GitHub
GitHub Copilot free for verified students, teachers and open-source maintainers
- No credit card
- While you stay verified
- Students
Verified 2 weeks ago
We checked the official source on September 13, 2026.
Official docs: 'Verified students get free access to Copilot and its premium features.' The Copilot Pro free-access page names teachers and open-source maintainers; students are routed to the Copilot Student plan.
Verification is not a guarantee. Offers can change after we check them. How verification works
Checked today. Our automatic check read the official page on September 30, 2026 and the terms it can see had not changed.
Is it really free?
The real cost before you click, based on the official source.
| Free benefit | Yes |
|---|---|
| How long it stays free | While you stay verified |
| Credit card | Not required |
| New account | Not required |
| Student status | Required |
| When it runs out | Not stated by the source |
| Auto-renewal | No |
| Region | Global |
What you get
Verified students get the GitHub Copilot Student plan, which GitHub describes as free access to Copilot and its premium features. Verified teachers and maintainers of popular open-source repositories get free access to Copilot Pro. GitHub re-evaluates eligibility every month.
Who qualifies
Verified students (Copilot Student plan), verified teachers, or maintainers of popular open-source repositories (Copilot Pro).
Requirements
- GitHub Education verification for students and teachers
- Eligibility re-evaluated monthly
- Students receive the Copilot Student plan rather than Copilot Pro
Official source
https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/manage-your-account/get-free-access-to-copilot-proThis is the page we checked. The company’s own terms always take precedence over this listing.