Being a student is the cheapest time in your life to use professional software. Many companies give their tools away to students and teachers because people tend to keep using what they learned on. The catch is that you have to know the programmes exist and get through verification. This guide covers both.
Start with your school
Before claiming anything individually, check what your institution already provides. Universities and colleges often license Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, statistics packages, design software and VPN access for every enrolled student. Your IT or library website usually has a software page. Using the school’s licence avoids verification entirely.
The big four to claim first
- GitHub Student Developer Pack. One verification unlocks GitHub Pro, AI coding help and dozens of partner offers for hosting, domains, learning and design. If you write any code at all, claim this first.
- JetBrains educational licences. Professional IDEs for Java, Python, JavaScript and more, free for students and teachers and renewed yearly.
- Microsoft 365 Education. Free web versions of the Office apps for eligible schools. Many students qualify without knowing it.
- Figma Education plan. The same design tool used by product teams, free while you study.
Browse the full list on our deals and perks page filtered for students, or answer three questions in the perk finder.
How verification works
Most programmes use one or more of these:
- A school email address. The fastest route, if your institution’s domain is recognised.
- Documents. A dated enrolment letter, student ID card or transcript.
- Third-party verifiers. Services that confirm enrolment with your institution on the company’s behalf.
Why applications get rejected
- Blurry or undated documents. Upload a clear photo with your name, the institution and a current date visible.
- Name mismatch. The name on your account should match the document.
- Personal email. Use your school email where possible, or add it to your account.
- Location mismatch. Some programmes check that you apply from near your school. Applying on campus Wi-Fi can help.
- Unrecognised institution. Smaller or online schools may need document verification instead of email.
If you are rejected, read the reason, fix that one thing and reapply. Most programmes allow it.
Students in creative fields
Adobe offers discounted student pricing on Creative Cloud, and Autodesk provides free educational access to its design and engineering tools. Before paying, check whether a free tool does the job. Blender, Krita, Inkscape and DaVinci Resolve are used professionally. See our free alternatives page.
Cloud credits for students
Azure for Students provides starter credit without a credit card, and AWS Educate offers free hands-on cloud learning. No-card programmes are ideal for learning: there is no bill waiting at the end. If you use a regular cloud free tier instead, set a budget alarm on day one.
Consumer discounts
Music, video and shopping memberships often have student rates, such as Spotify Premium Student and Prime Student. These are discounts rather than free products, so add them to your subscription audit like any other bill.
When you graduate
Educational licences end when you are no longer eligible, and some convert to paid plans automatically.
- Export your files and projects in standard formats before eligibility ends.
- Note the date each licence expires.
- Look for graduate offers; some vendors offer a discounted first year after you leave.
- Do not use an educational licence for paid client work. Most education terms forbid commercial use.
Teachers get perks too
Most of these programmes also cover educators, and some are teacher-first, such as Canva for Education and DataCamp Classrooms. If you teach, set up the classroom version so your students get access through you without verifying individually.