OpenAI Is Giving Open-Source Maintainers 6 Months of ChatGPT Pro for Free — Here’s How to Apply

If you maintain an open-source project and have been eyeing ChatGPT Pro, OpenAI has quietly launched a programme that could put it in your hands at no cost. Called Codex for Open Source, the initiative is designed to support the people doing the often-invisible work of keeping critical software alive reviewing pull requests, triaging issues, managing releases, and holding code quality together across projects that millions of people depend on.

Here is everything you need to know about what the programme offers and how to apply.

What Selected Maintainers Actually Receive

Selected maintainers receive six months of ChatGPT Pro, which includes Codex, conditional access to Codex Security, and API credits for coding, maintainer automation, release workflows, and core open-source work.

ChatGPT Pro, which normally runs $200 per month, gives access to OpenAI’s most capable models including the full Codex coding agent making this a significant package for active developers maintaining real projects.

Who Qualifies

The programme is not open to casual contributors. OpenAI is looking specifically for people carrying primary responsibility for a project’s health.

OpenAI reviews signals such as repository usage, ecosystem importance, and evidence of active maintenance including pull request review, issue triage, release management, and other ongoing responsibilities carried by primary or core maintainers.

Your repository needs to be public on GitHub, and your GitHub profile visibility must also be set to public before you apply. Projects that are widely used measured by GitHub stars, monthly downloads, or strategic importance to the developer ecosystem are the strongest candidates. However, if a project does not neatly fit the criteria but plays an important role in the ecosystem, applicants should still apply and explain why.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply

Head to the official application form at openai.com/form/codex-for-oss. Here is what you will need to fill in:

Step 1: Prepare your GitHub profile. Set your GitHub profile visibility to public and ensure the repository you are applying for is also publicly visible. OpenAI cannot assess a project it cannot see.

Step 2: Gather your repository data. Before opening the form, note your repository’s GitHub stars, monthly download figures, or any metrics that demonstrate why the project matters to the ecosystem. You will need to make this case in writing.

Step 3: Find your OpenAI Organisation ID. If you plan to apply for API credits, you will need your OpenAI Organisation ID. You can find it by logging into platform.openai.com and navigating to Settings, then Organisation, then General.

Step 4: Complete the application form. The form asks for:

• Your full name and email address linked to your ChatGPT account
• Your GitHub username and the URL of the qualifying repository
• Your role: primary maintainer or core maintainer
• A written explanation of why the repository qualifies (up to 500 characters)
• Which benefits you are interested in: Codex Security, API credits, or both
• Your OpenAI Organisation ID (if applying for API credits) and how you plan to use them
• An optional field for anything else OpenAI should know

Step 5: Submit and wait. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and selected applicants are notified by email. There is no fixed deadline, so you can apply at any time — but earlier applications are reviewed sooner.

One More Thing Worth Knowing

Developers can apply for their own project or nominate another maintainer. If you know someone doing essential open-source maintenance work who isn’t aware of this programme, you can put their name forward. That is a meaningful detail for a community where some of the most critical projects are maintained by people who rarely promote themselves.

The Codex for Open Source programme is live now. If your work underpins software that others depend on, this is one of the more straightforward routes to accessing professional-grade AI tooling without the monthly bill.

Apply at: openai.com/form/codex-for-oss