Membership application process¶

If you think you meet the requirements for Ubuntu Membership, there are a few routes you can take to formally apply.

The most common way to apply is through the Membership Boards, as outlined in the Standard application section.

Some Ubuntu teams can grant membership directly through their governance Council. These include the Kubuntu Council, the Developer Membership Board, and the IRC Council. These are outlined in the Specialized Membership section below.

Before you apply¶

The first step a prospective Ubuntu Member must take is to agree to the Ubuntu Code of Conduct. This is a commitment to abide by the set structures and guides within the Ubuntu community to make it a safe, open, and ultimately enjoyable place to be.

Signing the Ubuntu Code of Conduct requires a Launchpad account. Launchpad is Canonical’s software collaboration platform and a hub for Ubuntu Project development.

If you have not yet created a Launchpad or Ubuntu One account, register for an account. Then, once you are logged in to Launchpad you can sign the Ubuntu Code of Conduct.

Standard application¶

Head to the membership category on the Ubuntu Discourse. There, you must make a new topic titled “Your name | Membership Application”, and list all of your contributions. You can use this example as a template:

## About me

A summary of your contributions to Ubuntu (no longer than 2-3 lines per item)

## Contact information

A link to your Launchpad profile

## Contributions

A complete description of your contributions to Ubuntu

## Future goals

Your plans and ideas for contributing to Ubuntu in the future

Important

The “contributions” section is the most important part.

Make sure it includes details of all your contributions. Include links and pictures if applicable. Describe in detail what you have done, where you did it, who you did it with, how often you did it, etc.

Testimonials¶

You will need testimonials from members of the community to support (sponsor) your application. Ask your friends/sponsors/colleagues/people in the community to comment on your post to support your application.

Any of your sponsors are also welcome to join the meeting with you to present their testimonials in real-time.

Your sponsors do not need to be Ubuntu Members themselves -– they can be part of the community, even your local community. Testimonials in languages other than English are also fine. Make sure you do not add the testimonials yourself – they must be added by others.

Present your Membership application¶

Finally, you need to present your application to the Membership Board. Don’t worry, the Discourse post acts as the application material, the rest is a real-time interview on IRC.

Ubuntu Membership Board meetings take place on Internet Relay Chat (IRC), in the #ubuntu-meeting channel on the Libera network.

After you have a nickname on IRC, and your Discourse post with all the testimonials you want, you can add yourself to the next board meeting agenda that you can attend.

Add your name, your IRC nickname, and a link to your Discourse application post. You should add yourself to an agenda that is at least a week away so the board members can coordinate to ensure maximum attendance.

The board meetings can take up to an hour. If you are not present at the meeting time you chose, your application will be deferred until you choose an alternative meeting, or (at the board members’ discretion) a vote will be held via email. Your application will only be considered if you are in the meeting, so it’s important to attend.

The board may want to ask questions to clarify any details they are unsure about or to tease out details you may not have included in your application. During the meeting the board members will vote on your application and you will get an immediate yes or no answer at that time. If for some reason your application is not approved, please do not give up. We strongly encourage applicants to continue their work in the community and apply for membership again in the future.

Specialized Membership¶

While the Standard Application is the most usual Membership route for contributors, there are other membership avenues for those with a history of specialized contributions.

Ubuntu Developers¶

Members of the community who are involved with developing, packaging and distributing Ubuntu software can apply for Ubuntu Developer Membership.

Edubuntu Membership¶

Individuals who have made ‘sustained and significant’ contributions within the Edubuntu project can apply for Edubuntu Membership.

Kubuntu Membership¶

Individuals who have made substantial contributions within the Kubuntu project can apply for Kubuntu Membership.

Lubuntu Membership¶

Individuals who have made ‘significant and sustained’ contributions within the Lubuntu project can apply for Lubuntu Membership.

Xubuntu Membership¶

Individuals who have made meaningful contributions within the Xubuntu project and demonstrate a motivation to contribute perpetually can apply for Xubuntu Membership.

IRC Membership¶

Those in the community who have made sustained contributions within the Ubuntu IRC community can apply for IRC Membership.