Microsoft 365 & Copilot Student Discount 2026: What Is Real
Last updated September 2026
The short answer
There is no standalone Microsoft Copilot Pro student discount in 2026. But students get Microsoft 365 Personal for $4.99/month (half off), which includes Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Many universities also provide Office 365 Education free, and GitHub Copilot is free through the Student Developer Pack.
Microsoft 365 bundles Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, now with Copilot AI built in, and it normally costs $9.99/month for Personal. The "Microsoft 365 student discount" and "Copilot student discount" are commonly confused, so here is the clean version: standalone Copilot Pro has no student discount, but students get Microsoft 365 Personal at half price with Copilot included, and many get the core Office apps free through their school.
What Microsoft 365 costs students in 2026
| Plan | Standard price | For students |
|---|---|---|
| Office 365 Education | $0 | Free via your school (no consumer Copilot) |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $4.99/mo | Half off, includes Copilot in the apps |
| Copilot Pro | $20/mo | No student discount |
Every way to save on Microsoft 365 as a student
Microsoft 365 Personal at $4.99/mo (with Copilot)
The standing student offer is Microsoft 365 Personal for $4.99/month, half the $9.99 list price. It includes Microsoft Copilot in the desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook) plus AI image creation in Copilot chat.
Free Office 365 Education (via your school)
Microsoft gives eligible institutions Office 365 A1 for Education free for students and staff. Note it does not include the consumer version of Copilot, but the core apps are free.
GitHub Copilot free (for coding)
If you want AI for code specifically, GitHub Copilot is free for verified students through the GitHub Student Developer Pack.
No standalone Copilot Pro student deal
Standalone Copilot Pro at $20/month has no student discount in 2026. The value for students is in the discounted Microsoft 365 Personal bundle instead.
Step by step: getting Microsoft 365 as a student
- 1Check whether your university provides Office 365 Education free.
- 2For AI inside Word, Excel and PowerPoint, buy Microsoft 365 Personal at the $4.99 student price.
- 3For AI coding, get GitHub Copilot free through the Student Developer Pack instead.
- 4Skip standalone Copilot Pro, which has no student discount.
Is the Microsoft 365 student discount worth it?
For AI-in-Office value, the $4.99/month student Microsoft 365 Personal is the deal to take, since it bundles Copilot into Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Check whether your school provides Office 365 Education free first for the core apps. For AI coding specifically, get GitHub Copilot free via the Student Pack rather than paying for standalone Copilot Pro.
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Is there a Microsoft Copilot student discount in 2026?
Not for standalone Copilot Pro. But students get Microsoft 365 Personal for $4.99/month (half off), which includes Copilot in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
How do students get Microsoft 365 cheaper?
Buy Microsoft 365 Personal at the student price of $4.99/month, or get Office 365 Education free if your university provides it.
Is Office free for students?
Often yes. Microsoft donates Office 365 A1 for Education to eligible institutions, so many students get the core Office apps free through their school, though without consumer Copilot.
What about free AI for students in the Microsoft ecosystem?
GitHub Copilot is free for verified students via the GitHub Student Developer Pack, which is the best free Microsoft-family AI route for coding.
Is Microsoft Copilot free for students?
Standalone Copilot Pro is not discounted for students. But Copilot is included in the student-priced Microsoft 365 Personal ($4.99/month), and GitHub Copilot is free for students via the Student Developer Pack.
How do students get Microsoft Office free?
Many universities provide Office 365 Education (A1) free to students and staff. Check with your school; it includes the core apps though not consumer Copilot.