I can't see Azure sponsorship in my azure portal.

Complete the Azure account setup that applies to your Microsoft for Startups join date, then verify or create a subscription under the billing account holding the sponsorship credits.

1. Check the applicable enrollment path

Microsoft changed the activation process on May 29, 2026.^1^

• Joined before May 29, 2026: Sign in to the Microsoft for Startups portal with the startup account. If activation was started but Complete Azure sign-up was not completed, finish that step, including the requested payment method.
• Joined on or after May 29, 2026: Azure account creation is part of the application flow. Ensure all three setup stages—profile, address, and payment information—were completed.

Credits can take up to 24 hours to appear after account creation. If activation was completed less than 24 hours ago, wait for that period before escalating.^1^

2. Sign in with the account that received the credits

1. Open the Azure portal using the same email address associated with the Microsoft for Startups credits.
2. Go to Cost Management → Billing → Payment methods to confirm that the credited billing account is visible.
3. Search for Subscriptions:
   • If a subscription is listed, select it and begin deploying resources.
   • If no subscription exists, select Add, choose the billing account containing the credits, and create the subscription. Subscriptions under that billing account can use its allocated sponsorship credits.^1^

If Add is unavailable or the credited billing account cannot be selected, do not create a subscription under an unrelated billing account. Continue with the directory and access checks below.

3. Check directory and subscription filters

A subscription can be hidden when the portal is displaying a different Microsoft Entra directory:

1. Select your account in the Azure portal’s upper-right corner.
2. Open Switch directory.
3. Check each directory available to the account, then open Subscriptions again.^2^

Also remove any persistent subscription filter:

1. Go to Subscriptions.
2. Select the Subscriptions filter in the upper-left area.
3. Select portal setting.
4. Under Default subscription filter, choose Select all.
5. Return to Subscriptions.^3^

If the browser keeps signing in with another Microsoft account, use an InPrivate/Incognito window and sign in explicitly with the credits-associated account.^4^

4. Resolve access or billing-permission issues

Billing-account permissions and subscription Azure RBAC permissions are separate:

• If the subscription exists but is not accessible, ask its current administrator to inspect your existing role assignment.
• The documented fallback for No subscriptions found after selecting the correct directory is for an existing administrator to assign the account Owner on the affected subscription.^2^
• Owner is highly privileged: it provides full resource control and permission to delegate access. Assign it only at the affected subscription scope, only when required, and remove or replace it with a lower-privilege role after access is restored.
• Subscription Owner access does not itself provide permission to select or create subscriptions under a billing account. If the credited billing account is missing, its billing administrator must review your billing access.

5. Escalate if the credited account is still missing

If the correct setup is complete, more than 24 hours have passed, and the billing account or credits still do not appear, contact Microsoft for Startups support at:

https://aka.ms/startuphelp-mfs-portal

Include the activation date, join date, account email domain, and the point at which the process fails. If attaching screenshots, redact subscription IDs, billing identifiers, payment details, tenant identifiers, and other sensitive information.

References

1. Activate Azure Credits
2. No subscriptions found sign in error for Azure portal
3. Filter and view subscriptions
4. Troubleshoot Azure subscription sign-in issues