Free Stuff for College Students: What Is Really Free
Only things that cost $0 for students, checked on the provider’s own site. For each one we tell you the catch: deadline, auto-renewal or eligibility.
| Free thing | Who gets it | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Office 365 A1 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint online) | Students and educators with an eligible school email | Web apps only; ends with your school account |
| GitHub Student Developer Pack | Students 13+ in a degree or diploma program | Partner offers expire on different dates |
| Notion Education Plan | College and university students and educators | School email only; re-verify yearly |
| Figma and FigJam | Verified students and teachers | Needs an education team |
| Canva Pro features | K–12 students (teacher invite) or schools with Canva for Campus | Only through your school |
| Google AI Pro for 1 year | US college students 18+ | Redeem by Dec 31, 2026; then $19.99/month |
| ChatGPT Plus for 4 months | US college and grad students | Claim by Oct 31, 2026; then $20/month |
| Planet Fitness Summer Pass | Teens 14–19 (US and Canada) | June to August only |
Checked on each provider’s website; the brand pages show the date.
Free trials are not the same as free
Several student plans start with a free period: one month of Spotify Premium Student, a month of Apple Music, four weeks of Uber One, a free trial of Prime for Young Adults. They all renew automatically at the student price. Put the end date in your calendar the day you sign up, and cancel if you will not use it.
Free through your school
Your tuition often already pays for software and services: Microsoft 365 through your school account, campus gym access, library e-books and databases, and sometimes wellbeing apps or Canva for Campus. Check your school’s IT and student services pages before you pay for any of these yourself.
Free student perks people forget
Two easy wins: GitHub’s pack includes domain and cloud offers from partners that are handy for a portfolio site, and many students never claim the education version of tools their course already uses. Go through your course list at the start of each term and check whether any required software has a free student plan.
Free for high school students
- The GitHub Student Developer Pack, from age 13.
- Canva Education, when a teacher invites you.
- Office 365 A1, if your school is signed up.
- Planet Fitness High School Summer Pass, ages 14–19, in summer.
Students also ask
What is free for college students?
Office 365 A1, the GitHub Student Developer Pack, Notion’s Education Plan, Figma, and time-limited AI offers like Google AI Pro for a year in the US.
Is Microsoft Office free for students?
Yes, the web versions through Office 365 A1 if your school email is eligible. Desktop apps cost extra unless your school includes them.
Do free student plans charge me later?
Free plans like Notion or Figma do not. Promotions like Google AI Pro or ChatGPT Plus renew at full price unless you cancel.
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