XYZ.COM LLC, the company behind the .xyz domain extension, announced the global launch of the .College domain extension today offering for the first time free Sunrise registrations for trademark holders and a special early access program for universities in which they can also get their .college domain registered for free.

.College also announced a four stage roll out of the extension that will be live for general availability on September 29th, 2015

Here is the press release:

“”XYZ has announced that it will waive the application fee and first year’s registration fee for companies registered in the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH), as well as applicants with a valid .edu or .ac.uk domain name.

The .College domain is for businesses, institutions, communities, and individuals

.College is a platform for people and organizations of all types to come together for a common purpose and a common future. It offers institutions, businesses, and the communities around them an open namespace to share knowledge and drive innovation.

March 17 – April 17: Exclusive registration period for brands and trademark holders

The .College trademark-exclusive Sunrise phase begins on March 17 with one of the largest retail distribution networks of approximately 200 accredited registrars. Brands and trademark holders who have registered with the TMCH will have priority registration access to their marks on a first-come, first-served basis until April 17.

The Sunrise phase gives brands not only the rightful opportunity to claim their names, but also gain a first-mover’s advantage by leveraging .College domains to grow their businesses. Brands will be able to immediately launch .College sites as platforms for recruitment, training and development, marketing, and branding.

April 20 – September 22: Open registration for US and UK-based institutions

Following the Sunrise, .College will enter a strategic five-month Landrush registration phase catered towards higher-education institutions. In the past, educational institutions have faced several restrictions, such as being limited to just one .edu domain per institution, despite being composed of a number of departments and colleges. In contrast, .College will allow institutions with a valid .edu or .ac.uk domain name to register an unlimited number of available names on a first-come, first-served basis, such as Boston.College, BostonSciences.College, BostonLibrary.College, or BostonAthletics.College, to further its educational mission and serve its different departments.

Educational institutions without an existing .edu or .ac.uk domain may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

September 22 – September 28: Early Access Period for the General Public

Reflective of the fundamental meaning of the term “college”, .College is the new online platform to bring people and organizations together with a common purpose. As an unrestricted domain extension, .College can also be used by non-accredited institutions, campus organizations, support services, businesses of all sizes, and individuals. Examples include OnlineMathCourses.College, PiThetaBeta.College, StandardizedTestPrep.College, BostonTutoring.College, and ProfessorSmith.College.

The Early Access Period gives these non-accredited institutions, businesses, and all other types of registrants, the opportunity to register .College domains of their choice at a premium price. Keyword-domains and other highly desirable names can be acquired at this time. During the EAP, premium pricing will decrease each day for the first five days.

September 29: Global General Availability launch

Following the Early Access Period, .College domains will launch into global General Availability on September 29. Once in General Availability, all available names can be registered on a first-come, first-served basis by any business, organization, or individual without restrictions. The .College namespace will be carefully monitored for abuse to the same industry-leading standards as the registry operator’s first domain extension, .xyz.

Where to get your .College names

Brands, trademark holders, as well as .edu and .ac.uk registrants are advised to immediately contact their brand protection agencies or registrars about the opportunities, as well as implications, of the global launch of .College.

Educational institutions without an existing .edu or .ac.uk domain who seek to participate in the .College Landrush phase are encouraged to contact the XYZ registry for further information.

To learn more about the upcoming launch of .College, visit http://nic.college