AI Perks curates and provides access to exclusive discounts, credits, and deals on AI tools, cloud services, and APIs to help startups and developers save money.
Is Microsoft Copilot free for students?
Yes. Copilot Chat costs nothing on a school account, and the catalogue lists $5,000 in Microsoft 365 credits. That card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
The free tier is a baseline chat assistant, not the full paid product. Microsoft sells the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot to schools at $18 per user per month, and it adds features the free chat does not have. AI Perks tracks more student offers around it, so you can pair the free chat with credits for building and studying.
Microsoft also renamed the product: Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is now called Microsoft Copilot Chat. Older guides and school pages may use either name, and they describe the same free chat.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What does the free Copilot Chat include?
Microsoft's education page lists the free chat as "secure AI chat powered by GPT-5" at no additional cost. It needs a school or work account, and it is available through the Copilot app and website. Microsoft also says it is now available in Microsoft 365 apps.
Here is what the free chat includes:
- Web grounding, so answers can draw on current web results
- The latest language models
- File uploads
- Copilot Pages
- IT controls and enterprise-grade privacy and security
Agents can be used in the free chat too, but they are priced on a metered basis, so they are not part of the zero-cost layer. Agents you build there can only use public web links as knowledge sources.
Who qualifies is set by Microsoft and your school, and it can change. The Microsoft 365 card is where you check your own situation.
Free Copilot Chat vs paid Microsoft 365 Copilot
The paid tier builds on the free chat rather than replacing it. Microsoft says a paid license makes the chat draw on Microsoft Graph, work directly inside productivity apps, and add comprehensive agent access plus management and analytics.
| Feature | Copilot Chat (free) | Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid academic) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $18 per user per month |
| Web grounding, file uploads, Copilot Pages | Included | Included (it builds on the chat) |
| Microsoft Graph | No | Yes |
| AI inside Word, Excel and Outlook | Standalone chat | Yes |
| Agents | Metered pricing | Comprehensive agent access |
| Who buys it | Comes with school sign-in | School, via EES or a Cloud Solution Provider |
Individual students do not buy the paid academic offering. Schools buy it through Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES) or a Cloud Solution Provider, and it requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. If your school has not bought it, the free chat is what you get.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
What does the student discount on Microsoft 365 Personal add?
Microsoft separately offers students 50% off Microsoft 365 Personal. Microsoft says the offer includes all benefits available with the product, including Copilot features. It covers full-time and part-time students, and it bills the same amount every month, with notice before any price change.
How to verify and claim is on the perk card, not here. Open the Microsoft 365 card to see the exact terms before you plan around it.
What happens when your Copilot access ends?
Microsoft does not publish one end date for every school, because access runs through your institution. Microsoft also warns that licensing availability and product terms can change. Check your own status instead of assuming it carries on.
Arizona State University shows how one school handles it. Student access starts about two weeks before classes and continues while you are enrolled. It extends one more year after graduation, but ends if you leave without graduating.
Chats, files and protections stay separate depending on which account you sign in with. Microsoft says you can sign in with a school or work account or a personal Microsoft account, and the two do not share data. So save anything important somewhere you control before your school account closes.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
Which free credits pair well with Copilot?
Copilot Chat covers writing, research and file questions. Credits cover the rest: cloud hosting, coding tools and a second assistant. These are the student-related amounts in the catalogue.
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 | $5,000 | Get this perk |
| Google Gemini (students) | $240 | Get this perk |
| GitHub (students) | Up to $120 | Get this perk |
| Microsoft Azure (students) | $100 | Get this perk |
Total: $5,000 + $240 + $120 + $100 = up to $5,460 in student-related credits.
For deeper comparisons, see Free AI Credits for Students 2026: Every Program Compared and AI Student Discount 2026: Every Verified Offer Listed. GitHub's student perk is covered in GitHub Student Developer Pack 2026: What Is Inside.
How do you get started, step by step?
- Get credits via AI Perks. Open getaiperks.com, look at the student and education perks, and pick the cards that match what you study or build.
- Open the Microsoft 365 card. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim, and it is where you sign up.
- Try the free Copilot Chat. Test web grounding, a file upload and Copilot Pages on a real assignment, so you know where the free layer stops.
- Compare against the paid tier. If you need AI inside Word, Excel and Outlook, that is the $18 per user per month product, which your school buys.
- Add credits for the gaps. Check the Azure card for cloud work or the Gemini card for a second assistant.
- Note when your access ends. Save chats and files you need outside the school account.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Perplexity $84
Eligible for early-stage startups
FAQ
Is Microsoft Copilot free for students?
Copilot Chat costs nothing on a school or work account. It includes GPT-5, web grounding, file uploads and Copilot Pages. Agents are metered, and paid Microsoft 365 Copilot is $18 per user per month. The $5,000 Microsoft 365 card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Can I buy Microsoft 365 Copilot myself as a student?
Not the academic offering. It is bought through EES or a Cloud Solution Provider, and it needs a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. Students can look at the 50% discount on Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes Copilot features. The Microsoft 365 card has the terms.
What are the limits of the free Copilot Chat?
It is a standalone assistant through the Copilot app and website. It lacks Microsoft Graph and AI inside Word, Excel and Outlook. Agents are metered, and agents you build can only use public web links as knowledge. Microsoft says terms can change, so check getaiperks.com for current student offers.
What happens to my chats if I switch accounts?
They stay separate. Microsoft says chats, files, permissions, available experiences and protections remain separate based on the account you sign in with. Work in your school account will not appear in a personal Microsoft account. Save anything you need before school access ends.
Which other student perks can I use alongside Copilot?
The catalogue lists $240 in Google Gemini student credits, up to $120 from GitHub and $100 from Azure. Each card shows who qualifies and how to claim. For task-based picks, read Free AI for Students 2026: Best Tools by Study Task.
Ready to claim student AI credits?
Copilot Chat covers the free baseline. The cards cover everything above it, across four student-related perks.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
AI Perks tracks free AI credits and free API keys, so you can find your next student offer at getaiperks.com.
