Zed
Zed for Students gives eligible university students free access to Zed Pro for one year.
Zed is a fast, open-source code editor written in Rust, with built-in AI features and real-time collaboration. If you’re working on Frontend Mentor challenges or other development projects, it can be useful for writing code, working with AI assistance, and collaborating with other developers in the same project.
Zed is available on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
The Student plan is available to eligible students who are currently enrolled at accredited universities. High school students are not included in the published eligibility requirements.
Students at open universities or in distance-learning programs may also qualify if they meet Zed’s eligibility and university email verification requirements. If you’re unsure whether your institution qualifies, check the current Education requirements.
How to Apply
Apply through the Zed Education page.
You need to:
- sign in with an eligible GitHub account
- provide a valid and current university email address
- complete the student verification process
Zed verifies university status using educational email domains. If your institution’s domain is missing, follow Zed’s instructions to request that it be added.
A document-based alternative is not listed as a standard verification method. If you cannot verify your student status through your university email, check Zed’s current Education instructions for available options.
Things to Know
Access Ends After One Year
The Student plan lasts for one year and then switches to Zed’s Free plan. It does not automatically become a paid Pro subscription.
Graduating Does Not End Access Early
If you qualify when you apply, your Student plan remains active for the full one-year period even if you graduate during that time.
AI Access Has Limits
The Student plan includes AI features and usage credits, but available models and limits can change over time.
Check Zed’s current Student plan and AI documentation for the latest details.
Your Own API Key May Involve Charges
Zed supports connecting external AI providers and using your own API keys.
Using your own API key may result in charges from that provider, even if you’re using Zed’s Free or Student plan.
Collaboration Is Also Available for Free
Real-time collaboration is not limited to the Student plan, so you can continue using collaboration features after your student benefit ends.
What You Get
The Student plan includes:
- Unlimited edit predictions: Suggested code changes as you work.
- AI usage credits: Included usage for supported AI models.
- Real-time multiplayer collaboration: Work together in the same files.
- Shared terminals and voice chat: Work and communicate with other developers while collaborating.
- External AI connections: Connect supported providers or use your own API keys.