How to Get Cursor Pro Free for 1 Year as a Student in 2026! Complete Student Discount Guide for the AI Code Editor

"Cursor looks amazing, but $20/month is a bit steep for a student…"

Great news. Cursor offers university and graduate students a free 1-year Pro plan. This is your chance to use the cutting-edge AI code editor at zero cost.

This article covers everything: eligibility requirements, step-by-step application instructions, and key things to watch out for.

The Bottom Line: Cursor Pro Is Free for 1 Year for Students

Here's what the official Cursor student page confirms:

Item	Details
What you get	Cursor Pro plan free for 1 year
Eligibility	University and graduate students worldwide (undergraduate, master's, PhD)
Verification	GitHub Student Developer Pack integration, or a university-issued email address
How to apply	Via the Cursor student page
Duration	Renewable annually as long as you remain a student

Cursor Pro Regular Pricing vs. Student Plan

Plan	Regular Price	Student Price
Hobby (Free)	$0/month	$0/month
Pro	$20/month	Free for 1 year 🎁
Business	$40/user/month	Not eligible for student program

Key features included in the Pro plan:

AI agent mode (Claude / GPT-5.5 / DeepSeek V4)
Unlimited completion requests
Private document support
Full VS Code extension compatibility
Tab completion (ultra-fast)

Eligibility Requirements

What You Need

Be enrolled at a university or graduate school (domestic or international)
Be able to prove your student status (one of the following):
- Already registered for the GitHub Student Developer Pack
- Have a .edu or university-issued email address
- Can submit a student ID or proof of enrollment

Eligible Institution Types

Four-year universities (national, public, private)
Graduate schools (master's, PhD)
Colleges of technology (kōsen), 4th and 5th year students
Junior colleges

※ Vocational schools are handled case-by-case, subject to Cursor's review.

How to Apply (3 Steps)

Step 1: Go to the Cursor Student Page

Open the Cursor student page.

You'll see a message at the top: "Empowering the next generation of developers." Click the "Get started" button.

Step 2: Verify with GitHub Student Developer Pack (Recommended)

Linking with the GitHub Student Developer Pack is the smoothest path.

If you haven't signed up for the GitHub Student Developer Pack yet, register first:
- Go to GitHub Education
- Apply with your student ID or university email address
- Approval typically takes 2–3 business days
On the Cursor verification screen, choose "Verify with GitHub"
Once verified, your Pro plan is active immediately for 1 year

Step 3: Verify with University Email (Alternative)

Even without the GitHub Student Pack, you may be able to verify using your university-issued email (e.g., xxx@xxx.ac.jp).

On the verification screen, select "Register with school email"
Enter your university email address
Enter the confirmation code you receive

What Happens After 1 Year?

Here's what the FAQ says:

After 1 year, your plan automatically switches to the Hobby (free) plan. If you're still a student, you can reapply for the student discount and continue using it.

In other words:

After 1 year → automatically downgrades to the free Hobby plan (you don't lose access entirely)
If still a student → reapply for another free year (renewable annually)
After graduation → choose between the regular Pro plan ($20/month) or keep using Hobby

The Hobby plan still includes:

200 AI agent requests per month
200 completions per month
Basic code completion features

Important Notes & FAQ

Q. Can I use the student discount if I already have a Cursor subscription?

Yes. You'll need to cancel your current subscription first, then apply the student discount. The FAQ says: "Cancel your subscription before applying for the student discount."

Q. How long does it take to activate after applying?

With GitHub Student Pack integration: instant activation. With a university email: usually reflected within minutes to a few hours.

Q. Is Japanese supported?

Cursor's editor UI is in English, but you can give coding instructions in Japanese. Tell the AI agent "Fix this function" in Japanese, and it will explain and fix your code in Japanese too.

Q. Which IDE does it work with?

Cursor is primarily used as its own editor (VS Code-based). VS Code extensions and themes work as-is. Migrating from VS Code is a one-click process.

Q. What happens when I'm no longer a student?

After graduation, you can switch to the regular Pro plan ($20/month) or keep using the Hobby plan (free). Your access won't suddenly disappear just because you graduated.

Summary: Grab Cursor Pro for $0 While You're a Student

As of 2026, Cursor is the top runner among AI code editors. Its biggest strength is the ability to switch between multiple AI models — Claude, GPT-5.5, DeepSeek V4 — all in one interface.

A $20/month Pro plan free for an entire year — this student program is a gift for anyone learning to code.

Your Situation	Recommendation
University student learning to code	Apply right now
Already have GitHub Student Pack	Done in 3 minutes. Start using it today
Student, but on the fence	It's free — at least sign up and see
Working engineer	Start with Hobby if you're not a student. Pro is well worth the upgrade

Apply here → Cursor Student Page

※ Information in this article is current as of June 2026. Student program details are subject to change without notice. Please check the official Cursor website for the latest information.

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