Get Started with GitHub Copilot and the Student Developer Pack

Alexander Elguezabal walks students through getting GitHub Copilot access via GitHub Education and the Student Developer Pack, then uses Copilot with Visual Studio Code to generate a simple “Hello World” website and open it locally as a starting point for a portfolio site.

Overview

This episode introduces the basics students need to start using GitHub Copilot and the GitHub Student Developer Pack, then demonstrates a first “zero-code” website creation flow using Copilot and Visual Studio Code.

What you’ll build in the series

• A beginner-friendly portfolio website that can be created and iterated on with GitHub Copilot.
• The broader series mentions using:
  • GitHub Copilot
  • Visual Studio Code
  • GitHub Pages
  • Microsoft Foundry
  • MCP servers
  • Agent skills

GitHub account and student benefits

• Why having a GitHub account is useful for students.
• What students can get through GitHub Pro and the GitHub Student Developer Pack.

Applying for GitHub Education (step by step)

• How to apply for GitHub Education.
• Notes on approval timeline.
• Enrolling to get access to GitHub Copilot as a student.

Installing tools

• Install the GitHub Copilot app.
• Install Visual Studio Code.

First look at the Copilot app and first prompt

• A first walkthrough inside the Copilot app.
• First prompt: generate a “Hello World” website with no coding experience required.
• Open the site in the canvas.

Moving from Copilot to VS Code

• Ask Copilot to move files and open a browser.
• Open the generated project in Visual Studio Code.

Links and resources

• Series page (Episode 2 and full series): https://aka.ms/student-learning-series-website
• Download prompts, code, and episode artifacts: https://aka.ms/student-learning-series
• Learn more about GitHub Copilot: https://aka.ms/StudentAI-GitHubCopilotApp
• Download Visual Studio Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/download?_exp_download=fb315fc982
• GitHub signup: https://aka.ms/StudentAI-GitHub
• GitHub Student Developer Pack enrollment: https://aka.ms/StudentAI-GitHubPack

Presenters

• Alexander Elguezabal (Software Engineer at Microsoft): https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-elguezabal/
• Gwendolyn Vongkasemsiri (Cybersecurity Program Manager at Microsoft): https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyb3rvalkyrie/
• Gwendolyn on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cyb3rvalkyrie

Notes

• Some features and cloud services may have eligibility, usage, or cost limits; review current terms before creating resources.