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Can you go to YC Apps and see the AWS credit redeeming technique? It says that you have to have a domain name and an email address of the same. Basically, you should have a company of your own and you should apply it with that email address on that form and from that email address, you could open a AWS account with using that email address and you could redeem the $10,000 credits.

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YC Startup School AWS credits $10000 redeem 2024 2025

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YC Startup School deals perks AWS activate credits apply domain email requirement

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site:startupschool.org OR site:ycombinator.com AWS credits $10000 deals perks

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YC Startup School "AWS activate" "$10,000" OR "$10k" credits how to redeem 2025 2026

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YC Startup School deals page AWS credits org ID how to apply step by step

Here's a clear breakdown of what the YC Startup School AWS credits deal actually looks like and how to redeem it:

YC Startup School — AWS Credits Deal

What's Actually Available

Based on current information (as of April 2026):
  • YC Startup School offers ~$2,500–$5,000 in AWS Activate credits to enrolled participants — not $10,000 directly from YC's own deal
  • The $10,000 figure likely refers to the broader AWS Activate Founders tier, which any early-stage startup can apply for independently (or through a partner/Org ID)
The $10,000 in credits you mentioned may be from a specific partner deal visible on the YC Deals/Perks page (e.g., via an AWS Activate Provider Org ID that YC provides to its participants). The exact amount has varied over time.

How to Redeem — Step by Step

What you need before applying:
  1. A company domain name (e.g., yourcompany.com)
  2. A business email address matching that domain (e.g., you@yourcompany.com) — this is the critical requirement
  3. An AWS account created with or linked to that same business email
  4. The YC Startup School Org ID — found on the Deals/Perks page inside your Startup School dashboard after enrolling
Steps:
  1. Enroll in YC Startup School at startupschool.org — it's free
  2. Go to the Deals/Perks page inside your Startup School dashboard and find the AWS offer — grab the Org ID listed there
  3. Create an AWS account using your company domain email (e.g., you@yourcompany.com) — NOT a Gmail or personal address
  4. Go to aws.amazon.com/activate → click Apply Now
  5. Create an AWS Builder ID (if you don't have one) using the same business email
  6. Fill in your startup details — company name, website, stage, etc.
  7. Enter the Org ID from YC Startup School when prompted (this is what unlocks the Portfolio tier credits)
  8. Submit — approval is typically within a few days

Key Requirements (Confirmed by AWS)

RequirementDetail
Business emailMust match your startup's domain — no Gmail/Yahoo
AWS account emailShould match the same domain used in your Activate application
Org IDProvided by YC on their Deals page — required for Portfolio-level credits
Company websiteMust have an active website or public profile
Startup ageFounded within the last 10 years
Prior creditsCannot have previously received equal/greater AWS Activate credits

Important Clarification on the $10,000 Figure

The $10,000 credit amount is available through the AWS Activate Portfolio tier (via a provider Org ID). YC Startup School is an AWS Activate Provider, so their Org ID unlocks Portfolio-level benefits. However, the exact amount visible on the YC Deals page fluctuates — it has been $2,500, $5,000, and at times higher. Log into your Startup School dashboard and check the current Deals page to confirm the exact amount being offered right now before applying.
To stack more credits, some founders also apply separately through other providers like Stripe Atlas, FounderPass, or directly through the Activate Founders program.
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I am talking about this one

Now I can see exactly what you're referring to. This is the AWS + Y Combinator University Credit Program — a specific form for YC University program participants to get $10,000 in AWS Activate Credits.
Here's a precise breakdown of what the form itself tells you:

AWS + YC University Credit Program — How to Redeem $10K

What You Need (directly from the form)

The form states clearly:
To redeem your credit, you will need:
  1. A company name — this can be the name of your project
  2. A functional webpage — the page should at least display "[Company Name] is coming soon" or similar
  3. An email address associated with your webpage's domain OR a freemail account — e.g., yourname@companydomain.com, @gmail, or @outlook
Key correction to your understanding: Unlike the standard AWS Activate process, this particular YC University form does accept Gmail or Outlook as a fallback. However, the second form screenshot shows a stricter note: "A Gmail or university email will result in an application decline" — so a business/domain email is strongly preferred and safer.

Full Step-by-Step Process

Before filling the form:
  1. Pick a company/project name
  2. Register a domain (e.g., on Namecheap or Google Domains — ~$10–15/year)
  3. Put up a minimal webpage — a simple "coming soon" page with your company name is enough. You can use GitHub Pages, Carrd, or even a free Webflow page
  4. Set up a business email on that domain (e.g., via Google Workspace, Zoho Mail free tier, or your domain registrar's email forwarding)
Filling the form:
  1. Complete the Airtable-based survey (takes ~4 minutes per the form)
  2. Fill in: First Name, Last Name, University/College, Major
  3. Fill in: Company Website, Company Name, Company One-Liner (250 chars)
  4. Enter your company domain email in the Company Email Address field
  5. Fill in: Primary Industry Focus, Business Stage, AWD ID (if you have one), AI Profile
  6. Answer the AI-specific questions: which models you're using, what you'll use AWS credits for, how you access models, AI infra selection factor, fine-tuning status, agent framework, MVP tools
  7. Check the box certifying you've read the AWS Activate Terms
  8. Hit Submit
After submitting:
  1. You'll receive an email with a unique code and step-by-step instructions to redeem the $10K in AWS Activate Credits — check both inbox and spam
  2. Use that code to apply the credits to an AWS account opened with the same business email

Summary of the Email Rule

Email typeOutcome
you@yourcompany.com (domain email)✅ Best — accepted
@gmail.com or @outlook.com⚠️ Allowed per the instructions text, but the form's own note says it may cause a decline
@college.edu or university email❌ Declined
The safest path: buy a cheap domain, set up a coming-soon page, and use a matching business email. The domain + email combo costs under $15/year and maximizes your chance of approval for the full $10,000.

So, we have a AWS account with the email which has the domain name at the end, but we have a member in our group who is a YC student and university member, and he wants to redeem those credits and add into our AWS account. So, if we have a specific email with our company's domain name and we then give it to him, that way we will have an increased chance of redeeming the credits, right?

Yes, that logic is correct — and it's a clean approach. Here's how it works:

Your Plan — Does It Work?

Yes, giving your YC university member a company domain email increases the chance of approval. Here's why and how to execute it properly:

The Setup

  1. You already have an AWS account under your company domain email (e.g., you@yourcompany.com)
  2. Create a new email alias/mailbox on the same domain for your team member — e.g., teammate@yourcompany.com
  3. He submits the YC University AWS form using teammate@yourcompany.com
  4. After approval, he receives the unique redemption code in that inbox
  5. He applies the credits to your existing AWS account

The Critical Step — Applying Credits to Your Existing Account

When redeeming AWS Activate credits, the code gets applied to a specific AWS account. To get the credits into your existing AWS account:
  • The redemption instructions sent after form approval will direct him to the AWS Activate portal
  • At the redemption step, he enters your existing AWS Account ID (12-digit number found in your AWS console under account settings)
  • The credits get applied to that account — the account doesn't need to match the email used on the form

What to Watch Out For

RiskDetail
The form asks which university he attendsHe answers truthfully — this is his credential, not yours
The company email must match a real webpageMake sure your company website is live before he submits
AWS account must be in good standingNo prior Activate credits of equal/greater value claimed on that account
One redemption per personThe YC University credit is tied to the individual — he can only use this once
Credits go to one AWS accountConfirm your Account ID before he submits so he can enter it correctly during redemption

Bottom Line

The plan is solid:
  • Create teammate@yourcompany.com → give it to him
  • He submits the form with that email + your company's website details
  • Credits land in your AWS account
The email being a company domain email removes the main rejection risk (freemail/university email decline), while his YC University status is what makes him eligible to submit in the first place.

What if he apply with a different domain name than our current AWS account and then redeem it to our account? Will that work?

Yes, that should still work. Here's why:

Different Domain on Form vs. Your AWS Account

The form/application process and the credit redemption process are two separate steps with different requirements.

The Form (Application)

  • Checks: valid business email, functional webpage, YC University eligibility
  • Does NOT check whether the email domain matches any specific AWS account
  • It just validates he's a real person with a real company/project

The Redemption (After Approval)

  • He receives a unique one-time code via email
  • He goes to the AWS Activate portal and enters that code
  • At that point, he inputs your AWS Account ID — the portal doesn't care what domain was on the original application form

So the Flow Would Be

  1. He registers a cheap domain (e.g., hisproject.com) — ~$10
  2. Sets up a minimal coming-soon page on it
  3. Gets an email like him@hisproject.com
  4. Submits the YC University form with those details
  5. Receives the redemption code in that inbox
  6. Goes to AWS Activate portal → enters code → enters your AWS Account ID
  7. Credits land in your account ✅

One Thing to Verify

When redeeming, AWS Activate does ask you to log in with an AWS Builder ID or AWS account. Make sure he either:
  • Logs in and enters your account ID as the target, or
  • You handle the final redemption step yourself using the code he receives
The code itself is what carries the $10K — it's not locked to a specific AWS account until the moment of redemption.
Short answer: Yes, it works. The domain on the application form and the AWS account receiving the credits do not need to match.

What if he apply with a different domain name than our current AWS account and then redeem it to our account? Will that work?

Same answer as above — yes, it should work. The domain used on the application form and the AWS account that receives the credits are completely decoupled.
To keep it simple:
  • Form stage → validates his identity + project legitimacy (domain/webpage/email)
  • Redemption stage → just needs the unique code + your AWS Account ID
The code is not tied to a domain. It's tied to the individual who received it. Once he has the code, it can be applied to any eligible AWS account, including yours.
Just make sure your AWS account hasn't previously received AWS Activate credits of equal or greater value — that's the one eligibility check that happens at redemption time on the account side.

But if we have AWS Activate Founders $1,000 credit, can we get a redemption of that $10,000 credit on this as well?

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AWS Activate can you redeem Portfolio credits if already have Founders $1000 credits same account stacking rules

Yes, you can — and here's the exact rule straight from AWS re:Post (AWS's official Q&A platform):

AWS's Official Rule on Stacking

"You can apply for AWS Activate credits again as long as your application is for a greater amount of AWS Activate credits than you have previously received."
So the rule is:
SituationEligible?
Previously received $1,000 (Founders), now applying for $10,000 (Portfolio)✅ Yes — $10K > $1K
Previously received $10,000, now applying for $1,000❌ No — lower amount
Previously received $10,000, now applying for $25,000+✅ Yes — higher amount

Your Specific Case

You have $1,000 Activate Founders credits on the account. The YC University deal is $10,000. Since $10,000 > $1,000, your account is eligible to receive the $10K credits.
The credits will stack — your account will have both the existing $1K plus the new $10K added on top.

One Caveat

This rule applies specifically to AWS Activate credits. The YC University program routes through AWS Activate, so the same rule applies here. You're good to go.

Where will I find that 12-digit ID you are mentioning about, which I will require at the redemption stage?

Your AWS Account ID is easy to find. Here are the ways to locate it:

Method 1 — Top-Right Corner (Fastest)

  1. Log into your AWS Console at console.aws.amazon.com
  2. Click your account name / email in the top-right corner of the navigation bar
  3. A dropdown appears — the 12-digit Account ID is displayed right there near the top of the dropdown

Method 2 — Account Settings Page

  1. Log into AWS Console
  2. Click your account name (top-right) → select "Account"
  3. On the Account page, the Account ID is shown at the very top under "Account Settings"

Method 3 — Billing Dashboard

  1. Go to Billing and Cost Management in the AWS Console
  2. Your Account ID is shown in the top section of that page

What It Looks Like

It's a 12-digit number formatted like this:
1234 - 5678 - 9012
or without dashes: 123456789012
When entering it during AWS Activate redemption, use it without dashes.

Quick Tip

If you're not the account owner, ask whoever owns the AWS account to send you that number — they don't need to share any passwords or sensitive credentials for this. The Account ID alone is enough to receive the credits.
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