Gemini is now free and available for all students with new ‘Gemini for Education’ experience

The conversation around AI in the classroom is one of the most important in technology, balancing immense potential with the critical need for safety and responsibility. At this year’s ISTE conference, Google just took a massive step forward on this front, announcing a new framework and expanded access that makes its powerful AI tools a free, core part of the learning experience for users of all ages.

The big news is the introduction of “Gemini for Education,” a version of the Gemini app built specifically for the needs of schools, which is now becoming available to all Google Workspace for Education users—including students under 18—with robust data protections and new safeguards built right in.

Think of “Gemini for Education” as the official, school-ready version of the Gemini app. It’s built on the powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro model and provides default access to Google’s premium AI models. Most importantly, Google is including this as a core Workspace service, free of charge, for all its Workspace for Education plans. This means educational institutions get cutting-edge AI with the peace of mind that comes with enterprise-grade data protection.

Smart, responsible access for students of all ages

The most significant part of this announcement is the expansion of the Gemini app to students of all ages, including those under 18. Google is doing this not by simply flipping a switch, but by implementing a distinct experience with several key safeguards for younger learners:

• Stricter content policies are in place to help prevent potentially inappropriate or harmful responses.
• A youth-focused onboarding experience includes AI literacy resources—endorsed by organizations like ConnectSafely and the Family Online Safety Institute—to help students learn to use AI responsibly.
• The “double-check response” feature will run automatically the first time a younger user asks a fact-based question. This prompts Gemini to check its work using Google Search, which is a fantastic built-in way to encourage critical thinking.

Google also announced that its popular AI research tool, NotebookLM, will be made available to students of all ages in the coming months with similar protections.

More free tools for teachers and classrooms

Beyond access to the main Gemini app, Google is also expanding the free tools available to educators to help them save time and better support their students. Starting today, Gemini in Classroom is rolling out to all educators free of charge. This brings a central destination in Google Classroom with more than 30 AI tools that can help teachers generate content, kickstart lessons, and create differentiated learning materials.

Additionally, basic access to the new AI-powered video creation tool, Google Vids, is being expanded to all Google Workspace for Education users, allowing both teachers and students to easily create engaging video content for lessons and assignments.

Data privacy and admin controls remain key

For any school district, data privacy is paramount. Google is making it clear that the Gemini app for Education is covered as a core service with enterprise-grade data protections, meaning user data is kept private and is not used to train AI models. The service supports compliance with regulations like FERPA and COPPA, and the Gemini app was recently awarded the Common Sense Media Privacy Seal, offering another layer of confidence for administrators.

School IT admins will retain full control and can easily manage who has access to the Gemini app and NotebookLM right from the Admin console.

This is a thoughtful and significant move by Google. By making its best AI tools more accessible to the entire education community while simultaneously building in a responsible framework with robust safeguards and controls, Google is paving the way for AI to become a truly powerful and positive force in the modern classroom.