Setting Up Your Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Account

For this course, your instructor will provide you with Google Cloud Education Credits, allowing you to access GCP resources using your official Monmouth College email account without needing a personal credit or debit card.

Important Note: Monmouth College Email & Google Accounts

[!IMPORTANT] Monmouth College does NOT use Google Workspace. Your Monmouth College email (@monmouthcollege.edu) is managed through Microsoft Office 365, not Google. It is not automatically a Google account, and you cannot sign in to Google directly using your college password.

However, Google allows you to create a Google Account using your existing college email address. You must create this Google Account with your @monmouthcollege.edu address in order to redeem your course education credits.

Prerequisites & Requirements

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  1. Your Monmouth College Email Account: Your official email address ending in @monmouthcollege.edu. You must have access to your Monmouth inbox (via Outlook / Microsoft 365) to receive a verification code.
  2. Education Credit Redemption Link or Code: Provided by your instructor (via email, Moodle, or course announcement).
  3. No Credit Card Required: Because you are using education credits granted for the course, Google does not require a credit card or debit card for identity verification.

Step-by-Step Account Creation & Credit Redemption

Step 1: Create a Google Account with Your College Email

[!TIP] Use an Incognito or Private browsing window for these steps to prevent your browser from automatically using an existing personal @gmail.com account.

  1. Open your browser and go to the Google account registration page:
  2. Enter your First name and Last name, then click Next.
  3. Enter your Birthday and Gender, then click Next.
  4. On the email selection screen:
    • DO NOT create a new @gmail.com address.
    • Click “Use your existing email” (or “Use my current email address instead”).
    • Enter your official Monmouth College email address: yourusername@monmouthcollege.edu.
    • Click Next.
  5. Verify your email address:
    • Google will send a 6-digit verification code to your Monmouth College email inbox.
    • Open your Monmouth College email (https://outlook.office.com).
    • Find the email from Google with the subject “Verify your email address” (check your Junk/Spam folder if you do not see it within a couple of minutes).
    • Enter the 6-digit code on the Google verification page and click Next.
  6. Create a password:
    • Create a secure password for this Google Account and confirm it.
    • (Note: This password is for your Google Account. It does not change your Monmouth College Microsoft 365 password, but be sure to save it in your password manager).
  7. Complete any remaining prompts (such as optional phone/recovery setup and accepting Google’s Privacy and Terms).

(Note: If you have already created a Google Account with your @monmouthcollege.edu address in the past, simply go to https://accounts.google.com and sign in. If you forgot the password you previously set for it, use the “Forgot password?” link to reset it via your college inbox).

Step 2: Confirm You Are Signed In Under Your College Google Account

  1. In your browser (or Incognito window), go to https://myaccount.google.com.
  2. Look at the profile icon/avatar in the upper-right corner.
  3. Confirm that it displays your @monmouthcollege.edu email address, not a personal @gmail.com account.
  1. Click the custom Education Credit Coupon Link provided by your professor
  2. If prompted for your email address, enter your @monmouthcollege.edu email address.
  3. If prompted, enter the student redemption code provided by your instructor.
  4. Click Submit or Redeem.
  5. If Google sends an email confirmation link to your Monmouth College inbox to confirm credit redemption, open the link in the same browser window.

Step 4: Terms of Service & Billing Account Setup

  1. Country: Select your current country of residence (United States).
  2. Needs/Description: Select “Need to build/learn for school/work” or “Student / Education”.
  3. Terms of Service: Read and accept the Google Cloud Platform Terms of Service by checking the box.
  4. Click Agree and Continue.
  5. Google Cloud will automatically create or associate an Education Billing Account funded by your student course credits. Notice that no credit or debit card information is requested.
  6. Click Finish or Go to Console.

Verification & First Steps in GCP Console

Once credit redemption completes:

  1. You will be redirected to the Google Cloud Console Dashboard (https://console.cloud.google.com/).
  2. Verify that your top-right profile icon shows your @monmouthcollege.edu account.
  3. Go to Billing via the navigation menu (☰) to check your account:
    • You should see your active Education Billing Account with the course credit balance assigned to your account.
  4. Take note of your default Project Name and Project ID shown in the top navigation bar (e.g., My First Project or monmouth-cs-123456).

Troubleshooting & Tips

  • “Couldn’t find your Google Account” error on login:
    • If you try to sign in at a standard Google login screen before creating your account, Google will report that the account does not exist. Remember, Monmouth College does not run Google Workspace. You must first register the email at https://accounts.google.com/signup using the “Use my current email address instead” option.
  • Account Switching / Personal Gmail Conflict:
    • If you are asked to provide a credit card, or your credits do not appear, your browser likely switched to your personal @gmail.com account. Check the top-right profile icon. Always use an Incognito/Private window or ensure your @monmouthcollege.edu Google account is the active profile.
  • “An account already exists for this email”:
    • If you created a Google account with your college email in a previous term or for another Google service, choose “Sign in instead” rather than creating a new one. Use “Forgot password?” if you do not remember the password.
  • Verification Code Email Not Appearing:
    • Check your Junk Email or Spam folder in your Monmouth College Outlook webmail.
  • Redemption Code Already Used:
    • Each redemption code/link is unique to a single student. First, check Billing in GCP Console to see if the credits are already applied to your account. If not, contact your professor for assistance.