It has been more than two weeks since Google announced plans to make its premium AI tools free for university students in selected African countries. The technology company emphasised that the move is to equip the upcoming generation with the requisite skills to build locally and compete effectively on the global stage.
Eligible students (aged 18 and above) in African universities have until December 9, 2025, to take advantage of the 12 months of free access to the Google AI Pro plan by simply visiting gemini.google/students and registering.
The plan offers students free access to new features such as Guided Learning to assist students with in-depth research, Deep Research to generate comprehensive, cited reports from hundreds of web sources in minutes, and 2 TB of cloud storage across Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos.
To learn more about the offer from Google, Techpoint Africa reached out to Mr. Olumide Balogun, Director, West Africa, and asked some follow-up questions.
1. What criteria was used to select eligible institutions and filter out non-eligible schools?
This offer focuses on individual students, not a pre-selected list of institutions. This approach ensures we can provide broad and fast access to any eligible student across the continent. A student is eligible if they meet two simple criteria:
- They are at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in a higher education institution in a participating country.
- They register with a personal Google Account, as the offer cannot be applied to university-issued accounts.
We verify each student individually through a secure, third-party system using standard documents like a student ID. This direct process means we can get these powerful AI tools into the hands of students quickly without waiting for complex university approvals.
2. Are there plans in place to ensure that registered students maximise the opportunity, as there’s the possibility of undervaluing free things?
That’s an excellent question, and it’s central to our strategy. Our plan to ensure students maximise this opportunity is built on demonstrating immediate value and providing continuous support. We’re partnering with top student creators across Sub-Saharan Africa to share practical use cases of tools like Gemini and NotebookLM for daily student life, making the benefits tangible from day one.
This initiative is also a key step in our broader commitment to train 3 million Africans on AI skills, with dedicated training modules and workshops designed to help students leverage these tools for their learning and future careers. By combining relatable use cases with structured training, we aim to equip students with an essential educational toolkit.
3. Do you think 12 months is enough time to build the required skill set needed, and will students have to make payments to renew their subscription?
We see this 12-month period as a significant accelerator. It provides a substantial window for students to leverage the advanced features for more than just daily schoolwork—they can use it to actively upskill, prepare for career certifications, conduct in-depth research, and even prep for job interviews. After this 12-month offer for the advanced Gemini Pro plan concludes, students will have the option to subscribe if they wish to continue using those specific premium features.
However, this doesn’t mean their AI support ends. After the offer, students will still have access to the standard, free version of Gemini, which remains an incredibly powerful tool. We are especially excited about features available in this version, like Guided Learning, which is designed to meet students exactly where they are.
Instead of just giving an answer, Guided Learning acts as a personal tutor, asking probing questions and providing step-by-step breakdowns to help a student truly understand a complex concept at their own pace. So, while the advanced plan is a fantastic boost, the standard free tools continue to be an invaluable resource for their long-term learning and career preparation.
4. Are you exploring avenues to give post-learning exposure to diligent students via internships at selected organisations?
The primary goal of the Gemini Pro Student Offer is to give students hands-on experience with advanced AI tools like Gemini Pro and Deep Research. This prepares them to thrive in a workforce being reshaped by AI by helping them develop core competencies, build projects for their portfolios, and even practice for interviews—all alongside their regular coursework.
While the program doesn’t include direct internships, it serves as the first step in building a talent pipeline. We actively encourage students to join our community programs, like Google Developer Student Clubs (DSC) and Google Developer Groups (GDG), where they can collaborate on real-world projects. The skills they gain are also essential for our Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa program, positioning them to become the next generation of founders using AI to solve local challenges.
5. Why is Google sponsoring this initiative?
Our goal is to support the next generation of innovators and builders. By giving students free access to powerful AI tools like Gemini Pro, we are equipping them with the essential literacy to learn about any subject, solve problems, and prepare for the future. When students have the best tools to create and innovate, it strengthens the entire tech ecosystem. That’s a net positive for everyone, including Google.
