Google Cloud for students is built around credits for Google Skills, the learning platform of Google Cloud. Students who apply receive 200 credits that can be redeemed for hands-on labs, skill badges and courses. This guide shows what the provider states as of October 2026, how to apply and where the limits of the offer lie.
Short answer: On application, Google Cloud gives students 200 credits for Google Skills, which cover labs, skill badges and courses. The credits expire one year after they are issued. The provider states no euro value. Whether Germany is eligible is set by the application form. The general new-customer credit of Google Cloud is not a student offer. Last updated: October 2026, offers change often.
The key points in brief
- Students can request 200 credits for Google Skills through a Google application form.
- The credits are intended for labs, skill badges and courses on Google Skills.
- The credits expire one year after they are issued.
- Google sets countries, documents and eligibility in the application form. Check them there before you submit.
- The general new-customer credit of 300 US dollars applies to all new customers and is not a student discount.
What do you actually get?
The provider describes three components that you should look at separately. The student offer itself is the 200 credits. The new-customer credit and the free tier apply to all customers. If you already use another cloud credit, compare the options in our guide Cloud credits for students: Azure, AWS, Google Cloud.
| Offer | Regular price | Student price | Duration | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 Google Skills credits | see provider’s page | free on application | expire one year after issue | Google application form |
| New-customer credit | 300 US dollars for new customers | not a student offer, applies to all new customers | see provider’s page | see provider’s page |
| Free tier | over 25 products with monthly usage limits | free within the monthly limits | ongoing, within monthly limits | see provider’s page |
Google Skills itself shows which labs and courses are available. Check it before you plan credits for a specific course.
For classification: credits for Google Skills are more a learning offer than a cloud budget for your own projects. If you need a budget for your own projects, check the conditions on the provider’s page closely.
The credits and the free tier are separate things. The credits apply to Google Skills, the free tier to cloud products within their monthly limits. If you use both, keep both sets of conditions in view.
Does the offer apply in Germany?
Google publishes no list of countries. What counts is what the application form at Google sets out. If it limits the offer to certain countries or institutions, that limit applies. For questions about eligibility, Google is the right contact, not this guide.
How to activate the offer
- Sign in with a Google account. If you do not have one, create it before you open the form. The order in which several student offers can be unlocked is explained in this guide.
- Open the Google Cloud for students page and click the link “Request credits”.
- Read the notes in the form before you submit. They set out the eligibility rules and the documents Google requires. For how verification generally works, see the guide on student verification.
- Once the credits are approved, redeem them through Google Skills. Note the issue date, because the credits expire after one year.
Data protection and university rules
Your examination regulations and your university’s rules also apply to cloud services. Do not enter personal data or unpublished research data into cloud projects until you have checked that this is allowed. For what happens to your inputs in AI services, see the guide on data protection with AI tools in your studies.
What happens after your studies?
The provider’s page names no extension for students and describes no period that is tied to your studies. The credits expire after one year in any case. The free tier applies to all customers and remains available for your Google account as long as the conditions apply. For paid use after your studies, the prices on the provider’s page apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Cloud for students free?
After approval, you can redeem the 200 credits for Google Skills without payment. The page does not state a euro value. If you use services outside the offer, you pay according to the prices of Google Cloud, which are listed on the provider’s page.
How long do the credits last?
The credits expire one year after they are issued. Plan your labs and courses so that you use the credits within that year.
Is this the same as the 300-dollar credit?
No. The general credit of 300 US dollars applies to new Google Cloud customers and is not a student offer. The 200 credits are a separate offer through Google Skills.
What happens once the credits are used up?
Once the credits are used up, you can continue with the free tier and its monthly limits, as far as the provider’s page provides it for your account. Any use beyond that is charged by Google at its prices.
What can I learn with the credits?
The credits apply to labs, skill badges and courses on Google Skills. They are suited to practising cloud basics hands on, for example in a learning project alongside your studies. Google Skills itself shows which courses are available.
What to do next
- Read the application form before you spend time on the application. The conditions are set out there.
- Submit the application and note the issue date of the credits.
- Plan labs and courses so that you redeem the credits within one year.
- Compare the offer with other cloud credits for students before you commit.
Related guides
- AI tools for students 2026: which offers come with student status
- Cloud credits for students: Azure, AWS, Google Cloud
- Azure for Students: price, requirements and verification
- AWS Educate for students: offer, price and use in your studies
- GPU compute for students: where to find credits for AI training
Sources: Google Cloud for Students, cloud.google.com, last updated October 2026.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
