Why Can’t I Register a .edu Domain Name?

register edu domain name

Register edu Domain - Registering domain names is normally pretty straightforward if you’re searching for something that ends in .com, .net, .org, or one of the many other domain suffixes available out there. However, it you need to register a .edu domain, you could have to do more than only find a name nobody else has yet. If you’ve tried to register a domain ending in .edu thru one of the rank and file Internet registrars, you are likely quite aware that they’re not so freely available.

Domains ending in .edu must be registered thru Educause, a non-profit organization that was set up to promote higher education and info technology. The US Department of Commerce awarded a contract to Educause in 2001 that makes them the governor of handing out .edu names for now. Setting up a website on a .edu domain needs you to have a postsecondary establishment which has been authorized by one of the US Department of Education’s recognized licensing agencies.

Concerning .edu domains and search engine optimization, it’s noteworthy that Google gives special consideration ( more weight ) to links that come from .edu domains. Knowing that the requirements ( a licensed university or university ) to get a .edu domain are noticeably more tough than those ( a valid credit card and billing address ) for getting a .com, .net, or .org domain, it makes sense that links to your website from a tutorial site carry more weight than those from a more watered-down content base.

Incidentally, in case you’re wondering, the same principle is applicable to .gov domains also which need to be registered through dotgov.gov.