Free Stuff for College Students 2026
13 freebies and student deals that still exist
The real freebies for college students are software, free for as long as you’re enrolled. The rest are discounts with a free trial up front.
- Free software: Office 365 A1, GitHub’s Student Developer Pack, JetBrains IDEs, Autodesk, Figma and Notion.
- Free through your school: many libraries cover a New York Times pass and streaming films.
- Prime Student: six free months, then about half price.
- Spotify Premium Student: $6.99 a month, with Hulu included.
⚡ Free right now
- Free First Book Membership for Teachers at High-Need SchoolsGet it →
- Free Dollywood Pre-K Season Pass for PreschoolersGet it →
- Free Preschooler Passes at SeaWorld, Wild AdventuresGet it →
- Yankee Candle Small Candle Free with $10+ PurchaseGet it →
- Free Crown Royal Purple Bag Care Package for TroopsGet it →
Student freebies and discounts at a glance
Free software for college students: Office, GitHub, JetBrains, Autodesk, Figma and Notion
Actually free, not a trial, for as long as you stay enrolled. Most check your school email; a few want proof of enrollment.
Microsoft Office 365 A1
Browser versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook, plus Teams. Full desktop apps are a paid upgrade (A3 or A5), unless your school already pays for them.
What it takes: An eligible school email address. Microsoft can re-check your eligibility at any time.
Official page →GitHub Student Developer Pack
GitHub Pro while you’re a student, Codespaces, and partner credits such as $100 of Microsoft Azure and $50 of MongoDB Atlas. The partner list rotates.
What it takes: Age 13 or older, enrolled at an accredited school, and verified through GitHub. Some partner offers are 18+ only.
Official page →JetBrains educational license
IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and the rest of the JetBrains IDEs, renewable once a year while you study.
What it takes: Apply with your school email, an ISIC card or a verified GitHub student account. Non-commercial, educational use only.
Official page →Autodesk Education plan
One-year access to most Autodesk software, including AutoCAD, Revit, Maya and Fusion, with the same features as the paid versions. Installs on up to three devices.
What it takes: Proof of enrollment at a qualifying school, renewed every year. Learning and research only; no paid client work.
Official page →Figma Education plan
Figma and FigJam at the Professional tier, at no cost, for as long as you qualify.
What it takes: Students 13+ in a structured program (high school, college, bootcamp). Verify with a school email or documents.
Official page →Notion Education plan
Unlimited pages and blocks, file uploads and 30-day version history on a personal workspace.
What it takes: A college or university email set as your primary Notion email. Re-verify every year. Not open to K-12.
Official page →Free through your school or library: NYT access and streaming
Your tuition already pays for some of this. It varies by school, so check the library and IT pages before paying for anything.
New York Times Academic Pass
Full NYT digital access, paid for by your school. Student passes run until the end of the graduation year you enter.
What it takes: Only at participating schools. Search for yours at accessnyt.com and register with your school email.
Official page →Library databases and streaming
Many campus libraries license streaming films (Kanopy), online courses (LinkedIn Learning) and newspapers you would otherwise pay for.
What it takes: Sign in with your student account. Each library picks its own subscriptions.
Official page →Student deals on Prime, Spotify and Apple Music (free trial first)
These are discounts with a free trial up front. Set a reminder before the trial ends.
Prime Student (Prime for Young Adults)
Six months of Prime free, then $7.49 a month or $69 a year, about half the regular price. Shipping, Prime Video and Grubhub+ are included.
What it takes: A .edu email, or age 18 to 24. The half-price rate lasts up to four years or until you graduate.
Official page →Spotify Premium Student
Premium plus Hulu (With Ads) for $6.99 a month after a one-month free trial.
What it takes: 18+ at a US Title IV college, verified by SheerID. Re-verify every 12 months, up to four years total. Not available if you have already tried Premium.
Official page →Apple Music Student
The full Apple Music catalog plus Apple TV at no extra charge, for $6.99 a month after a one-month free trial.
What it takes: College students only, with verification. Student pricing lasts up to four years.
Official page →Student discounts on Macs, iPads and Adobe (not free)
Not free. Worth knowing before you buy a laptop or a year of software.
Apple Education Store
Education pricing on Macs and iPads. Apple usually adds a gift card or accessory promo over the summer.
What it takes: Current and newly accepted college students, their parents, and faculty. Verification required.
Official page →Adobe Creative Cloud Pro for students
Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Acrobat Pro and the rest for $19.99 a month in the first year. It renews at $39.99 a month after that.
What it takes: Students 13+, first-time members, buying from Adobe directly. Annual commitment.
Official page →How to get the most out of student perks
- Sign up with your school email: Microsoft, Notion, JetBrains and Figma check the address itself, and Notion wants it as your primary email.
- Verify once per service: Spotify uses SheerID and other brands use UNiDAYS or Student Beans; expect to re-verify every year.
- Ask the library and IT desk first: schools often already pay for the NYT, streaming films, online courses and desktop Office.
- Calendar the trial end dates: Prime’s six free months and the one-month music trials turn into charges automatically.
Student offers that changed or went away
- GitHub Copilot Student: still free for students who already have it, but GitHub paused new student sign-ups on April 20, 2026 and hasn’t said when they reopen.
- Apple Music “4 months free”: the student plan now starts with one free month, then $6.99 a month with Apple TV included.
- Spotify Student at $5.99: the price is now $6.99 a month, still with Hulu.
- “Free Office suite”: the free plan is the web apps only; desktop Office is a paid tier unless your school covers it.
- Notion “Plus” plan: the student offer is now the Education plan, limited to college and university emails.
Free stuff for college students: common questions
What free stuff can college students get in 2026?
Free software is the big one. Office 365 A1 (web apps), the GitHub Student Developer Pack, JetBrains IDEs, Autodesk's Education plan, Figma and Notion's Education plan cost nothing while you're enrolled. Many schools also pay for a New York Times Academic Pass and library streaming, and Prime Student starts with six free months before dropping to half price.
How do I get free Amazon Prime as a student?
Sign up for Prime Student with a .edu email, or by being 18 to 24: the first six months are free. Amazon now calls it Prime for Young Adults. After the free months it is $7.49 a month or $69 a year, for up to four years or until you graduate.
Is Microsoft Office free for college students?
The web versions are. Office 365 A1 gives you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook in the browser with an eligible school email. Desktop apps need a paid A3 or A5 plan, though many schools buy those for students, so check with campus IT first.
Is Spotify still bundled with Hulu for students?
Yes, in the US: $6.99 a month after a one-month free trial. Spotify Premium Student includes Hulu (With Ads). You need to be 18+ at a Title IV college and re-verify through SheerID every year, for up to four years.
Do student discounts work for graduate students?
Usually, since most programs ask for current enrollment, not a degree level. Grad and PhD students qualify for Office 365 A1, GitHub, JetBrains, Autodesk and the streaming plans. Spotify requires a Title IV school; Notion requires a college or university email.
Can college students get Canva for Education?
No. Canva for Education is for K-12 teachers and their students. College students can use Canva's free plan, or Adobe Express and Figma's Education plan instead.
