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Google Offers College Students a Free Year of Gemini Pro and Debuts Student Hub

The rollout pairs a 12-month free AI Pro or AI Plus plan with tools that create study notebooks, run Deep Research in Gemini Live, let Lens coach from photos, generate interactive 3D visuals.

Overview

  • Google announced the expansion on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, launching a dedicated Student hub in the Gemini app and adding Deep Research to Gemini Live for multi-step background research.
  • Eligible college students can claim one year of a Google AI plan at no cost: AI Pro in the U.S. with higher usage limits and up to 5 TB storage, and AI Plus internationally with lower limits and 400 GB storage; verification through services like SheerID is required.
  • Study notebooks let students upload class materials to get diagnostic quizzes, personalized lessons, flashcards, and progress tracking, with visual upgrades and Google Calendar scheduling set to roll out in the coming weeks.
  • Search and AI Mode will produce interactive visuals, functional 3D simulations, and custom practice quizzes, while Lens will gain a photo-based coaching feature that checks work and explains mistakes as it becomes available.
  • Education leaders and commentators warn schools to set clear policies on data handling, account types and academic integrity because regional offer terms, storage limits and school-managed account rollouts vary and could affect privacy and grading.