EDUCAUSE manages the .edu domain under a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce. The agreement began in 2001 and currently runs through September 30, 2021.
The Cooperative Agreement, as amended, contains the domain's basic governing policies. These include the .edu eligibility and naming requirements as well as the absolute prohibition on .edu domain name transfers.
The agreement also has a "grandfathering" provision. It allows organizations that registered .edu domain names before the start of the agreement to renew their registrations, regardless of whether they meet the current eligibility requirements, so long as they otherwise comply with the domain's policies.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the Commerce agency that oversees .edu domain administration. Please visit its ".edu Cooperative Agreement" website to review the agreement as amended. Key amendments include:
- Amendment 6: Sets the domain's baseline eligibility, naming, and "no transfer" requirements
- Amendment 9: Allows the governing offices of university systems and community college districts comprised of .edu eligible institutions to register .edu domain names
- Amendment 11: Identifies the procedure for addressing violations of the domain's "no transfer" policy
For more details about domain policies, please see the .edu FAQs.
Policy Changes
Policies affecting the .edu domain can be changed by mutual agreement of EDUCAUSE and the Department of Commerce. Please contact us if you have suggestions.
The .edu Policy Board reviews proposals and recommends changes to the Department of Commerce as needed. It consists of the presidents of the American Council on Education (ACE), the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), and EDUCAUSE. Collectively, they reflect the executive, legal, and IT leadership of the diverse U.S. higher education community.
Note: If you have general comments or questions about .edu domain policies, please send them to [email protected].