ChatGPT student offer: how to get four months free before the October 31 deadline, and who can claim it

ChatGPT is free for students right now, but only for four months, only at US colleges, and only if you claim it by October 31, 2026. OpenAI’s 2026 Back to School offer gives eligible college and graduate students four free months of ChatGPT Plus, including ChatGPT Work, which OpenAI calls “an $80 value”.

Here’s how to claim it, who qualifies, what happens when the free months end, and what to check if it doesn’t work.

How to claim the ChatGPT student offer

OpenAI’s help centre sets out four steps:

1. Open the offer page, chatgpt.com/students/2026, in a web browser on your computer or phone.
2. Sign in to the ChatGPT account you want the offer on. This matters: OpenAI can’t move it to another account later.
3. Follow the SheerID prompts to prove you’re a current student.
4. Go back to the offer and finish activation. If you’re starting a new Plus plan, add a payment method when asked.

You don’t need a .edu address on your ChatGPT account. The email you give SheerID can be different from the one you sign in to ChatGPT with. Depending on your school, SheerID checks your enrolment through its records, sends you to your school’s own sign-in page, or asks you to upload a document.

Who can claim the ChatGPT student offer?

The offer is for current full-time and part-time college and graduate students at eligible US degree-granting institutions. SheerID decides whether your school and enrolment count.

It’s based on where you study, not your nationality. The rule is enrolment at an eligible US school, so international students at a US college should qualify. An American studying at a university abroad doesn’t.

On billing, OpenAI says:

• New users can claim it.
• Existing Plus subscribers can claim it if their monthly plan is billed directly by ChatGPT.
• App Store and Google Play subscribers can’t, while the plan is billed through Apple or Google.
• Students who used an earlier OpenAI student offer can still claim this one.

You can only redeem it once.

What you get: ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Work

Technically it’s four free billing periods of ChatGPT Plus, the $20-a-month plan. OpenAI’s offer page leads with ChatGPT Work, the agent side of ChatGPT that takes on longer jobs such as research, documents, spreadsheets, presentations and websites. Its help page on Work and Codex puts it this way: Chat is for “fast, conversational assistance”, Work is “designed for longer, multi-step work and finished deliverables”, and Codex is for software development.

The offer page lists what students can do with it: connect Gmail, Google Drive and Notion to find course materials, turn notes and readings into presentations, build a club or portfolio site with ChatGPT Sites, practise interviews in voice mode, and quiz yourself on a topic.

Two limits are worth knowing:

• Astra is limited. Plus includes “limited Astra usage” in Work and Codex, with optional paid credits after that. GPT-6 Pro in regular Chat is only on the Pro $100 and $200, Business and Enterprise plans.
• Work and Codex share an allowance. Work “follows the same usage structure as Codex”, so heavy Codex use eats into your Work time. Our Pro 200 guide explains how the allowances and credits work.

When will you be charged after the free months?

The four free months start on the day you claim, not on October 31. After that, the plan renews at $20 a month unless you cancel. You must add a valid payment method to activate the offer, but OpenAI says you won’t be charged during the free period.

Based on four monthly billing periods from the claim date. Check the exact renewal date in ChatGPT under Settings > Account.

If you cancel early, Plus keeps working until the end of the billing month you’re in. Any free months left after that are lost. So if you only want the free period, the safe time to cancel is shortly before the fourth month ends, not straight after you claim.

ChatGPT student offer not working? What to check

• SheerID can’t verify you. Your school may not be listed, or your records may not match. OpenAI points students to the SheerID support form for verification problems, missing schools and document reviews.
• Verified, but no free months. You were probably signed in to a different ChatGPT account. Sign in to the account you used in the offer flow, go back to the offer page and click “Claim free offer”. That takes you to checkout if you didn’t finish it, or shows which account the offer is on.
• It won’t apply to your current plan. If you pay for Plus through the Apple App Store or Google Play, the offer can’t be added while your plan is billed there.
• The offer went to the wrong account. OpenAI says it can’t move the offer to another account.
• Already claimed once. It can only be redeemed once.
• You study outside the US. It’s only for students at US schools (see below).

Is the ChatGPT student offer available in the UK, India, Canada or Pakistan?

No. People search for a ChatGPT student offer in the UK, India, Canada, Pakistan, Australia and elsewhere, but this one is only for students at eligible US schools, and OpenAI’s pages don’t list a matching offer anywhere else.

Outside the US, students have three options:

• The free plan. It’s the same for everyone, with no student version.
• A university plan. Some universities buy ChatGPT Edu for staff and students. Your IT or library pages will say if yours does.
• The OpenAI Student Collective. It gives undergraduate “Campus Leads” a ChatGPT subscription and Codex credits, plus a stipend, for running AI events on campus. It covers the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, India, Japan and South Korea. Applications for the fall 2026 cohort have closed, but students anywhere can apply to be considered for later cohorts.

OpenAI has run student offers before (its help page mentions earlier ones), so October 31 may not be the last chance, but it hasn’t announced another.

Last checked: October 3, 2026, against OpenAI’s offer page and help centre.

Frequently asked questions

Is ChatGPT free for students?

Yes, for four months, if you’re a college or graduate student at an eligible US school. OpenAI’s 2026 Back to School offer gives four free monthly billing periods of ChatGPT Plus, including ChatGPT Work. You must claim it by October 31, 2026.

How do I get the ChatGPT student offer?

Go to chatgpt.com/students/2026, sign in to the ChatGPT account you want it on, verify your enrolment with SheerID and finish activation. You need to add a payment method, but you aren’t charged for the four free months.

Is the ChatGPT student offer only in the US?

Yes. It’s for students enrolled at eligible US degree-granting institutions. OpenAI doesn’t run the offer for students at universities in the UK, Canada, India, Pakistan, Australia or elsewhere.

Do I need a .edu email for the ChatGPT student offer?

No. OpenAI says the email you use with SheerID can be different from your ChatGPT email. SheerID checks your enrolment through school records, your school’s sign-in page or documents you upload.

Can I get the student offer if I already pay for ChatGPT Plus?

Yes, if your monthly Plus plan is billed directly by ChatGPT. If you pay through the Apple App Store or Google Play, the offer can’t be applied while your plan is billed there.

What happens after the four free months?

Your plan renews as ChatGPT Plus at $20 a month unless you cancel. If you cancel early, Plus carries on until the end of that billing month, and you lose any free months left.

Can I claim the ChatGPT student offer twice?

No. It can be redeemed once. Having used an earlier OpenAI student offer doesn’t stop you claiming this one, though.

Does the student offer include GPT-6 Astra?

Plus includes limited GPT-6 Astra usage in ChatGPT Work and Codex, OpenAI’s help centre says, with optional credits if you need more. GPT-6 Pro in regular Chat is only on the Pro, Business and Enterprise plans.

Can I change which account the student offer is on?

No. OpenAI says it can’t move the promotion to another account, so check you’re signed in to the right ChatGPT account before you start.

Sources: OpenAI: ChatGPT for students, ChatGPT Back to School offer for students, ChatGPT Work and Codex and OpenAI Student Collective.