Guides › Save money

US college students: the 4 free months of ChatGPT Plus offer ended Oct 31 (here's how not to get charged in February)

This offer ended on October 31, 2026. You can no longer claim it. Already claimed it? Your free months still count, and the steps below show how to avoid the US$20 charge when they end. For what ChatGPT costs now, see ChatGPT plans and prices. ¹

Updated Oct 30, 2026. Where we work out a date ourselves, we say so.

OpenAI gave eligible U.S. college and grad students ChatGPT Plus free for four months, and claims closed Oct 31, 2026. Plus normally costs US$20 a month. If you claimed it, the card you added at signup starts charging after month four unless you cancel.

Who qualifies

• Students: current full-time and part-time college and graduate students enrolled at eligible U.S. degree-granting institutions. SheerID decides whether your school and enrollment count. ¹
• U.S. only: both OpenAI pages limit it to U.S. schools. Canadian students aren't eligible. ^1,2
• New and existing Plus users: new users can claim it. So can existing monthly Plus subscribers billed directly by ChatGPT, and it applies to your current subscription. ^1,2
• Not if Apple or Google bills you: subscriptions billed through the Apple App Store or Google Play can't get the offer while they're store-billed. OpenAI's advice is to cancel in the store, keep Plus until that billing period ends, then come back and check whether the offer is still available. ^1,2 With an Oct 31 deadline, that only works if your store billing period ends before then.
• Used an earlier student deal? That alone doesn't stop you claiming this one. ¹

How to claim it, step by step

1. Use a web browser (on a computer or your phone's browser) and open OpenAI's offer page: chatgpt.com/students/2026. ¹
2. Sign in to the ChatGPT account you want it on. This matters: OpenAI says it can't move the offer to another account later. ¹
3. Verify with SheerID. Depending on your school, SheerID checks enrollment records, sends you to your school's sign-in page, or asks for a document. Your SheerID email can be different from your ChatGPT email; the offer page says you'll need a school-issued email for this step. ^1,2
4. Go back to the offer flow and finish activation. If you're starting a new Plus subscription, add a payment method when asked. You won't be charged during the four free months. ¹
5. Write down today's date. The four free monthly billing periods start on the day you claim. ¹

Verified but no Plus? Check you're signed in to the same ChatGPT account that started the offer, then open the offer link again and select Claim free offer. SheerID problems (school not listed, document review) go through the SheerID support form linked from OpenAI's help page. ¹

How not to get charged after the free months

Don't cancel straight away. If you cancel, Plus keeps working only until the end of the current monthly billing period, and the free months you haven't used yet are forfeited. ¹ Do this instead:

1. Set a reminder now for a few days before the four months end. Our arithmetic: claim on October 25 and the four monthly periods run to about February 25, 2027. Claim this week and your first US$20 charge would land in late February.
2. Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date. OpenAI says that's the cutoff to avoid being charged for the next period. ³
3. How to cancel on chatgpt.com: sign in, open your account menu, select Settings, then Billing, and under Cancel plan select Cancel. If billing controls are missing, sign in to the same account in a different browser. ³
4. Check it worked. Look at your billing settings to confirm the plan is no longer set to renew. ³

Deleting the ChatGPT app doesn't cancel anything. Cancelling stops future charges but doesn't refund past ones. ³ Want to keep Plus? Do nothing and it continues at US$20 a month. ^1,4 OpenAI states the price in US dollars; we don't convert currencies.

5 ways a student can get real value from Plus

Four free months is a whole semester. These are the uses that tend to pay off. Follow your school's and instructor's AI rules for anything graded. ⁵

1. Turn your own notes into a tutor that quizzes you Easy

Study mode asks you questions, gives hints and checks your answers instead of handing you the answer. Upload your class notes, slides, a syllabus or a photo of a problem, and ask it to quiz you one question at a time before an exam. Type @study in a chat, or go to chatgpt.com/studymode. ⁵

Study mode itself works on every plan. What Plus adds is higher message limits and expanded file uploads and analysis, so you hit the wall less often the night before a test. ^5,4

2. Start a research paper with a cited report Easy

Deep research reads the public web (and files you upload), proposes a research plan you can edit, then writes a structured report with citations or source links. It's a fast way to map a topic and find sources for a literature review. ⁶

Open every source yourself before you cite it. Deep research is one of the tools Plus expands, and a counter in ChatGPT shows how many tasks you have left. ^6,4

3. Rehearse interviews and presentations out loud Easy

Use a real-time voice conversation to practise for an internship interview or rehearse a class presentation, and ask for feedback at the end. Voice conversations are one of the features Plus expands. ^2,4

4. Use ChatGPT Work for group projects and slides A little setup

The offer includes ChatGPT Work. OpenAI's student page pitches it for uploading notes, readings and data to create presentations and take on bigger projects, and for connecting your email, files and calendar so ChatGPT can find course materials. ^2,1

Work shares usage limits with Codex, and big tasks use more of your allowance. Connect only the accounts you need. ⁷

5. Build a portfolio or club website with Sites A little setup

ChatGPT Sites can build a simple website with you, for a club, a portfolio for job applications or a startup idea. It's included with eligible plans during its public beta, and availability depends on your plan and region. ^2,7

If you don't qualify

Don't qualify? Other options

Outside the U.S., or not a student? Study mode is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free. ⁵ For paid options, see ChatGPT plans and prices, what ChatGPT costs in Canada and current AI deals.

Common questions

6 quick questions, answered

Who can get 4 free months of ChatGPT Plus?

Current full-time and part-time college and graduate students at eligible U.S. degree-granting schools. SheerID checks your enrollment and decides whether your school qualifies. The offer ended on October 31, 2026, so it can no longer be claimed.

Do I need a credit card for the ChatGPT student offer?

Yes, if you're starting a new Plus subscription. OpenAI says you won't be charged during the four free months, but the plan then renews at US$20 a month unless you cancel.

Can I cancel right away so I don't forget?

You can, but you'd lose the free months. If you cancel, Plus keeps working until the end of the current monthly billing period, and any remaining free months are forfeited. It's better to set a reminder and cancel shortly before the four months are up.

Does it work if I pay for Plus through the App Store or Google Play?

Not while your subscription is billed by Apple or Google. OpenAI says to cancel in the store, keep Plus until that billing period ends, and then check whether the offer is still available. Existing Plus subscribers billed directly by ChatGPT can apply it to their current subscription.

Do I need to use my school email for my ChatGPT account?

No. Your ChatGPT account can use any email. You verify with SheerID (OpenAI's offer page says you'll need a school-issued email for that) while signed in to the ChatGPT account you want the offer on. OpenAI can't move the offer to a different account later.

Is the offer available in Canada?

No. OpenAI's pages say it's for students at eligible U.S. schools only.

^1,2,3.

Related: ChatGPT plans and prices · Get the most out of ChatGPT and more · Don't pay for AI through the App Store · AI deals

New to AI?

AI crash course: start here

What AI chatbots are, how to ask, and how to stay safe. About 10 minutes.

Should I pay for AI?

What free plans really give you, what a paid plan adds, and who needs one.

Which AI model should I use?

Pick the right model and thinking level in 60 seconds.