How can you get free Azure credits for development and testing?

Internally, we are now big plans to move our “on-premise” Farm Solutions (for DocRead and DocSurvey) to 365 and Azure. To make sure we keep the Azure development and tests costs as low as possible – I spent a bit of time looking into what programs and benefits Microsoft offer.

So – here are some good ways to obtain Azure credits:

1. Get an MSDN Subscription you between $50 and $150 / month credits towards Windows Azure. Obviously, there a few ways to get MSDN (Buy it, Get and MVP, Become a Silver / Gold Partner).
2. Get an Action Pack Subscription (from February) you will also get quite a lot of Cloud goodness for internal use. “Effective February 2014, Microsoft Action Pack subscribers will have access to Microsoft cloud services internal-use software licenses.” Read more about it in their disclosure guide. This is a neat deal as it also includes (5 E3 365 licenses, 5 Windows Intune, $100 Windows Azure / month)
3. Join Microsoft BizSpark. This program is aimed at start-ups and gives you the equivalent of MSDN Premium ($150 / month). We were in this a couple of years back and it’s highly recommended as it’s free to join and last for 3 years!
4. Get DreamSpark. If you are student, educator or Academic institute then this program rocks. Its either free or REALLY cheap. Not quite sure what you get from Azure point of view, but there’s some information here. (Anyone educators using this?)
5. Gold / Silver Partner – These two programs are for partnering companies who have achieved set amount of competencies (e.g. staff passing exams, customer case studies). Both give very generous offerings of MSDN Premium – which is $100 Azure / month. More info
6. Hope to be an MVP – I believe MVPs get MSDN Ultimate which would be $150 / month.
7. Cloud Essentials / Cloud Accelerate (but stopping soon). You can currently get a lot of benefits by becoming a Microsoft Cloud Partner. you also get $100 / month of Azure with this.

Are there any more that you know of and I have got these all right? Answer in the comments and I will update this as they come in.

Hopefully, it will be useful to others!