How to Get a Free Domain as a Student in 2026
A custom domain turns my-app.vercel.app into myapp.dev. It costs nothing with a student email, and it makes your portfolio, resume, and side projects look significantly more professional.
Here is every way to get a free domain as a student in 2026.
Namecheap — Free .me Domain (1 Year)
The GitHub Student Developer Pack includes a free .me domain from Namecheap. This is the most popular path and the one most students use for portfolio sites.
What you get:
- Free
.medomain registration for 1 year - Free SSL certificate (PositiveSSL)
- Free WhoisGuard privacy protection — your personal address stays hidden
How to claim:
- Get the GitHub Student Developer Pack if you do not have it yet
- Go to Namecheap's GitHub Education page
- Search for your preferred
.medomain - Apply the Student Developer Pack coupon at checkout
- Domain is registered instantly
Renewal: After year one, the domain renews at roughly $10/year. If you are using it for a portfolio, that is well worth it.
Best domain format: yourname.me — short, personal, and immediately recognizable as a portfolio URL. Works great on LinkedIn, resumes, and email signatures.
For the full walkthrough, see our Namecheap free domain guide.
.tech Domain — Free for Students
The .tech TLD runs a student program that gives you a free domain for one year. It is a solid choice for developer portfolios and tech-focused projects.
What you get:
- Free
.techdomain for 1 year - Available through the GitHub Student Pack and directly through get.tech
Why .tech? Companies like verizon.tech and ces.tech use it. It signals "technology" without the premium pricing of .dev or .io. For a student project like yourname.tech or coolproject.tech, it reads well.
Renewal: Roughly $40-50/year, which is steep. If you want a long-term domain, consider transferring to Cloudflare Registrar at renewal time for at-cost pricing.
Name.com — Free Domain
Also included in the GitHub Student Developer Pack, Name.com offers a free domain with various TLDs available. You also get free privacy protection.
How to claim:
- Activate the Name.com offer from your GitHub Student Pack
- Search for available domains
- Register your chosen domain at no cost
Name.com supports more TLDs than the Namecheap offer, so if .me is taken for your preferred name, check what is available here.
GitHub Pages — Free Hosting + Custom Domain
GitHub Pages gives every user a free username.github.io subdomain. This is not a purchased domain, but it is the most recognizable free developer URL format and works perfectly for portfolios.
What you get:
- Free hosting for static sites
- Custom domain support (connect your Namecheap
.meor any other domain) - Free HTTPS via Let's Encrypt
- Deploy directly from your GitHub repository
How to set up:
- Create a repository named
username.github.io - Push your site files (HTML, or use Jekyll/Next.js static export)
- Go to repository Settings > Pages
- Your site is live at
https://username.github.io - Optionally, add a custom domain under the same settings page
See our GitHub Pages guide for detailed instructions.
Pro tip: Even if you get a custom domain, keep your username.github.io site active. It is the first thing many recruiters check when reviewing your GitHub profile.
Quick Comparison
| TLD | Provider | Duration | SSL Included? | Renewal Price | Best For |
|-----|----------|----------|--------------|---------------|----------|
| .me | Namecheap (via GitHub Edu) | 1 year | Yes | ~$10/year | Personal portfolio |
| .tech | get.tech (via GitHub Edu) | 1 year | Varies | ~$40/year | Tech projects |
| Various | Name.com (via GitHub Edu) | 1 year | Yes | Varies | Flexibility |
| .github.io | GitHub Pages | Unlimited | Yes | Free | Quick portfolio |
| .vercel.app | Vercel | Unlimited | Yes | Free | Web apps |
| .pages.dev | Cloudflare Pages | Unlimited | Yes | Free | Static sites |
Step-by-Step: From Zero to Live Site
Here is the fastest path from no domain to a deployed portfolio:
Step 1: Get the GitHub Student Developer Pack
Apply at education.github.com with your .edu email. Approval is usually instant. This single application unlocks the Namecheap domain, .tech domain, Name.com domain, and dozens of other tools.
See our GitHub Student Pack guide if you need help with verification.
Step 2: Choose and Register Your Domain
- Want a personal portfolio? Grab
yourname.mefrom Namecheap - Want a project domain? Try
projectname.techfrom get.tech - Want maximum flexibility? Check Name.com for available TLDs
Step 3: Connect to Hosting
Option A — Vercel (recommended for Next.js/React):
- Deploy your project on Vercel
- Go to Project Settings > Domains
- Add your custom domain
- Update DNS records at your registrar (Namecheap, Name.com, etc.)
- HTTPS is automatic
Option B — GitHub Pages (simplest):
- Push your site to
username.github.iorepository - Go to Settings > Pages > Custom domain
- Enter your domain and save
- Add the DNS records GitHub provides
- Check "Enforce HTTPS" once DNS propagates
Option C — Cloudflare Pages:
- Connect your GitHub repository to Cloudflare Pages
- Add your custom domain in the Cloudflare dashboard
- If your domain is already on Cloudflare DNS, it configures automatically
Step 4: Set Up Cloudflare DNS (Recommended)
Regardless of where you registered your domain, point your nameservers to Cloudflare for free CDN, DDoS protection, and analytics. This adds a performance and security layer at zero cost.
Pro Tips
Register your full name now. Even if you do not need a portfolio site today, grab yourfullname.me or yourfullname.dev while it is available. Domain squatting is real.
Set up email forwarding. Cloudflare offers free email routing. Create hello@yourname.me that forwards to your Gmail. It looks professional on resumes and business cards.
Use Cloudflare Registrar for renewals. When your free year expires, transfer the domain to Cloudflare for at-cost renewal pricing. No markup, no upselling, same price every year.