How to Get a Free EU.org Domain and Set It Up with Cloudflare

EU.org is a volunteer-run service that provides free subdomain registrations to individuals and non-profits. For example, their homepage states the goal is “to provide free subdomain registration to users or non-profit organizations”. The process involves applying on the EU.org site and then pointing the domain to Cloudflare’s nameservers. Let’s walk through each step.

1. Register for a free EU.org domain

First, go to the EU.org site at nic.eu.org and create an account (called a “Contact”). Click Sign-up/Register and fill in the contact form with your name, email, password, etc. Be sure to use a valid email (you’ll need to activate your account) and check the box to accept the domain policy. It’s also a good idea to choose “Private” for WHOIS privacy so your details aren’t public.

• Create a Contact: Fill in fields like Name, E-mail, Password, and your address. (Fields look similar to the image above: name, address, email, etc.)
• Privacy: Check “Private (not shown in the public Whois)” if you want privacy protection.
• Accept Policy: Check the box “I have read and I accept the domain policy.” This confirms you agree to EU.org’s rules.
• Submit: Click Create. You will get an email to activate your account. Check your inbox and follow the link to verify your email and log in.

Once your account is created and verified, log in at nic.eu.org/arf. Now you’re ready to request a domain.

2. Set up a Cloudflare account

In a new browser tab, go to cloudflare.com. Click Sign Up or Create Account to register a new Cloudflare account (it’s free). You’ll need just an email and password. Cloudflare is a free DNS and CDN service that will let you manage your new domain’s DNS records. After signing up, check your email to verify your Cloudflare account and log in.

• Choose Plan: During signup, Cloudflare will ask you to select a plan – pick the free plan (it’s sufficient for domain DNS).
• Dashboard: After logging in, you’ll land on the Cloudflare dashboard. You’ll add your EU.org domain here soon.

3. Add the EU.org domain to Cloudflare

In the Cloudflare dashboard, click “+ Add site” (or Add domain). Enter the free domain name you want (for example, myblog.eu.org). Cloudflare will scan for existing DNS records (it probably won’t find any since the domain isn’t live yet). Continue through the setup steps.

• Site Name: Type your desired subdomain (e.g. myblog.eu.org) and continue.
• Scan DNS: Cloudflare will attempt to find DNS records (you can ignore or remove any incorrect ones). Click Continue.
• Select Plan: Choose the free plan again. Cloudflare will then show you the DNS records page.

At this point, Cloudflare has created a new entry for your domain, but it won’t be active yet until nameservers are updated.

4. Get and use Cloudflare nameservers

After adding your site, Cloudflare will display two unique nameserver addresses (for example, liz.ns.cloudflare.com and mark.ns.cloudflare.com). Copy these nameservers exactly as shown. You will use them to tell the internet to point your domain to Cloudflare’s DNS. Cloudflare’s documentation notes that “once you have added a domain to Cloudflare, that domain will receive two assigned authoritative nameservers. Before your domain can begin using Cloudflare for DNS resolution, you need to add these nameservers at your registrar”.

• Copy Nameservers: Write down both nameservers from the Cloudflare screen. They will look like *.ns.cloudflare.com.
• Return to EU.org: Go back to the EU.org domain application page (in the nic.eu.org site).

5. Complete the EU.org domain request

Now on EU.org, click New Domain to start your application. Enter your chosen domain (like myblog.eu.org) and submit. The system will check availability. If it’s free, you’ll see a page to enter nameservers.

• Enter Nameservers: Paste the two Cloudflare nameservers you copied into the form. EU.org requires at least two nameservers for your application.
• Submit Application: Click Submit to send your request. The site will check that the nameservers are valid. If you see any “Errors” (because DNS changes take time), simply wait a minute and refresh. Keep doing this until it shows a success message like “No error, storing for validation… Done”. This confirms your request is saved and awaiting approval.

One guide notes that after submission you might need to keep refreshing until EU.org reports “No error, storing for validation... Done”. Once you see that, your request is official.

6. Wait for approval and finalize DNS

Now comes the waiting period. EU.org review is manual, so approval can take time. Their site mentions that the email reply “requires human intervention and can take a few days”. In practice, users report it sometimes takes weeks or even a few months. One user’s experience was to wait about three months for an acceptance email. Be patient and watch your email for a message saying your request is accepted.

• Approval Email: When approved, EU.org will send an email (subject like “your request [ID] accepted”).
• Activate DNS: After approval, your myblog.eu.org domain is active on Cloudflare. Go back to Cloudflare’s dashboard and click DNS for your site. Here you should add any DNS records you need (for example, an A record pointing to your web host’s IP, or CNAME records). Cloudflare can even scan and add common records automatically, but double-check that all needed records (such as A for your main site, www alias, etc.) are present.
• Test Your Site: Once DNS is set up (it may take a few minutes to propagate), your domain will point to your server or hosting. You can now use http://yourname.eu.org to reach your website or application.

You’ve now linked the free EU.org domain to Cloudflare! Congratulations.

FAQs

Q: Are .eu.org domains truly free? A: Yes. EU.org explicitly offers free domain registrations, “for users or non-profit organizations who cannot afford the fees”. You pay nothing for the domain or DNS, and there are no ads on your site. It’s a free service run by volunteers.

Q: How long does approval take? A: It varies. Officially, approval “can take a few days”, but in reality it may be longer. Many people report waiting weeks or months. During that time your request is pending; once you receive the acceptance email, your domain goes live.

Q: Will my domain expire or need renewal? A: No renewal is required. Once approved, your .eu.org domain remains active indefinitely as long as EU.org continues and you follow their policies. There are no yearly fees or expiration notices like with paid domains.

Q: Can I use a free EU.org domain for any project? A: Generally yes. The domain is yours to use (commercial or personal) so long as you obey the EU.org rules (no illegal content or spam, etc.). It’s a great option for testing projects, personal blogs, or non-commercial sites.

Q: What if I need help during this process? A: EU.org itself offers no direct support beyond their online instructions. However, there’s a user mailing list (freedns-users) and various online forums where people share tips. The steps above should cover most of what you need to know.

Conclusion

You now have a fully functional domain without spending a dime! By following these steps, you’ve registered a free EU.org domain and pointed it to Cloudflare’s DNS service. From here you can build a website, blog, or application under your new *.eu.org address. This is a powerful way to experiment with hosting or run a project online at zero domain cost.