Software for a computer science degree is one of those costs that add up quickly if you pay for everything separately. Many providers make development environments, cloud credit and coding assistants available to students free of charge or at a clearly lower price. What matters is which student status an offer is tied to and which proof the provider requires.
Short answer: The largest bundles for computer science students are the GitHub Student Developer Pack, the JetBrains Student Pack and Azure for Students with 100 USD in credit. According to the provider, GitHub Copilot is free for verified students, but with usage limits. All offers depend on your status. Stand: October 2026, offers change frequently.
The most important points at a glance
- The GitHub Student Developer Pack bundles partner offers, and the conditions differ from provider to provider.
- JetBrains makes all IDEs and plugins available to students free of charge. According to the provider, the licence is renewed annually.
- According to Microsoft, Azure for Students includes 100 USD in credit for 12 months, without a credit card.
- AWS Educate offers free labs and training, but no credit.
- For Google Cloud and Google Colab, the student offer is not clearly confirmed. More on this below.
Which software do you need for a computer science degree?
The basic setup usually consists of an integrated development environment (IDE), a version control system such as Git, and an environment for testing or hosting. Depending on your focus, databases, containers or cloud services are added. Git itself is freely available. The offers in this guide mainly concern convenience, hosting and learning access. You will find an overview of free programmes for students in Free Software for Students: Programs at a Glance.
Which offers are available for computer science students?
The following overview shows the offers that were confirmed on the provider pages when retrieved in October 2026. Prices that are not given there are not stated. Always check the conditions on the provider’s page before you sign up.
| Offer | Benefit | Regular price | Student price | Duration | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Student Developer Pack | Bundle of several partner offers | varies by partner | free, conditions vary by partner | as long as you study, varies by partner | GitHub student status |
| GitHub Copilot Student | Unlimited code completion, limited chat and agent | not confirmed | EUR 0 according to the provider | as long as the status applies, checked monthly | GitHub Education |
| JetBrains Student Pack | All IDEs, plugins and courses | not confirmed | free according to the provider | renewed annually | University email, ISIC/ITIC or GitHub |
| Azure for Students | 100 USD in credit, over 20 services free for 12 months | not confirmed | EUR 0 with 100 USD in credit | 12 months of credit, extendable annually | University email, no credit card |
| AWS Educate | Labs, training, digital badges | free | free, no credit | no duration stated | Email address |
Stand: October 2026, sources see below. According to Microsoft, Azure for Students is aimed at full-time students.
According to the provider, Google Cloud grants 200 credits for labs and skill badges on application. The German page was not clear when retrieved, so please check the conditions yourself. For Google Colab, a student offer is mentioned, but the conditions were not legible. No amount is therefore stated for it.
How to activate the offer
Using the GitHub Student Developer Pack as an example, activation usually works as follows:
- Create a GitHub account or use an existing one. Choose an address that you want to keep after your studies.
- Apply for student status via education.github.com and follow the proof that GitHub requires. The application shows which proofs are accepted.
- Wait for the provider’s confirmation.
- Then open the pack and activate the individual partner offers. Each provider has its own conditions.
- If only paid plans are visible, do not buy anything. Check again later or ask the provider.
According to the provider, JetBrains accepts a university email address, an ISIC or ITIC card, or a GitHub account as proof. The access applies for study purposes, and you should read the licence terms before installing.
Which rules apply to AI tools such as Copilot?
Copilot is an AI tool. Therefore check whether your examination regulations and your university’s requirements permit AI use in code and whether labelling is required. Do not enter personal data, access data or unpublished research data into prompts, and do not store keys or passwords in repositories. Check the generated code, because AI suggestions can contain errors and insecure patterns. More on this in AI rules at universities: why every examination regulation is different and in Programming with AI during your studies: when Copilot helps and when it does not.
What happens after your studies?
Most offers depend on student status. If you want to keep working after graduation, plan early.
- GitHub Copilot Student and the pack are tied to verified student status. These conditions lapse after the end of your studies.
- Azure for Students runs for twelve months. According to Microsoft, extending it requires student status.
- JetBrains is renewed annually. Whether and how the licence can still be used afterwards is stated in the provider’s licence terms.
- It is best to keep your own projects and repositories in an account that you can maintain independently of your status.
So plan early which tools you will need after graduation, and move your projects in good time. For how to approach your first months after university, see Career Start After University: Your Guide to the First Job.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub Copilot really free for students?
According to GitHub, Copilot Student can be used at no cost by verified students, with limits on chat and agent use. The details come from the pack offer and the provider page as retrieved in October 2026. You can see the current limits in your account settings.
May I use the software for a side job as well?
That depends on the offer. For many educational offers, use is only permitted for study purposes, and commercial use is excluded. Read the conditions of the specific offer before you use software for client work or freelance projects.
Do I need a credit card for Azure for Students?
According to Microsoft, no. Activation requires a university email address and a Microsoft account. The page does not list countries or exclusions. Whether Germany is fully covered must therefore be checked on the provider’s page.
What do I do if my application is rejected?
Usually there is a problem with the proof. Check whether the address is correct and whether the proof is current. If that does not help, contact the provider’s support. Do not use offers from unknown sources, even if they seem cheaper.
Do I have to work on Windows, macOS or Linux?
That depends on your degree programme and modules. Many tools run on all three systems, some only on one. Teaching staff often name the recommended environment, and container solutions help to compensate for differences. Before buying a device, check the system requirements of the software used in your modules.
Are there alternatives without a student offer?
Yes. Many tools have a free basic version. For learning purposes, AWS Educate and Azure also offer ways to get started. What matters is that you check the range of functions before you use them.
How to proceed now
- Check which software your study plan and modules require, and note your needs.
- Verify your student status for the GitHub Student Developer Pack, then activate the partner offers one by one.
- Ask your university about campus licences, which often cover more functions than the free entry-level offer.
- Keep your projects in an account that you will still have after your studies.
Related reading
- Free Software for Students: Programs at a Glance
- Student status benefits, discounts and services
- Campus licences: which software your university provides
- Programming with AI during your studies: when Copilot helps and when it does not
- University email after deregistration: what happens to accounts and licences
Sources: GitHub Education: Student Developer Pack (Stand: October 2026); Microsoft Azure for Students (Stand: October 2026); JetBrains Academy: Student Pack (Stand: October 2026); AWS Educate (Stand: October 2026).
Stand: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
