GitHub
Student Benefits
GitHub Copilot Free for Students
Verified students get the GitHub Copilot Student plan free through GitHub Education — worth about $120 a year at Copilot Pro's list price. You get unlimited code completions, 200 monthly AI credits for chat and agent usage, and auto model selection across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google models. Since March 2026 this is a dedicated Student plan rather than full Copilot Pro: there is no premium-model picker and no third-party agents. Verify your enrollment once, and eligibility is re-checked monthly while you remain a student.
What this offer actually gives you
GitHub Copilot is the AI pair programmer built into VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and GitHub itself: it suggests whole lines and functions as you type, answers questions about your codebase in chat, and can run agentic coding tasks. The student benefit unlocks the dedicated Copilot Student plan at no cost, and it is genuinely useful from day one — unlimited completions mean the inline suggestions that save the most time while learning are never metered.
Read the plan name carefully, because it changed in March 2026. Students used to ride along on the full Copilot setup; now the benefit is its own plan. Copilot Student gives you unlimited code completions and next-edit suggestions, plus an allowance of 200 AI credits a month for chat and agent usage, with models served through automatic model selection only. You cannot pick premium models yourself, and third-party agents are excluded. If you need the full picker and every model, the paid Pro plan at $10 a month is the upgrade path — but for coursework and side projects, auto mode across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google models is the honest core of the tool.
Eligibility runs through GitHub Education and is refreshingly broad: students currently enrolled in a degree- or diploma-granting program — high school, college, university, or homeschool — aged 13 or older with a personal GitHub account. You prove enrollment with a school-issued email or by uploading documents such as a school ID, class schedule, or transcript. GitHub publishes no country allowlist, framing the program as available to students worldwide. Teachers and faculty are not eligible for the student plan, but verified teachers get free Copilot Pro through a separate application.
Two practical warnings from the official docs. First, approval and activation are separate steps: your student status can be verified while the Copilot benefit still shows only paid options, and the benefit can take several days to finish applying. If you see only paid plans, do not buy — wait and retry. Second, eligibility is re-evaluated every month and the benefit ends when you are no longer a student, so there is no fixed expiry date to diary; it simply stops when enrollment does.
How to claim this offer
GitHub Copilot Student Plan Free for Verified Students
Verified students get the GitHub Copilot Student plan free for as long as they stay enrolled: unlimited code completions, 200 monthly AI credits for chat and agent usage, and auto model selection. Worth about $120 a year against Copilot Pro's $10/month list price.
- Unlimited code completions and next-edit suggestions
- 200 AI credits a month for chat and agent usage
- Auto model selection across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google models
- Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and on github.com
- Free for the whole time you remain a verified student
How to claim this deal
- 1
Go to the GitHub Education benefits page and sign in with your personal GitHub account.
- 2
If you are not verified yet, click Start an application and prove your enrollment with a school-issued email or uploaded documents (school ID, class schedule, or transcript). Approval usually takes minutes to a few days.
- 3
Once verified, open the benefits page again and under the free developer resources click Learn more to activate the Copilot Student plan.
- 4
If the activation page shows only paid options, do not buy anything — the benefit can take several days to finish applying after verification. Wait and retry.
- 5
Install the Copilot extension in your IDE, sign in, and confirm the plan shows as active in your Copilot settings.
Since March 2026 the student benefit is the dedicated Copilot Student plan, not Copilot Pro: no premium-model picker and no third-party agents. Teachers apply separately for free Copilot Pro.
Key benefits
- Unlimited code completions while you learn to code
- 200 monthly AI credits for chat and agent tasks
- Multi-model auto selection with no configuration
- Free for the full duration of your studies
- Part of the GitHub Student Developer Pack ecosystem
Eligibility and requirements
- A personal GitHub account
- Current enrollment in a degree- or diploma-granting program
- Verified student status through GitHub Education (school email or documents)
- Age 13 or older
- Students only — teachers and faculty are excluded from the student plan (they get free Copilot Pro instead)
- Eligibility is re-checked every month
- Benefits end at graduation or when enrollment lapses
- No published geographic restrictions, but GitHub publishes no country allowlist either
- Copilot Student uses auto model selection only — no premium-model picker
Pro tip
Apply with your school-issued email if your school supports it — it is the fastest verification path. And remember the activation lag: verification first, Copilot benefit a few days later, so apply before you actually need it for a deadline.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility requirements
Students currently enrolled in a degree- or diploma-granting program (high school, college, university, homeschool), aged 13+, with a personal GitHub account and verified student status through GitHub Education. Eligibility is re-checked monthly; teachers get free Copilot Pro separately and cannot use the student plan.
GitHub Copilot offer FAQs
Is GitHub Copilot really free for students?
Yes. Verified students get the GitHub Copilot Student plan free for as long as they stay enrolled, through GitHub Education. Since March 2026 this is a dedicated Student plan rather than full Copilot Pro — unlimited completions plus 200 monthly AI credits, with auto model selection only.
What is the difference between Copilot Student and Copilot Pro?
Copilot Student is free and includes unlimited code completions with 200 monthly AI credits, but models are served through automatic selection only — you cannot pick premium models yourself, and third-party agents are excluded. Copilot Pro costs $10 a month and includes the full model picker.
How do I verify my student status?
Apply on the GitHub Education benefits page with a school-issued email or by uploading proof of enrollment such as a school ID, class schedule, or transcript. Approval typically takes minutes to a few days.
I got verified but Copilot still shows only paid plans. What now?
Wait. Approval and benefit activation are separate steps, and the Copilot benefit can take several days to finish applying after verification. Do not buy a paid plan in the meantime — retry the activation page after a few days, then contact GitHub Support if it persists.
Do teachers get the student plan?
No. Teachers, faculty, and researchers are not eligible for the Student Developer Pack. Verified teachers can apply separately for free Copilot Pro through the GitHub Education teacher application.
How long does the free student plan last?
As long as you remain a verified student. GitHub re-checks eligibility every month, and the benefit ends at graduation or when enrollment lapses. There is no fixed promo deadline.
About GitHub
GitHub is the world's largest code hosting platform, owned by Microsoft. GitHub Copilot is its AI coding assistant, and GitHub Education provides free tools and benefits to verified students and teachers worldwide.
