OpenAI Provides ChatGPT Plus for Free to Students
OpenAI has made a special announcement to offer students in the United States and Canada free use of ChatGPT Plus until May 31, 2025. Released just in time for end-of-term exams, the promotion normally requires $20 per month and offers premium features such as quicker response times, increased usage caps, and enhanced tools like GPT-4o, image creation, and voice features.
Who Is Eligible and How to Sign Up
OpenAI made it clear that the invitation is available to both full-time and part-time students at accredited US and Canadian degree-granting institutions. Eligibility can be verified by the student through the verification process using SheerID.
If a student's university is not present on the list of schools OpenAI verifies, OpenAI will offer further support to resolve the issue, adding a missing school or clarifying eligibility.
Once verification is successful, students will be directed to ChatGPT, and their complimentary subscription will activate automatically. Existing ChatGPT Plus users who qualify will receive account credits covering the free access period.
What Students Get with ChatGPT Plus
This offer provides students with tools to enhance their learning, making studying more efficient. It helps them turn lecture notes into summaries or flashcards, simplify complex topics, refine essays, generate citations, and translate research jargon. Additionally, it supports crafting personal statements and practicing languages. The project is designed to help students better cope with their study load and achieve academic success.
AI’s Growing Role in Education
OpenAI's decision highlights the growing trend of AI in education, with college students being among the platform's most active users. According to Forbes, over one-third of US adults aged 18–24 use ChatGPT, with nearly a quarter of their queries related to academic tasks. AI tools like ChatGPT are increasingly essential for studying, research, and creative work.
Meanwhile, rival AI firm Anthropic has launched "Claude for Education," designed specifically for universities. The tool promotes critical thinking and is being piloted at institutions such as Northeastern University and the London School of Economics.
Also read: Anthropic Launches Claude for Education
Bridging the Access Gap
Leah Belsky, OpenAI’s Vice President of Education, said, “Today’s college students face enormous pressure to learn faster, tackle harder problems and enter a workforce increasingly shaped by AI. Supporting their AI literacy means more than demonstrating how these tools work. It requires creating space for students to engage directly, experiment, learn from peers and ask their own questions”
By providing ChatGPT Plus at no cost for a limited time, OpenAI is tackling digital inequality, allowing more students, independent of financial or institutional constraints, access to top-of-the-line AI tools. The effort also allows students to gain important skills for an AI-dominated future, positioning them to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven job market.
