Cursor Student Plan 2025: The Complete Guide to Getting Pro for Free (or Not?)

Last Updated: May 21, 2025. This guide reflects the latest information on the Cursor Student Plan. We are actively monitoring the situation for changes.

The AI-powered coding revolution is here, and for students, the news that Cursor was offering its powerful Pro plan for free was a game-changer. An entire year of access to one of the most advanced AI code editors, normally costing over $200, suddenly became available for nothing. But as quickly as the offer appeared, so did the confusion. Reports surfaced of the plan being revoked in major regions, leaving thousands of students wondering: Is the Cursor Student Plan still a golden ticket, or is it a broken promise?

This comprehensive guide cuts through the noise. We’ll give you the verified, step-by-step process to apply, break down the current, complex availability situation, and show you how to maximize your AI coding capabilities, with or without the official student discount.

An overview of the Cursor Student Plan for 2025.

What Is the Cursor Pro Student Plan? The 4 Core Benefits

At its core, the Cursor Student Plan is a one-year free license to all features of the Cursor Pro tier. This isn’t a stripped-down version; it’s the full-fledged professional tool designed to make you a faster, more efficient programmer. For students, this means access to enterprise-grade tools that can significantly shorten the learning curve and help in building complex projects.

Key Features of Your Free Pro Access:
✅ 500 Fast AI Requests/Month: These are your priority pass to Cursor’s most powerful models for complex tasks like generating new features from scratch, debugging complex logic, or refactoring large codebases.
✅ Unlimited Slower Requests: For everyday tasks like generating comments, formatting code, or asking simple questions, you have an unlimited supply of AI assistance.
✅ Access to Advanced Models: Use cutting-edge models like GPT-4 and Claude 3, which are often behind a significant paywall on other platforms.
✅ “More Context” Features: Allows the AI to reference your entire codebase, documentation files, and libraries for more accurate and context-aware responses.

How to Apply for the Cursor Student Plan: A Step-by-Step Workflow

Navigating the application process is straightforward if you’re eligible. Cursor partners with a verification platform to ensure only qualified students get access. Follow these steps precisely.

Visit the Official Cursor for Students Page: Navigate directly to the official students page on the Cursor website. Avoid third-party links to ensure you’re on the legitimate site.
Complete the Student Verification: You will be prompted to verify your student status. This usually involves finding your institution in their database and logging in with your student portal credentials. Have your student ID or relevant documents ready.
Sign In or Create a Cursor Account: Once verified, you’ll be redirected to either sign in to your existing Cursor account or create a new one. Ensure you use the same email address associated with your student verification.
Confirm Your Pro Status: After logging in, navigate to your account or billing settings within the Cursor application or website. It should reflect that the Pro plan has been activated and show an expiry date one year in the future.

The Big Question: Is It Still Available in Your Region? (May 2025 Update)

This is the most critical and confusing part of the Cursor Student Plan. Shortly after its launch, reports flooded in from students in India, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan that the offer had been disabled. The high demand and potential for abuse in these regions likely led Cursor to abruptly restrict access.

Official Status Is Fluid: The information below is based on widespread user reports and news articles from May 2025. Cursor has not made a definitive, permanent statement on all regions. Always check the official Cursor Students page first.

Here’s the current situation as we understand it:

Need More Power? The Ultimate Alternative for Students

Whether the student plan isn’t available in your region, or 500 fast requests simply aren’t enough for your ambitious projects, a unified API gateway is your most powerful and cost-effective solution. This is where LaoZhang-AI comes in.

Supercharge Your Coding with LaoZhang-AI

Instead of being locked into one ecosystem, LaoZhang-AI gives you access to top-tier models from GPT, Claude, and Gemini through a single, low-cost API. It’s the perfect complement or alternative to the Cursor plan.

Lowest Prices: Get access to models like GPT-4 at rates far cheaper than official sources.
Unified Access: No more juggling API keys. Use the best model for the job every time.
Free Trial Credits: Sign up and receive free credits to test the platform immediately.

For example, generating a high-quality image for your project documentation can cost as little as $0.01. See how simple it is:

curl -X POST "https://api.laozhang.ai/v1/chat/completions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $YOUR_LAOZHANG_API_KEY" \
-d '{
  "model": "sora_image",
  "stream": false,
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "A clean, minimalist logo for a project named \'CodeFlow\'"
    }
  ]
}'

Get Your Free Trial at LaoZhang-AI

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What’s included in the Cursor student discount?: You get the full Cursor Pro plan for one year, which includes 500 fast AI requests per month, unlimited slower requests, and access to premium models like GPT-4.
Who is eligible for the student plan?: Any student enrolled in an accredited educational institution that can be verified by Cursor’s third-party verification system.
Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot for a student?: They serve different purposes. Copilot is an excellent autocompletion tool. Cursor is a fully integrated IDE experience built around AI, allowing for more complex interactions like codebase-wide questions and in-line debugging. For a student learning to code, Cursor’s deeper integration can be a more powerful teaching tool.
What happens after my one-year free plan expires?: Your account will likely be downgraded to the standard free tier, which has much more limited access to fast AI requests. You will then have the option to upgrade to a paid Pro plan.
Can I still get the discount if I am from India or China?: As of May 2025, widespread reports indicate the plan is no longer available to new applicants from these regions. You should still check the official website, but have a backup plan.
What is the best alternative if the student plan is unavailable for me?: Using a service like LaoZhang-AI is the best alternative. It provides low-cost access to the same powerful models that drive Cursor, giving you ultimate flexibility and control over your AI development costs.

Conclusion: A Great Opportunity, With Caveats

The Cursor Student Plan remains one of the best deals in software for eligible students. It provides a year of unparalleled access to a tool that can genuinely accelerate your learning and project development. However, the rollout has been rocky, with regional restrictions creating a frustrating experience for many.

Our recommendation is to act fast and verify your eligibility on the official website. If you get in, maximize it. If you’re locked out due to your region or find your needs exceed the monthly limits, turn to a flexible and affordable platform like LaoZhang-AI to build your own powerful, low-cost AI toolkit.