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.
What OpenAI API credits can students get for free?
Students can claim $100 in ChatGPT credits for Codex, but these are not API credits. New API accounts get no free credit at all. Bigger API credit comes from other perks.
The card for the student Codex perk shows who qualifies and how to claim. AI Perks also tracks more student offers across the whole catalogue, so you can compare before you spend anything.
Here is how the main routes compare:
| Route | Amount | Is it API credit? |
|---|---|---|
| Student Codex credits | $100 (shows as 2,500 credits on the usage page) | No, ChatGPT credits |
| Pro $100 tier subscriber benefit | $100 per monthly billing period | Yes |
| Pro $500 tier subscriber benefit | $500 per monthly billing period | Yes |
| Researcher route | Up to $1,000 | Yes |
| New API account | No free credit, $5 minimum prepay | Paid |
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
OpenAI $100
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Are the student Codex credits the same as API credits?
No. The student Codex credits are ChatGPT credits applied to your ChatGPT account, and personal-plan ChatGPT credits are not API credits. You cannot point your own API key at them.
They still have real value if you build with Codex. The $100 grant shows up as 2,500 credits on the usage page. ChatGPT credits are only used after you reach your plan limits, because your plan's included usage is spent first.
One clock matters here. The student credits expire 12 months after the grant date, and unused credits are lost. Claim them when you are ready to build, not months before a project starts.
What happened to the ChatGPT Plus student offer?
It is over. The ChatGPT Plus student offer gave eligible students four free monthly billing periods, and the claim deadline was 31 October 2026. As of 2 November 2026 it has closed, so do not plan a project around it.
If you claimed it before the deadline, remember the renewal. After the promotional period, Plus renews at $20 per month unless you cancel. Set a reminder so a free trial does not turn into a surprise charge.
Also note that Plus does not unlock API credits. The subscriber API credit benefit excludes Plus and free trial subscriptions, so a Plus student plan will not fund your API calls.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
OpenAI $100
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
How do you get a real OpenAI API key with credit?
New API accounts get no free credit. You prepay at least $5 before the first call, and the default amount is $10. For a small class project, that minimum is the cheapest way to start.
A few rules from the prepaid billing guide matter for students:
- Purchased credits expire after 1 year, and OpenAI cannot extend them.
- Auto-reload is on by default during setup. Turn it off if you do not want automatic credit purchases.
- Your trust tier sets the maximum balance your account can hold.
- When prepaid credits run out, requests return a billing error, so your demo can break mid-presentation.
Subscriber API credits
Paid ChatGPT Pro and Business subscribers can claim free API credits as a subscription benefit. The Pro $100 tier gets $100 per monthly billing period, and the Pro $500 tier gets $500. Details are in the API credits benefit article.
This is a paid subscription, so it is not free for most students. Unused credits expire at the end of the billing cycle and do not roll over. The benefit does not cover Codex usage through API keys, and ChatGPT and API billing stay separate.
Two details help if you do get a grant. You do not need an API payment method to use an active promotional grant, and free API credits are spent before purchased credits. A credit balance still does not remove request-rate, token-rate, model, organization or project limits.
Where do bigger credits come from?
OpenAI also provides API credits to researchers, up to $1,000 through one route. That suits thesis work more than a weekend app. For a build-focused student, the larger numbers sit with other perks in the catalogue.
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI Codex (students) | $100 | Get this perk |
| OpenAI (open-source maintainers) | $1,200 | Get this perk |
| OpenRouter | Up to $3,000 | Get this perk |
| Anthropic API | $20,000 | Get this perk |
Combined, these four cards list up to $100 + $1,200 + $3,000 + $20,000 = $24,300 in credits.
The $1,200 OpenAI card for open-source maintainers is the direct answer if you maintain an open-source project and need real API credit instead of ChatGPT credits. OpenRouter is useful if you want one key for many models. Each card opens in place and shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
OpenAI $100
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
How do you start building with free OpenAI credits?
Follow these steps in order. They keep you from paying for something that a free credit would have covered.
- Get credits via AI Perks. Open getaiperks.com, find the OpenAI cards and open the one that fits: the $100 Codex card for Codex, or the $1,200 API card for API calls.
- Match the credit to the tool. ChatGPT credits work in ChatGPT and Codex. API credits work with an API key. Do not mix them up.
- Skip the paid shortcuts first. Do not buy a Plus plan hoping for API credits, since Plus does not qualify.
- If you must prepay, start small. Put in the $5 minimum, then switch auto-reload off.
- Watch the expiry dates. Student Codex credits last 12 months from the grant, purchased credits 1 year, and subscriber credits one billing cycle.
- Plan for limits. A balance does not lift rate limits, so test with small batches before a demo.
FAQ
Is there a free OpenAI API key for students?
OpenAI gives no free credit to new API accounts, so you prepay at least $5 before the first call. The student Codex credits are ChatGPT credits, not API credits. For larger free API credit, check the OpenAI card for open-source maintainers, listed at $1,200, on getaiperks.com.
Can I use the student Codex credits with my API key?
No. They are ChatGPT credits applied to your ChatGPT account, and personal-plan ChatGPT credits are not API credits. They are also used only after you hit your plan limits. Open the student Codex card to see who qualifies and how to claim.
Can I still claim the ChatGPT Plus student offer?
No. The claim deadline was 31 October 2026, so the offer has closed as of 2 November 2026. If you claimed it, Plus renews at $20 per month unless you cancel. For offers that are still open, browse the student cards on getaiperks.com.
Do free OpenAI credits expire?
Yes. Student Codex credits expire 12 months after the grant date, and unused credits are lost. Purchased API credits expire after 1 year, and OpenAI cannot extend them. Subscriber API credits expire at the end of the billing cycle and do not roll over.
Does a credit balance raise my rate limits?
No. A credit balance does not remove request-rate, token-rate, model, organization or project limits. Your trust tier also caps the maximum balance you can hold. When prepaid credits run out, API requests return a billing error, so keep an eye on your balance.
Where can I find bigger credits than OpenAI offers?
The catalogue lists OpenRouter at up to $3,000 and Anthropic API at $20,000. Open the OpenRouter card or the Anthropic API card to see who qualifies and how to claim.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
OpenAI $100
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Related reading
- Free AI API Keys for Students: Every Free Tier in 2026
- OpenAI Codex Pricing 2026: Plans, Credits & How to Get Free Access
- Free AI Credits for Students 2026: Every Program Compared
Ready to build without paying first?
Start with the card that matches your project, then check the other student offers before you add a card to an API account.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
Browse the full catalogue of free AI credits at getaiperks.com, and claim credits before you prepay a cent.
