getting rejected because the system says I am “far away from my college.”

This is incorrect because I live in my college hostel, inside the campus itself. I have a valid college ID card and can provide it anytime for verification.

Hi Rajkeshav, if you’re actually staying in your college hostel, then the location mismatch is most likely coming from GitHub’s location verification rather than your actual enrollment.

In the form shown in your screenshot, I’d select “Other” and explain something like:

“I am currently residing in my college hostel, which is located on the college campus. Therefore, my current location should be within the campus even though the location verification is showing otherwise. I can provide my valid college ID and hostel/enrollment documentation if required.”

Make sure location services are enabled and that you aren’t using a VPN while submitting the application. If the location is still incorrectly detected, contact GitHub Education Support and include the screenshot plus your college/hostel details and proof of enrollment.

Since you’ve been rejected for the same reason multiple times, I’d specifically ask Support for a manual review of the location verification rather than repeatedly submitting the same application.