Student discounts aren't simply "show a student ID and get it." Both ChatGPT and Google (Gemini) currently offer time-limited free subscriptions for individual students, but each comes with time and geography restrictions: ChatGPT's is only for eligible US college students, and Google's US and other-region plans differ; Claude has no individual student discount at all — the access follows the school. Check which one you're actually eligible for before going through the trouble.
The three-way comparison table
| ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | 4 months of ChatGPT Plus free (the $20/month plan) | For individual students: nothing | 12 months of the Google AI student plan free (AI Pro in the US, mostly AI Plus elsewhere) |
| Who qualifies | Current students at eligible US colleges and graduate schools, full-time or part-time | — | College students aged 18+ |
| How it's verified | SheerID student verification plus a linked payment method | — | SheerID verification plus a valid payment method |
| Claim deadline | By October 31, 2026 | — | By December 31, 2026 |
Details like exact plan benefits and storage amounts may differ by region — go by the official page.
Steps to claim
- Open the service's official student offer page and sign in with your usual account.
- Complete student verification through SheerID (school email or documents).
- Link a payment method to activate — no charge during the promo period.
- Screenshot the offer end date and the renewal price, and set a reminder ahead of time.
Boundaries and caveats
- Graduation ends it: eligibility follows your enrolled status. After the promo, ChatGPT auto-renews at $20/month and Google US at $19.99/month — cancel in advance if you don't need it.
- Hard regional limits: ChatGPT's student offer is limited to eligible US institutions; European and Chinese universities don't qualify, and a VPN won't get you through verification. OpenAI also ran a 12-month free ChatGPT Go promotion in India — that's not a student offer and only works for Indian accounts.
- Don't trust verification brokers: any "pay me to verify your student status" service is a scam and can get your account banned. If your school email is gone or verification fails, check with your school's IT office whether your school is on the list.
