Guides · October 2026 · 7 min read
ChatGPT Plus student ends October 31: where students get free AI next
OpenAI's Back to School offer, four free months of ChatGPT Plus for US students, stops accepting claims on October 31, 2026. After that date the door closes: no extension has been announced, and the subscription renews at the normal $20 a month for anyone who claimed it and forgot to cancel.
If you missed it, or you are outside the US, you are not out of options. Several live student and free-tier offers hand you a capable AI assistant at no cost, and some are worth more than the $80 the ChatGPT student deal was. This guide compares every live alternative with checked numbers, so you can grab one before the deadline rush. Start with the ChatGPT Plus student page if you are eligible and it is still October: it is the highest-value chatbot offer on this list.
What exactly ends on October 31
The offer: four free monthly billing periods of ChatGPT Plus (the $20/month tier) for full-time and part-time students at US degree-granting colleges and universities, verified through SheerID. Total value: $80.
October 31, 2026 is the last day to claim it, not the last day of the free months. Claim on the 31st and you still get the full four months. After the free period the plan auto-renews at $20 a month unless you cancel, so anyone who claimed it should set a reminder now. The full claim steps are on our ChatGPT Plus student offer page.
- Deadline: claim by October 31, 2026 (no extension announced).
- Value: $80 (4 months at $20/month).
- Eligibility: US students only, SheerID verification.
- After the free months: auto-renews at $20/month, cancel before renewal to pay nothing.
Every live alternative, compared
Here is the full field as of October 19, 2026. Values are computed from the providers' own pricing pages:
| Alternative | What you get | Who qualifies | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google AI Pro student | 12 months of AI Pro free ($239.88 value) | US college students (140+ more markets get AI Plus free) | Redeem by Dec 31, 2026 |
| Revolut x ChatGPT Go | 3 to 12 months of ChatGPT Go free (by Revolut tier) | Revolut Personal customers in 27 markets | Complete signup by Jul 29, 2027 |
| Meta Muse referral | 1 billion tokens (about $32 of usage), no expiry | US/Canada, 18+, redeem within 48h of joining | While the referral program runs |
| Manus Campus | 1,000 starter credits plus 300 daily | Students/staff at participating institutions (.edu) | No published end date |
| TinyFish student | $35 in wallet credits, no card | Any enrolled student with a school email | No published end date |
Google AI Pro student: the strongest replacement ($239.88 value)
Google's 2026 back-to-school offer is the closest thing to a Plus replacement, and it is worth nearly three times as much. Eligible US college students get 12 months of Google AI Pro free, a $239.88 value, with access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, higher limits, and 2 TB of storage. Students in more than 140 additional markets get 12 months of Google AI Plus free instead.
Verification runs through SheerID, a payment method is required, and you must redeem by December 31, 2026. After the free year the plan auto-renews at $19.99 a month (US AI Pro) unless you cancel. If you want a premium chatbot free for the longest stretch, this is the one to claim first: full details on our Google AI Pro student page.
- Best for: students who want a top-tier chatbot free for a full year.
- Value: $239.88, the highest of any live student AI offer.
- Watch out: the December 31 redemption deadline is firm, and the payment method on file means a real auto-renewal to cancel.
Revolut x ChatGPT Go: the other official ChatGPT route
If you are a Revolut Personal customer in one of the 27 supported markets, Revolut's official promotion still hands you a free trial of ChatGPT Go: 3 months on Standard and Plus tiers, 6 months on Premium and Pro, and 12 months on Ultra and Metal. The promo period runs to July 29, 2027.
Go is the tier below Plus, aimed at everyday use with more image generation than the free plan and higher query limits. It auto-renews at Go's standard monthly rate when the trial ends, so cancel at least 24 hours before the billing date if you do not want to pay. Markets, tiers, and claim steps are on our ChatGPT Revolut trial page, and our every-trial comparison puts it head to head with the student offer.
- Best for: Revolut customers outside the US who never qualified for the student offer.
- Value: up to 12 months of Go free on Ultra/Metal, the longest live ChatGPT trial.
- Watch out: auto-renewal is real. Cancel a day before the trial ends.
Free AI agents: Meta Muse, Manus, and TinyFish
If what you actually want is an AI that does things, not just chats, three live offers hand out agent credits with no card. Meta's referral program gives new US and Canada accounts 1 billion Muse tokens (roughly $32 of usage, no expiry) when a code is redeemed within 48 hours of joining: details on our Meta Muse referral page.
Manus runs a standing Campus Program: sign in with a verified .edu email at a participating institution and you get 1,000 starter credits plus 300 free credits refreshed daily, with 1,000 bonus credits per successful student referral (Manus Campus page). TinyFish is simpler: any enrolled student with a school email gets $35 in wallet credits automatically, no card and no institution list (TinyFish student page).
- Best for: students who want agent time (research, coding, browsing) rather than a chatbot subscription.
- Value: $32 (Muse) + ongoing daily credits (Manus) + $35 (TinyFish) can be stacked since they are separate programs.
- Watch out: Manus requires your school to be on its participating list; TinyFish and Muse do not.
What to do this week
If you are a US student and it is still October: claim the ChatGPT Plus student offer first, then the Google AI Pro student offer. They are separate programs and both can be active at once, which covers you with two premium assistants into 2027.
If you are outside the US: check the Revolut trial if you bank with Revolut, claim the Meta Muse referral within 48 hours of creating your account, and grab the TinyFish $35 student credits. New to student verification in general? Our verification guide walks through how SheerID checks work and which documents pass.
- US students: claim ChatGPT Plus by Oct 31, then Google AI Pro by Dec 31.
- Everyone else: Revolut Go trial, Meta Muse referral, TinyFish $35.
- Set calendar reminders two days before every free period ends: free offers only stay free when you end them yourself.
Ready to set it up?
We keep a verified, screenshot by screenshot walkthrough of the signup, including the budget alert and the Always Free shape settings.
Google AI Pro: 1 year free for studentsFrequently asked questions
Is the ChatGPT Plus student offer really ending October 31, 2026?
Yes. OpenAI's help page lists October 31, 2026 as the last day to claim the four free months. No extension has been announced.
What is the best free ChatGPT alternative for students after October 31?
Google AI Pro for students: 12 months free (a $239.88 value) with Gemini 2.5 Pro, redeemable until December 31, 2026. For ChatGPT specifically, the Revolut x ChatGPT Go trial (3 to 12 months free) is the remaining official route.
Can I claim both the ChatGPT student offer and Google AI Pro?
Yes, they are separate programs from different companies. US students can hold both at once.
Do I need a credit card for these alternatives?
Google AI Pro student and the Revolut trial require a payment method because both auto-renew. Meta Muse referral, Manus Campus, and TinyFish student credits need no card.
I am not a US student. What can I still get?
The Revolut x ChatGPT Go trial (27 markets), Meta Muse's 1B-token referral (US/Canada), Manus Campus daily credits, TinyFish's $35 student credits (any school email worldwide), and Google AI Plus free for a year in 140+ markets.