The WordPress Foundation is proud to launch WordPress Credits, a contribution-focused internship program that brings university students into the heart of the WordPress open source project. While WordPress thrives on contributions from a global volunteer community, many students and newcomers face barriers to entry, such as a lack of structured guidance or real-world experience in open source projects. This new program is designed to bridge that gap, nurturing future contributors and ensuring WordPress remains innovative, inclusive, and sustainable for years to come.
The pilot program, developed in partnership with the University of Pisa, was announced on stage at WordCamp Europe 2025 by Matt Mullenweg and Mary Hubbard. Since then, it has attracted interest from students across various fields of study, including humanities, computer science, and communication. Companies in the WordPress ecosystem have also expressed support and interest in contributing to the project. In response to the growing interest from both community members and academic institutions, we are now inviting more universities to join the initiative.
Open to students from all fields of study, the program blends structured onboarding with a personalized contribution project. 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. Internship durations may vary depending on the university or educational institution. 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). Flexible arrangements can be discussed to meet the specific requirements of each institution.
Foundational Training includes:
- An introduction to open source principles and the WordPress Foundation
- Getting familiar with community tools (Slack, Make blogs, Learn platform, GitHub)
- Setting up a personal WordPress site and publishing content
Each student will choose a contribution area and design their own personal project within that area. Examples of possible projects include:
- Translating interfaces or documentation
- Creating multilingual subtitles for educational videos
- Contributing code or performing testing
- Supporting product development or design
- Writing or editing content
- Assisting with community event organization
- Developing training materials for Learn WordPress
- Creating open source tools
- And much more…
Interns are guided by an experienced mentor specific to their chosen area and supported by a dedicated WordPress Foundation contact person throughout the program. 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.
Interested universities and educational institutions interested in participating can reach out by filling the interest form.
We also invite companies in the WordPress ecosystem to support this initiative by sponsoring mentors who will guide and empower the next generation of contributors, or by providing tools and resources that help students succeed in their contribution journey.
If your company is interested in getting involved, please visit the Company Guide to learn more and fill out the form to join the program.
By welcoming students, mentors, sponsors, and volunteers into this initiative, we are building a stronger and more connected WordPress community. Each person who takes part, whether they guide a student, share their experiences, provide sponsorship, or simply help spread the word, helps ensure that open source remains vibrant and accessible for all. Together, we are not just supporting individual contributors; we are shaping the future of WordPress and open source itself.
