Cursor Student Discount in 2026: The Free Year Ended — Here's What Actually Works
Looking for the Cursor student discount or the free student plan? Here's the direct answer: Cursor's free 1-year student program closed to new sign-ups on June 25, 2026. You can no longer claim it. There are still real ways to save on Cursor, and I'll walk through every one of them below — including one discount that works today.
What Happened to the Cursor Student Discount?
Cursor used to offer students a free year of Cursor Pro — 12 months, normally worth $240 — verified through SheerID using a .edu email address. It was a genuinely good deal and a lot of students signed up.
On June 25, 2026, Cursor closed the program to new sign-ups. In their announcement they said the program had become a target for fraud, and that the fraud problem was holding them back from reaching students globally. The verification flow was shut off the same day — new .edu submissions no longer go through.
Most older articles you'll find online still list the free year as if it's open. It isn't. If a guide promises you a free 12 months and points you to a SheerID verification, that guide is out of date.
Already Have the Student Discount? Here's What You Keep
If you redeemed the student discount before June 25, 2026, you're unaffected. Your free year runs until your plan's expiry date. Cursor is not clawing it back.
The thing to watch is what happens at the end. When the free year expires, your plan auto-renews at the standard $20/month — unless you cancel first. Set a calendar reminder for a few days before your renewal date so you can decide whether to keep paying or cancel. A lot of students will get an unexpected $20 charge they didn't plan for.
The Discount That Still Works Today: 50% Off Your First Month
There is one discount that works right now for anyone — student or not: a Cursor referral link gives you 50% off your first month of Pro, Pro+, or Ultra. The discount applies automatically at checkout when you sign up with a new account. No coupon code to enter, no student verification needed.
I want to be straight with you: this is 50% off one month, not a free year. If you need a full free year, this isn't it. But if you want to try Cursor Pro at half price to see if it fits your workflow, it's the cheapest way in today.
Half price on your first month of Pro, Pro+, or Ultra — applied automatically, no coupon needed.
Get 50% Off Cursor Pro →Disclosure: This is my referral link. If you sign up through it, I receive usage credits at no extra cost to you — and you get 50% off your first month.
New Student Options Coming From Cursor
Cursor isn't leaving students with nothing — they're replacing the old program with two new routes.
Undergrads: starting fall 2026, you can earn credits and discounts at Cursor's on-campus and online events. The exact amounts haven't been announced yet. There's a campus newsletter you can sign up for to get early access when details drop.
Master's students, PhD candidates, researchers, and educators: you can request credits right now via a form on Cursor's site. These requests are reviewed manually — it's not instant like the old SheerID flow — but the path is open. If you fall into one of those groups, it's worth submitting.
Free Alternatives for Students
Two genuinely free options worth knowing about, even though one is a competitor — being honest here matters more than pretending it doesn't exist.
Cursor's free Hobby tier is still open to everyone, student or not. It's limited compared to Pro (fewer premium model requests, no priority), but it costs nothing and there's no time limit. If you just want to try Cursor without paying, this is the simplest way.
GitHub Copilot is free for verified students through the GitHub Student Developer Pack. If your main need is an AI coding assistant and Cursor's free tier isn't enough, Copilot's student offer is the real one Cursor just stopped matching. It's a different tool and I prefer Cursor's agent mode for my own work, but free is free, and for many students it covers what they need.
A warning on fake student emails. When the free year was running, a lot of people bought fake .edu addresses or paid for "verified" student accounts to get the deal. Cursor mass-banned accounts caught doing this — they lost the discount and their account. The program is closed now, so there's nothing to gain and everything to lose. Don't try workarounds, don't buy student accounts, and don't trust anyone selling them. It's not worth it.
FAQ
Is Cursor free for students in 2026?
No. Cursor's free 1-year student discount closed to new sign-ups on June 25, 2026. Students who already redeemed it keep their rate until their plan expires, but no new student applications are being accepted.
Does Cursor student verification still work?
No. The SheerID verification flow that confirmed student status via a .edu email no longer accepts new student applications. Cursor shut it off when it closed the program to new sign-ups on June 25, 2026.
I already claimed the student discount — will I lose it?
No. Students who redeemed the discount before June 25, 2026 keep their free year until their plan expires. After that it auto-renews at the standard $20/month unless cancelled, so set a reminder before the renewal date.
What's the best Cursor discount right now?
The best discount currently available for anyone — student or not — is a referral link that gives 50% off your first month of Pro, Pro+, or Ultra. It applies automatically at checkout on a new account. It is one month at half price, not a free year.
Will the student discount come back?
Not in its old form. Cursor is replacing the free-year program with event-based credits at on-campus and online events from fall 2026, plus a credit request form for graduate students, researchers, and educators.