The WordPress Foundation has launched a new internship initiative called WordPress Credits, aimed at helping university students get involved with the WordPress open source project. The program aims to make it easier for students and newcomers to take their first steps into the open-source world by providing mentorship, direction, and real project experience.
Understanding the Initiative
The initial version of the program, created in collaboration with the University of Pisa, was introduced during WordCamp Europe 2025 by Matt Mullenweg and Mary Hubbard during the fireside chat. Since its launch, the program has gained interest from students across disciplines and sparked support from WordPress-related businesses. With growing momentum, more universities are now being invited to take part, as highlighted, “ Since then, it has attracted interest from students across various fields of study, including humanities, computer science…..Companies in the WordPress ecosystem have also expressed support and interest in contributing to the project…”
The initiative is open to students from all academic backgrounds and offers a mix of guided onboarding and tailored contribution projects. Each experience is adapted to the student’s field of study and familiarity with WordPress, helping them build relevant skills and engage meaningfully with the community, as stated, “ Activities are adapted to each student’s degree program and familiarity with WordPress, aiming to develop transferable skills, academic-related competencies, and active participation in the WordPress community.”
The internship duration will depend on the university or educational institution as highlighted, “ Some may align with academic semesters (typically 3–4 months), while others, like the University of Pisa, allow students to sign up year-round with a requirement to complete a set number of contribution hours (e.g. 150 hours).”
The initial training covers core open source concepts, an overview of the WordPress Foundation, and hands-on guidance with key community platforms like Slack, GitHub, the Make blogs, and Learn WordPress. Participants will also create their own WordPress site and begin publishing content. Each student can choose which area they want to contribute to and they will be paired with a mentor who specializes in their selected focus area, along with ongoing support from a WordPress Foundation representative.
All the contributions will be publicly visible as explained, “ All student contributions, whether code, translations, documentation, or educational materials, will be publicly visible and integrated into official WordPress projects and resources, directly benefiting the wider community.”
The interested universities and educational institutions can sign up now, and companies within the WordPress ecosystem can also be a part of the initiative by sponsoring mentors and playing a vital role. Interested companies are encouraged to take part in the initiative.