New ChatGPT Edu Agreement Offers Expanded Features, Lower Cost, New Terms
Quick Summary
- UC Davis has renewed its contract for ChatGPT Edu for faculty and staff.
- The annual cost is lowered by 40% to $144 per year.
- Updated contract includes daily usage limits and a weekly credit allotment.
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UC Davis has renewed its contract for ChatGPT Edu, bringing new terms, expanded capabilities and a significantly reduced price to the university community. The annual cost is lowered by 40% to $144 per year, down from the previous rate of $240 per year under the university’s new agreement with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT Edu is a version of ChatGPT designed specifically for learning, teaching, and research at higher education institutions. Conversations and data are not used to train OpenAI models. At UC Davis, ChatGPT Edu is available to faculty and staff.
Note: The following information applies to UC Davis campus faculty and staff. UC Davis Health faculty and staff, including School or Medicine and School of Nursing, may request ChatGPT licenses through IT Self-Service. Different terms and conditions apply, in alignment with UC Davis Health security and compliance requirements.
What’s Included in ChatGPT Edu
Under the new agreement, ChatGPT Edu subscribers receive:
Unlimited use of base GPT models
Daily included usage (no credits required):
3 image generations per rolling 24-hour period
5 Deep Research queries per rolling 24-hour period
The 24-hour window begins at the time of first use. For example, if you generate your first image at 10:00 a.m., you may generate two more images anytime before 10:00 a.m. the following day.
Weekly Credits for Advanced Features
Each ChatGPT Edu account now includes 100 credits per week, which renew every 7 days based on your individual license renewal date (not on a fixed weekly schedule).
Credits can be used for:
Additional Deep Research queries beyond the daily included limit
Additional image generation
Access to advanced AI models
Codex coding assistance
Usage beyond the included daily limits will draw from these credits according to OpenAI’s rate card. For more information on credits, review the Best Practices for Credit Usage in ChatGPT Edu Knowledge Base article.
These changes reflect OpenAI’s new contractual terms for ChatGPT Edu for education institutions, including UC Davis. The service may be expanded in the future, subject to demand and the terms of the current contract.
Understanding ChatGPT Modes and Features
ChatGPT Edu provides access to different levels of capability designed for various tasks:
Instant: Fast, lightweight responses ideal for quick questions, drafting, and everyday use.
Thinking: More advanced reasoning models that take slightly longer but provide deeper, more structured answers, well suited for research, analysis, and complex problem-solving.
Pro+ Features: Premium capabilities that may consume credits, including advanced models, enhanced reasoning, coding assistance (Codex), and higher-quality outputs for demanding academic or technical work.
These tiers allow users to balance speed, depth, and credit usage depending on their needs.
How to Obtain a ChatGPT Edu License
To request a new ChatGPT Edu license, submit a request through the UC Davis ServiceHub.
You will need:
A valid UC Davis Chart of Accounts billing string (consult your supervisor if needed)
Approval and/or authority to use the billing string for purchase
Renewal is Required for Existing Subscribers
ChatGPT Edu licenses do not auto-renew. Existing subscribers must submit a new request each year to maintain access.
Renew Your ChatGPT Edu License
To renew your access for another year, submit a new license request form.
ChatGPT Edu at UC Davis is part of Aggie AI, our growing ecosystem of tools and services that includes Rocky AI Chat, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot Chat, Zoom AI Companion and more.