> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.carto.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/carto-for-education.md). # CARTO for Education [How can I get a Student account in CARTO?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#how-can-i-get-a-student-account-in-carto) [How can I get an Educator acccount?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#how-can-i-get-an-educator-account) [We need Enterprise capabilities for our institution or academic research, can you help?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#we-need-enterprise-capabilities-for-our-institution-or-academic-research-can-you-help) [What is the process for getting a CARTO Student account?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#what-is-the-process-for-getting-a-carto-student-account) [What can I do with a CARTO Student account, and what are its limitations?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#what-can-i-do-with-a-carto-student-account-and-what-are-its-limitations) [Can I use the CARTO QGIS Plugin with my Student account?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#can-i-use-the-carto-qgis-plugin-with-my-student-account) [Can I create API Access Tokens or use CARTO programmatically?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#can-i-create-api-access-tokens-or-use-carto-programmatically) [Can I add other people to my Student account?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#can-i-add-other-people-to-my-student-account) [How long does my Student account last, and what happens when it expires?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#how-long-does-my-student-account-last-and-what-happens-when-it-expires) [I can't log in to my Student account](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#i-cant-log-in-to-my-student-account) [I am an educator and my course materials use the previous version of CARTO. What can I do?](https://docs.carto.com/faqs/categories/carto-for-education/#i-am-an-educator-and-my-course-materials-use-the-previous-version-of-carto-what-can-i-do) {% hint style="info" %} **Why do you need this?** 🎓 You are a student 🏫 You are an educator or academic institution {% endhint %} We routinely hear from students, teachers, professors, and university administrators that they’d love to use CARTO in the classroom. Here is how schools and individual students may make use of CARTO: * Individual Student Accounts: free CARTO accounts via GitHub Student Developer Pack * Educator Accounts: free CARTO accounts by request * Enterprise Accounts for Education: discounts and grants on a case by case basis *** #### **How can I get a Student account in CARTO?** Students can create a free CARTO account via [GitHub’s Student Developer Pack](http://education.github.com/pack). When they sign up for the pack, they’ll also get access to a ton of other free development tools! See the process and eligibility requirements below. *** #### **How can I get an Educator account?** Educators are also eligible for a free CARTO account. Request an Educator account by completing the following [request form](https://share.hsforms.com/1_dMkP1UzSsuY00Oz6zkccAa6if), attaching a document that accredits your educator status. We welcome educators from accredited institutions as well as bootcamps and similar training organizations. [–> Request your Educator account here](https://share.hsforms.com/1_dMkP1UzSsuY00Oz6zkccAa6if) *** #### **We need Enterprise capabilities for our institution or academic research, can you help?** Academic researchers and others in the education field, whether at a school, university, independent research center, or boot camp, can make use of CARTO Enterprise at a discount. [Contact sales](https://carto.com/#request-demo) to learn more. *** #### **What is the process for getting a CARTO Student account?** To verify that only eligible students are accessing CARTO, we take advantage of Github’s verification system. This means you will need to go through their channels to ensure you receive the proper student account: **Step 1:** Sign up for Github 1. Sign up for a free Github account, using your university issued email to do so: 1. ✅ `yourname@university.edu` 2. ❌ `yourname@gmail.com` 2. Here’s a video-tutorial with all the steps: {% embed url="" %} **Step 2:** Apply for the Github Education Pack * [Apply here](https://education.github.com/pack) with your GitHub account **To be eligible, you must** * Be a student aged 13+ and enrolled in a degree or diploma granting course of study * Verify who you are with one of the following: * a school-issued email address * provide a valid student identification card * other official proof of enrollment **Step 3:** Wait for verification and confirm Once you apply, Github will need to verify you are, in fact, a student. This could take from *1 hour to several days*. Please be patient and wait for your official verification, it is important for the process. Upon verification, you will receive an email from Github that you have access to the Education Pack If you have any questions regarding Github’s verification process, please reach out to their support team at . Please also keep an eye on your spam folder, as your university email policies might route the verification message there. **Step 4:** Claim your CARTO student account 🎉 Congratulations! You can now claim your free CARTO Student account here: This process will connect your GitHub account. Remember you should that URL for login too, although it will always be available from the general login page.
{% hint style="info" %} **Remember** To login to your CARTO Student account you’ll need to always use this specific URL: {% endhint %} *** #### **What can I do with a CARTO Student account, and what are its limitations?** A Student account gives you access to the same **Builder**, **Workflows**, **Data Explorer** and **Analytics Toolbox** features as other CARTO plans — individual features are generally not gated by plan type. The differences are in **seats**, **developer tokens**, and **quotas**: * **Single user** — a Student account has one seat (you). You can't invite additional editors or viewers. * **No API Access Tokens** — the API Access Token quota is 0, so you can't create them. Student accounts aren't intended for programmatic/API-driven or application-development use. * **No published applications** — building and hosting CARTO applications isn't available on the Student plan. * **CARTO QGIS Plugin is not supported** — see the question below. * **Data Observatory** — you can use public and sample datasets, but premium subscriptions aren't included. * **Time-limited** — a Student account is valid for one year (renewable while you remain an eligible student). * **Usage quotas** — map, geocoding, routing, isolines and compute quotas are sized for individual learning and coursework. If you need any of the above (extra seats, API tokens, application development, premium data), you can request an **Educator** account or talk to us about **Enterprise / Grant** options — see the questions above. *** #### **Can I use the CARTO QGIS Plugin with my Student account?** The CARTO QGIS Plugin is not currently available for Student accounts. Student accounts sign in via GitHub at , and the QGIS Plugin login screen doesn't offer a GitHub sign-in option — the student login link on that screen opens the CARTO web workspace instead of completing the login inside QGIS. This is a known limitation with no workaround at the moment; you can continue to use your Student account through the CARTO web platform. *** #### **Can I create API Access Tokens or use CARTO programmatically?** No. The Student plan includes 0 API Access Tokens, so the platform APIs and programmatic integrations aren't available on a Student account. If your project needs API access or application development, request an **Educator** account (free, by request) or contact us about an **Enterprise / Education** plan. *** #### **Can I add other people to my Student account?** No. A Student account is a single-seat account, so you can't invite additional editors or viewers. If you need to collaborate with a team, an **Educator** or **Enterprise** account is the right fit. *** #### **How long does my Student account last, and what happens when it expires?** Student accounts are valid for one year. As long as you're still an eligible student, you can renew through the [GitHub Student Developer Pack](https://education.github.com/pack). When an account expires it is first **suspended** and later **permanently deleted** after a grace period — you'll receive email reminders beforehand. Log in before the deletion date to keep your account and data; once an account is deleted, its data can't be recovered. *** #### **I can't log in to my Student account** Student accounts authenticate through GitHub, so always log in from (not the standard login page). Make sure you've completed GitHub's Student Developer Pack verification first — that step is handled by GitHub and can take from an hour to several days. If login still fails after verification, contact CARTO Support. *** #### **I am an educator and my course materials use the previous version of CARTO. What can I do?** Legacy CARTO accounts (`carto.com`) were retired in 2025. If your course materials were built on the previous platform, you can recreate them on the current CARTO platform: 1. Sign in to the current platform at (Student accounts use ). 2. Import your datasets through Data Explorer — see our [importing data guide](https://docs.carto.com/carto-user-manual/data-explorer/importing-data/). If you don't have your own data warehouse, you can use the CARTO Data Warehouse provided with your account. 3. Rebuild your maps with Builder. If you need help migrating your teaching materials, [contact CARTO Support](https://docs.carto.com/) and we'll be glad to assist. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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