Your student status unlocks free and discounted access to some of the most powerful AI tools available in 2026.
Most students pay full price for tools they could be getting free or at a steep discount. A school email address or a quick verification step is often all that stands between you and months of free access to software that costs everyone else $10 to $20 per month.
This page covers every major AI tool that offers a verified student plan, free education tier, or confirmed student discount. No guesswork. No expired coupon sites. Just confirmed offers you can claim today.
If you want the wider picture on SaaS savings as a student, see our guide to SaaS student discounts for software beyond AI tools.
AI Tools With Free Student Plans
Several AI tools offer a completely free plan for verified students, with no payment details required.
These are not trials. They are permanent education plans that stay active as long as you remain enrolled.
Notion: Free Plus Plan for Students
Notion’s Plus plan is free for students and educators. Compared to the standard free tier, you get more guests, additional version history, and larger file uploads. You just need to sign up with your school email address.
Individual students and teachers at accredited colleges and universities can upgrade to the Plus plan for free at any time, as long as they are signed in with their institution email. Thousands of school email domains are eligible, not just .edu addresses.
The plan covers a one-member workspace, which works well for personal note-taking, study databases, essay planning, and assignment tracking. Student organisations can also apply for a free Plus plan with unlimited members through the Notion for Education page.
GitHub Copilot: Free AI Coding Assistant for Students
GitHub Copilot Student is available free to verified students and offers real-time, context-aware code suggestions directly in your editor, whether you are learning your first language or already building projects.
The student plan includes unlimited code completions and an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, plus limited chat and agent usage across a selection of models. For students studying computer science, software engineering, or any technical course, this is one of the most valuable free tools available.
To claim it, apply through the GitHub Education page and verify your enrolment with a school email or student ID. GitHub re-evaluates your eligibility every month.
Worth noting: GitHub’s commitment to providing free Copilot access for verified students remains in place, though the plan moved to a dedicated GitHub Copilot Student tier in early 2026 with some premium model restrictions.
Canva: Free Premium Plan for K-12 Students
Canva Education is 100% free for K-12 (primary and secondary) educators and their students, as well as qualified school districts and institutions. It includes most of Canva’s premium features, plus AI tools like Magic Write for instant content drafts.
Canva Education is available worldwide and is not restricted to any country. Eligibility for the free plan currently covers K-12. College and university students are directed to Canva for Campus, which provides access through their institution.
Sign up at canva.com/education with a school email or upload a student ID for review within 48 hours.
AI Tools With Discounted Student Plans
Some AI tools do not offer a fully free student plan but provide a significant permanent discount for verified students.
These are worth claiming early. A 50% reduction on a tool you use weekly adds up fast across a full academic year.
Perplexity AI: 50% Off for Students and Educators
Perplexity’s Education Pro plan is available at $10 per month for verified students, educators, and faculty. That is a permanent 50% discount off the standard $20 per month Pro plan.
The Education Pro tier includes Study Mode, which takes your textbooks or uploaded notes and automatically generates interactive flashcards and quizzes to help you revise for exams. You also get access to multiple advanced AI models, unlimited Pro searches, and unlimited file uploads in a single subscription.
Verification runs through SheerID using a school email or student ID. Students can reapply annually while still enrolled, and your account simply downgrades to the free tier at the end of your student period with no surprise charges.
Google Gemini: 50% Off AI Premium for Students
Google offers a 50% discount on its AI Premium subscription for students, which includes access to the Gemini Advanced model and the upgraded NotebookLM Plus functionality.
The student offer also includes 2TB of storage across Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos. Check the Google One student page for current eligibility and regional availability, as terms vary by country.
What About Grammarly?
Grammarly does not currently offer a dedicated student discount programme.
This surprises a lot of students, so it is worth being direct about it.
Grammarly does not offer special plans for individual students. It does offer separate educational accounts that institutions can purchase, which requires contacting the Grammarly sales team to check eligibility.
If your university has a Grammarly institutional licence, you may already have access through your student portal. Check with your library or IT department first before paying.
For individual students, the annual subscription is the most cost-effective option, and Grammarly frequently runs promotions throughout the year including Friday discounts. The free plan covers basic grammar and spelling checks and is available to everyone without any verification.
Quick Comparison: AI Student Deals at a Glance
| Tool | Student Offer | How to Verify | Card Required |
| Notion | Free Plus plan | School email | No |
| GitHub Copilot | Free Copilot Student plan | GitHub Education application | No |
| Canva | Free premium (K-12) | School email or student ID | No |
| Perplexity | 50% off Pro ($10/month) | SheerID verification | Yes |
| Google Gemini | 50% off AI Premium | Google One student check | Yes |
| Grammarly | No student discount | Institution licence only | Depends |
How to Claim Your Student AI Discount
Most student AI discounts require one of three things: a school email address, a SheerID verification, or a GitHub Education application.
The process takes under ten minutes for most tools. Here is exactly what to do for each.
Notion
- Go to notion.com/students
- Sign up or log in with your university or school email address
- Your account upgrades to the Plus plan automatically
GitHub Copilot
- Go to education.github.com and click Apply
- Choose the student option and submit proof of enrolment
- Use a school-issued email or upload a student ID, transcript, or class schedule
- Once approved, enable Copilot from your account settings under Code, planning, and automation
Canva (K-12)
- Go to canva.com/education and click Get Verified
- Enter your school email or upload an approved document
- Once approved, log in and access all premium tools and templates immediately
Perplexity
- Go to perplexity.ai and create a free account
- Navigate to the student plan and verify through SheerID
- Use a .edu email or equivalent school domain for the fastest approval
- After 12 months, your account downgrades to the free tier with no charges, and you can reapply if still enrolled
Google Gemini
- Visit the Google One student page
- Sign in with your Google account and verify student status
- Confirm your subscription to activate the 50% discount and 2TB storage
Tips Before You Sign Up
A few things are worth checking before you commit to any paid student plan.
Always confirm that your institution’s email domain is accepted before paying for anything. Most tools run an instant domain check at the point of sign-up, so you will know within seconds.
For tools that require a payment method, set a calendar reminder a few days before the billing date. Perplexity and Google Gemini both require a card for their discounted tiers, and the full rate kicks in if you miss the renewal window.
If a tool asks you to re-verify annually, keep your student ID or a current enrolment letter saved somewhere easy to find. One document covers most platforms.
Some tools, including Grammarly, are better accessed through your university’s institutional licence than through an individual plan. Check your student portal or library resources page before paying out of pocket.
For more options across writing, project management, and productivity tools, see our full guide to best AI tools for college students.
Disclaimer: In the ever-evolving SaaS industry, platform details change frequently. This page provides a general informational overview. For the final, original, and most accurate information on all aspects of the software, please visit the official website directly.
