If you have a child in college — or you're taking classes yourself — there's a deal worth knowing about. Google is offering verified college students a full year of its paid AI plan for free.
In the US, that means Google AI Pro, which normally costs about $20 a month (roughly $200 a year). Students in more than 140 other countries get Google AI Plus, a lower-priced tier. Both include higher usage limits on the Gemini app, Gemini built into Gmail and Google Docs, and extra Google storage.
To sign up, a student needs a personal Google account (not a school-issued one) and must verify their student status. Google also asks for a payment card at sign-up, even though the first year is free. The offer can be claimed through December 31, 2026.
Here's the part to pay attention to: after 12 months, the plan automatically switches to a paid subscription unless the student cancels first. This is a normal way free trials work, but it's easy to forget about a year from now. If your student signs up, it's worth adding a reminder a few weeks before the year is up, so nobody gets an unexpected charge.
If you want to understand what Gemini actually does day to day, our guide to Gemini on Android and our comparison of ChatGPT vs. Gemini are good places to start. For more tools worth trying this school year, see our guide to the best AI study tools for students.