Gemini Pro Free for Students in India (2026): What’s Still Free and How to Claim It

Last updated: 10 October 2026

Last year, "Gemini Pro free for students India" was the hottest AI deal in Indian colleges. Google gave eligible students its full Google AI Pro plan, worth ₹19,500, free for one year. Many students are now searching for the same offer again, and many old videos still show it.

Here is the honest update: that exact AI Pro offer has ended, but Google has launched a new free one-year student plan for 2026, this time Google AI Plus. In this guide you'll learn what changed, who is eligible, what you actually get, step-by-step claim instructions, and how Jio users can still get Google AI Pro free.

Quick answer: Google's free Gemini Pro (Google AI Pro) offer for Indian students ended in September 2025. In 2026, Google instead offers Google AI Plus free for one year to college students aged 18+ in India. Redeem it at one.google.com/ai-student by 31 December 2026. It renews at ₹399/month unless cancelled. Jio users can still get AI Pro free for 18 months.

Is Gemini Pro still free for students in India?

The short answer is not exactly. It depends on what you mean by "Gemini Pro".

• Google AI Pro plan (the paid plan earlier called Gemini Advanced): Its free one-year offer for Indian students had a claim deadline of 15 September 2025. It is no longer open to new students.
• Google AI Plus plan: This is the plan Google is giving free to students in 2026. It costs ₹399/month normally, and students get one year free if they redeem by 31 December 2026, according to Google's India student page (opens in new tab).
• Gemini Pro model: This is the most powerful model inside the Gemini app. Free users lost it on 9 October 2026. Google's India plans page (opens in new tab) still lists 3.1 Pro access on AI Plus, but Google's help page says AI Plus model changes are coming, with the date emailed to subscribers, and 9to5Google reports AI Plus will lose Pro. Google AI Pro and Ultra keep full Pro access.

So in October 2026, students can get a paid Gemini plan for free, but it is AI Plus, not AI Pro. If you need reliable, higher-limit access to the Pro model, see the other ways below.

2025 offer vs 2026 offer: what changed

Many students get confused because blogs and YouTube videos from 2025 still rank on Google. This table clears it up.

Can I claim the 2026 offer if I used the 2025 offer?

Yes. Google's student page clearly says that students whose 2025 AI Pro trial has expired can also claim the new AI Plus plan. So if your free AI Pro year ended around September or October 2026, you can redeem AI Plus for another free year.

Why did Google switch from AI Pro to AI Plus?

Google has not given a detailed reason. AI Plus is Google's budget plan, launched in India in December 2025 at ₹399/month. Giving it free is cheaper for Google than AI Pro while still getting millions of students into its ecosystem. The good part for students is that the deadline is much longer this time.

What you get with the free Google AI Plus student plan

According to Google's official student page and India blog post, the free plan includes:

• 2x higher Gemini usage limits than the free Gemini plan.
• Gemini Flash model, plus 3.1 Pro access as currently listed on Google's India plans page (the free plan gets only Flash-Lite from 9 October 2026).
• Gemini Omni access, including video generation features.
• 400 GB cloud storage shared across Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos.
• Unlimited uploads of course material for Study Notebooks, Visuals and Gemini Live.
• Gemini in Gmail and Vids, 200 Google Flow credits and more Nano Banana image access, according to Google's India subscriptions page (opens in new tab) (as of October 2026).

What AI Plus does NOT include

Be clear about the limits before you plan your semester around it:

• Pro model access may go. Google says AI Plus model changes are rolling out, with the date emailed to subscribers, and 9to5Google reports AI Plus will lose Pro. Check the official plans page (opens in new tab) for the current list.
• No Deep Think. Google's India plans page lists it as an AI Ultra feature, and 9to5Google reports it is also coming to AI Pro.
• Smaller storage than AI Pro (400 GB vs 5 TB).
• Fewer Workspace features than AI Pro. Google lists Gemini inside Docs and Sheets only from AI Pro upwards.

For most students, AI Plus is more than enough for notes, doubts, summaries and project help.

Eligibility: who can claim the Gemini student offer in India

Based on Google's official student page and India blog post, you need:

1. Age 18 or above.
2. Enrolment in a college or university (an accredited degree or certificate-granting institution) in India.
3. A personal Google account. The offer is not available on school-issued or college-managed Google accounts. Use your own Gmail.
4. Student verification. Google uses SheerID for student verification. SheerID asks for a college-issued document that shows your name, your college and current enrolment, such as a college ID card, fee receipt or enrolment letter.
5. A valid payment method (card or UPI through Google Play) at sign-up, even though you won't be charged during the free year.
6. Redeem by 31 December 2026.
7. Re-verify every year. Google says eligibility must be verified each year to keep access.

Who is NOT eligible?

• School students under 18.
• People using a Google Workspace account from their college or employer.
• Members of a Google One family group, and people whose Google One plan comes through a third party, under Google's student offer terms. If you already pay for Google One directly, check the offer page before redeeming.
• People who are not currently enrolled students.

How to claim the Gemini student offer step by step

Follow these steps carefully. The whole process takes about 10 minutes if your documents are ready.

Step 1: Keep your documents ready

Have a clear photo or PDF of one of these:

• College ID card with the current academic year
• Fee receipt for the current semester
• Bonafide or enrolment certificate from your college

The name on the document should match your Google account name as closely as possible.

Step 2: Open the official offer page

1. On your phone or laptop, go to one.google.com/ai-student (linked from Google's India blog post (opens in new tab)).
2. You can also start from the Gemini students page and tap the button to get the student plan.
3. Sign in with your personal Gmail account.

Step 3: Verify that you are a student

1. Tap Get offer or Verify eligibility.
2. Enter your country (India), college name, and date of birth.
3. If SheerID cannot verify you instantly, upload your college ID or fee receipt.
4. Wait for approval. Instant checks are common, but SheerID says document reviews for international students can take up to 72 hours.

Step 4: Add a payment method

1. Add a debit/credit card or UPI through Google Play billing.
2. Confirm. You should see ₹0 today and the renewal date one year later.

Step 5: Start using AI Plus

1. Open the Gemini app or gemini.google.com.
2. Check that your plan shows Google AI Plus.
3. Check Google One or Drive to confirm your storage is now 400 GB.

Want real Gemini Pro? 3 other ways for students

If you need full access to the Gemini Pro model or 5 TB storage, AI Plus won't be enough. Here are the legitimate options.

1. Jio's Google AI Pro offer (free for 18 months)

Reliance Jio runs a Google Gemini offer that gives 18 months of Google AI Pro free to eligible Jio users. According to Jio's official offer page (opens in new tab):

• You must be a Jio SIM user aged 18+.
• You need an active unlimited 5G plan of ₹349 or above (prepaid or postpaid).
• You must keep that plan active for the whole offer period to keep benefits.
• Each mobile number can claim it once.
• Jio values the offer at ₹35,100.

How to claim:

1. Open the MyJio app and log in.
2. Tap the Google Gemini offer banner on the home screen.
3. Register with your Gmail ID and follow the steps.

Jio has not published an end date for this offer, and it was still listed on Jio's offer page as of October 2026, so claim it soon if you qualify. This is currently the only widely available way for Indian students to get full Gemini Pro access free.

2. Discounted AI Pro student bundle

Google's India blog says eligible students can get Google AI Pro bundled with YouTube Premium for up to 70% off, valid for up to four years, with SheerID verification. Google does not list a rupee price in that post, so check the price shown on the student offer page before you sign up. This is a paid option, but much cheaper than ₹1,950/month for AI Pro alone.

3. Free Google tools that use Pro-level models

• Google AI Studio lets you test Google's latest models in your browser for free with rate limits. It is great for coding students.
• NotebookLM is free and excellent for studying from your own PDFs. See our NotebookLM tutorial.
• ChatGPT Free is another strong no-cost option; just note that the free ChatGPT Go year for India has ended, as explained in our ChatGPT Go free India guide.

Common problems and fixes

"This offer is not available for your account"

• You may be signed in with a college or Workspace account. Switch to personal Gmail.
• You may already have a Google One plan. Check your Google One subscriptions, and contact Google One support before cancelling a paid plan, because the offer terms do not spell out how an existing plan is handled.
• Your account age or region may not match. Make sure your Google account country is India.

SheerID verification failed

• Upload a clearer document that shows your name, college name and current year.
• Make sure the name matches your Google account.
• Try a fee receipt or bonafide certificate instead of an old ID card.
• Contact SheerID support from the verification page.

Payment method not accepted

• Try a different card or UPI through Google Play.
• Some prepaid or virtual cards don't support recurring payments.
• Make sure international or online transactions are enabled on your card.

I can't see the Pro model after claiming

Google is changing which models AI Plus includes, and subscribers get an email with the effective date. AI Pro and Ultra keep full Pro access. Check the official plans page (opens in new tab) for what your plan currently includes.

How to avoid being charged after the free year

The plan auto-renews at ₹399/month after 12 months unless you cancel. Here is how to stay in control.

1. Set a reminder for 7 days before your renewal date.
2. To cancel: open Google One → Settings → Manage membership → Cancel membership. Or go to Play Store → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → Google One → Cancel.
3. If you paid via UPI, check the AutoPay/Mandates section in your UPI app.
4. Before cancelling, check your storage. If you use more than 15 GB, Gmail and Drive may stop syncing new files after you drop back to the free plan. Download or clean up first. Our guide on how to free up Google storage shows you how.

Conclusion

The original Gemini Pro free for students India offer is over, but students still have a great deal: Google AI Plus free for a full year, with 400 GB storage and better Gemini limits, if you redeem by 31 December 2026. If you need full Pro model access, the Jio 18-month offer is the best legitimate route right now.

Claim your plan today, set a renewal reminder, and then build your study toolkit with our list of the best free AI tools for students in India. Still choosing a main assistant? Read our ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude comparison, and browse more in AI Tools & Reviews.