{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","contentId":"000001a0-1bd3-d6eb-a5fc-3bd700180000","url":"https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/aws-student-rewards-free-cloud-ai-training","headline":"AWS commits more than $500 million to student cloud and AI training","description":"Verified university students can now access up to $579 in free resources—including AWS Credits, premium cloud training, and a certification exam voucher—through AWS Builder Center's new Student Rewards program.","datePublished":"2026-08-20T10:30:11.070Z","dateModified":"2026-08-20T10:30:11.070Z","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Amazon Staff","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/08549ff/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1125x1125+438+0/resize/84x84!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F47%2F6d%2F7fe296e642859c7ba2a629eda3ba%2Famazon-logo-hero-images-2024.jpg","width":"84","height":"84"}}],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/a877bc4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1013x675+0+0/resize/300x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F5b%2F5f%2Fd8fce84544739e7051f1cdf8e1d4%2Faws-commits-500m-ai-amazonnews-cdlt-2026aug20.png","width":"300","height":"200"},"articleBody":"![AWS commits over $500 M to student resources](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/a877bc4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1013x675+0+0/resize/300x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F5b%2F5f%2Fd8fce84544739e7051f1cdf8e1d4%2Faws-commits-500m-ai-amazonnews-cdlt-2026aug20.png)\n\n# AWS commits more than $500 million to student cloud and AI training\n\n*Through a new Student Rewards program on AWS Builder Center, university students worldwide can earn credits, premium training, and certification vouchers.*\n\n---\n\n## Key takeaways\n\n- AWS is launching Student Rewards on Builder Center for verified university students.\n- Students get up to $579 in resources including credits, training, and certification.\n- Rewards include $30 in credits, a $100 certification voucher, and Skill Builder access.\n\n---\n\n[AWS](https://www.aboutamazon.com/what-we-do/amazon-web-services) is launching Student Rewards on [AWS Builder Center](https://builder.aws.com/), a new program that gives verified higher education students access to earn AWS credits, 12 months of premium [Skill Builder](https://skillbuilder.aws/), and an [AWS Certification Foundational exam](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/) voucher as they learn, build, and connect in the community.\n\nThe initiative represents a commitment of more than $500 million in resources to support university students globally with the training, tools, and certification they need to start building careers in cloud and [AI](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/tag/artificial-intelligence).\n\n![A photo of four students sitting at a table working on tablet devices and keyboards inside the AWS Think Big Space at River Oaks Elementary School.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/1425cd8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1518x1012+141+0/resize/300x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Ff5%2F5a%2F7c5c41cf442397a07d4f0e9b51b4%2Fhero-001-2023-04-13-aws-763-copy.JPG)\n\n- [How Amazon Think Big Spaces has 100,000 students participating in STEM education programs ](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/how-aws-think-big-spaces-help-kids-around-the-world-see-their-own-far-reaching-futures)\n\n## What every builder gets, no verification needed\n\nAWS Builder Center is a community for developers at every level. Builders can sign up and access:\n\n- Hands-on workshops to learn AWS\n- The ability to read and publish articles, share projects, and build a public profile that showcases your work\n- Community Spaces organized by topic and region to connect with developers worldwide\n\nStudent Rewards build on this foundation, giving verified students exclusive access to credits, premium content, and certification vouchers as they engage.\n\n## What verified students get when they sign up\n\n![Collage of students that utilized AWS skill builder courses and credits](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/cd09424/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x900+0+0/resize/767x431!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fce%2Fb1%2Fac989e114163a2e1560cf58c06bc%2Fcollage-1600x900.png)\n\nWhen a university student (18 or older) verifies their enrollment and completes their Builder Center profile, they immediately receive 12 months of premium [Skill Builder](https://skillbuilder.aws/) access including 900+ courses, hands-on labs, certification exam prep, and game-based learning.\n\nAs students earn badges through actions on Builder Center—publishing articles, commenting, and maintaining engagement—they unlock additional rewards:\n\n| Milestone | Reward |\n| --- | --- |\n| Verified student and profile complete  | 12-Month Skill Builder premium ($449 value) |\n| 7 badges | $10 AWS credits |\n| 14 badges | $20 AWS credits |\n| 21 badges | AWS Foundational Certification exam voucher |\n\n**Total potential value:** $579 per student—$30 in AWS credits, a $100 certification voucher, and 12 months of premium Skill Builder access ($449 value).\n\n![Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) scholarship recipient ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/472838c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2510x1673+232+0/resize/300x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fe7%2F36%2Ff0dc68eb4d2f8c43e9f116a01653%2Fimg-4628.png)\n\n- [Amazon commits over $70 million in scholarships to students across the US since 2019](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/community/amazon-awards-16-million-in-college-tuition-to-u-s-computer-science-students)\n\n## How to get started in five minutes\n\n1. **Verify student status**: Sign in to Builder Center and complete verification through SheerID. Most verifications complete in minutes.\n2. **Complete a profile**: Upload a photo and fill out the About section. This unlocks a year of Skill Builder premium access.\n3. **Earn badges, unlock rewards**: Publish articles, comment, and maintain engagement. Each badge earned works toward the next reward.\n\n## How students can connect on campus\n\nAWS Student Builder Groups are student-led communities at universities in more than 60 countries. Students come together to explore cloud technology, build projects, and grow their skills with peers. [Learn more](https://builder.aws.com/content/3I1qkUtKhwU6K1VaGkfYRwtbz3o), find a group or [start one today](https://builder.aws.com/student-rewards).\n\n**Get started:** \n\n[Join AWS Builder Center and verify for Student Rewards](https://builder.aws.com/student-rewards).","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"About Amazon","url":"https://www.aboutamazon.com","sameAs":["https://x.com/amazonnews","https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon","https://www.instagram.com/amazonnews"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://assets.aboutamazon.com/bd/8f/88e7b0314cc2bd05b9de3155a0fe/amazon-news.svg"},"parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Amazon","url":"https://www.amazon.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3884","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_(company)","https://x.com/Amazon"]}}}