WordPress Credits at Titu Maiorescu University
WordPress Credits (WP Credits) is a free program of the WordPress Foundation. Students gain practical experience by contributing to the WordPress open-source project, with the support of a mentor.
Titu Maiorescu University is the first university in Romania to join the program, through a partnership between the Faculty of Informatics and the WordPress Foundation. The program is open to all UTM students, from any year and any degree program.
WordPress is the open-source software behind about 40% of all websites. It is built by a global community of volunteers and professionals, and WordPress Credits brings students into that work.
The program runs at 50 institutions in 17 countries. At UTM, students take the 50-hour course, WordPress Credits: Intro to Contribution, built around short contributions that are easy to start with.
What you gain
- Real experience: the WordPress community uses what you produce.
- A public record: your contributions are credited on your WordPress.org profile, which you can show to employers.
- A mentor: an experienced WordPress contributor guides you through the program.
- Practical skills: project planning, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork in a global team.
- A certificate: you receive a WordPress Credits certificate when you complete the program.
- A global network: you join the WordPress community on Slack and meet contributors from around the world.
- Free tools: a one-year WordPress.com plan (places are limited), plus plugins and tools from the companies supporting the program.
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The program is fully online and takes about 10 weeks at around 5 hours a week, 50 hours in total. You choose when to work.
| Phase | When | What you do |
| Onboarding | Weeks 1-2 | Set up your WordPress.org profile, join Slack and complete three short courses: open source basics, how decisions are made in WordPress, and conflict resolution. |
| Project | Weeks 3-9 | Choose a contribution area, define your project and do the work. Join team meetings and discussions, and take part in a WordPress event if you can, such as the WordPress Bucharest Meetup. |
| Wrap-up | Week 10 | Write your final project report, complete the feedback form and get your certificate. |
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Most ways to contribute need no code. You choose from seven areas, based on your studies and interests:
- Build: write code, build tools or improve existing projects.
- Design: work on how things look and work.
- Write: improve documentation, guides and learning content.
- Test: find bugs, verify fixes and review guides.
- Translate: make WordPress available in more languages, including Romanian.
- Organize: coordinate work, triage and keep things running.
- Promote: spread the word and support community events.
A good project supports an existing WordPress team and leaves something useful behind. For example, you could review and update three outdated handbook pages with the Documentation team. A personal blog or portfolio does not count as a contribution project.
- Sign in with your UTM Microsoft account and complete the registration form.
- UTM sends the list of registered students to the WordPress Credits team on November 2, 2026.
- You receive a welcome email with the next steps. Your sign-in details come from wordpress@wordpresseducation.org, so please check your Spam folder too.
- Sign in to your Student Report Card on the Education Directory, open your course on Learn WordPress and start Onboarding.
If you cannot sign in to your UTM account, write to IT@UNIV.UTM.RO.
| Date | What happens |
| November 1, 2026 | Registration closes for the first group |
| November 2, 2026 | Onboarding starts for the first group |
| Start of the second semester | The next group starts. Anyone who registers after November 1 joins this group |
Who can join?
All Titu Maiorescu University students, from any year and any degree program.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Most ways to contribute need no code, and you choose the area that suits you.
How good does my English need to be?
Functional English is enough. The community writes much more than it speaks.
Does it cost anything? Is it paid?
The program is free for students and for the University. It is not paid work and does not create an employment relationship.
When does the program start?
Onboarding for the first group starts on November 2, 2026. The next group is planned for the start of the second semester.
I registered. What happens next?
UTM sends your details to the WordPress Credits team on November 2, 2026. You then receive a welcome email with the next steps. If nothing arrives, check your Spam folder, then contact the UTM program coordinator.
Does the program count as the practice?
WordPress Credits is designed so a university can recognize the work as a practice for the current year.
If it counts, does it cover the whole requirement?
Yes.
How are the 50 hours tracked?
There is no timesheet. You keep a running total of your hours on your Student Report Card, which your mentor can see. Your report also records your contribution team, your project, the meetings you joined and your final project report.
Can I do it during the week, without weekend activities?
Yes. You choose when to work, and there is no fixed weekly schedule. You book calls with your mentor from the times they publish. Team meetings have set times, so pick those that fit your week.
Can I use a free WordPress.com blog for my updates?
Yes. A personal website is optional on this course, and a free WordPress.com site is fine if you want one. It does not replace your contribution project, which has to support a WordPress team.
At a team meeting, is it enough to be present?
Attending is a good start, but try to take part: introduce yourself, ask a question or offer to help. Nobody expects you to lead. Your report asks for links to the meetings and discussions you joined.
What does the program graduation look like?
You finish with a final project report, a written account of what you built and contributed. You submit it on your Student Report Card.
- UTM program coordinator: Alex Spătaru – wpcredits@univ.utm.ro
- UTM account problems: IT@UNIV.UTM.RO
- The WordPress Credits program: education@wordpressfoundation.org
- Slack: join the Make WordPress Slack with your WordPress.org account.
- Program channel: #wpcredits, for questions about WordPress Credits.
- Team channels: #polyglots for translation, #docs for documentation, #training for learning content, #core-test for testing, #design and #accessibility.
Once you have started, ask your mentor or the #wpcredits channel first. All participants follow the WordPress community Code of Conduct.
