Grammarly Premium is an advanced grammar and writing assistant that provides feedback on critical writing errors related to grammar, punctuation, word choice, style, tone, and more. It also offers plagiarism detection and vocabulary enhancement suggestions.
While the free version of Grammarly offers basic writing suggestions, the Premium version provides much more in-depth feedback and analysis. This can be incredibly helpful for students looking to improve their writing skills.
Unfortunately, a Grammarly Premium subscription is not cheap. It costs $30 per month for the quarterly plan and $20 per month for the annual plan. For cash-strapped students, this recurring fee can be prohibitive.
Thankfully, there are ways for students to access Grammarly Premium for free or at a significantly discounted price. This guide will explore seven different methods students can leverage to get advanced Grammarly features without paying full price.
1. Use the Grammarly Free Trial
Grammarly offers a 7-day free trial of Grammarly Premium to new users. This is a great way to test the advanced features for a week before deciding if you want to pay for an ongoing subscription.
To claim the free trial:
- Go to Grammarly.com and click “Sign up.”
- Create a new account using your email and password.
- Select “Try Grammarly Premium free for 7 days in the plan options.”
- Provide payment details even though you will not be charged during the trial period.
- Download and install the Grammarly browser extension or desktop app. You should now have full access to Grammarly Premium.
- Use the Premium features for 7 days, then cancel before the trial ends to avoid being charged.
The free trial gives you a chance to experience Grammarly Premium risk-free. Take advantage of advanced feedback on your writing during the trial to see if the upgrade is worth your cost. Just be sure to cancel ahead if you do not plan on subscribing.
2. Split the Cost with Friends
While individual Grammarly Premium subscriptions are expensive for students, the cost becomes much more manageable if you split a family plan with roommates or classmates.
Grammarly’s family plan allows up to 6 users to share a Premium account for $150 per year. At around $25 per person for a full year of service, this is much cheaper than paying the individual rate of $140 annually.
To go in on a family plan:
- Find 1-5 other people interested in using Grammarly Premium with you. Roommates or classmates make ideal cost-sharing partners.
- Have one person sign up for a new Grammarly account and select the annual family plan.
- They will then be prompted to add up to 5 additional email addresses of family plan members.
- Once invited, the other members input their information and create Grammarly accounts linked to the shared Premium subscription.
- The family plan cost will be divided evenly among the members at checkout. Each person pays their portion of the bill.
Splitting the family plan with others makes Grammarly Premium affordable on a student budget. Just be sure everyone continues paying their share each year to keep the subscription active.
3. Apply for Grammarly’s Student Discount
Grammarly offers discounted student pricing for enrolled college and university students on their Premium subscription. You can get Grammarly for 50% off the normal price with the student discount.
To qualify for the student discount:
- Go to Grammarly’s student pricing page.
- Click “Get Student Discount” and enter your school email address. Your email must be from an accredited academic institution.
- Follow the email verification steps. Grammarly will confirm you are actively enrolled as a student.
- Once verified, you can access Premium annual subscriptions for $7 per month rather than $14.
- The student discount auto-renews yearly as long as you remain enrolled and eligible.
One tip is to use a current school email address that aligns with your Grammarly account for seamless verification. The 50% off student pricing makes Grammarly Premium much more budget-friendly.
4. Sign Up Through Your School
In addition to discounted pricing, some academic institutions also offer Grammarly Premium to students for free.
Many colleges and universities have site-wide licenses with Grammarly to provide Premium access to all enrolled students and faculty members. This allows you to enjoy Grammarly’s robust writing features at no personal cost while studying at that school.
To get Grammarly for free through your academic institution:
- Search online for “your school name + Grammarly” to check if they have an institutional partnership.
- Alternatively, visit your school’s library website or resource hub to look for Grammarly access.
- Follow the instructions provided by your school to log in or sign up for Grammarly Premium via their portal.
- You should have full Premium capabilities linked to an account through your institution.
- Use Grammarly freely while enrolled and covered under your school’s license. Access will terminate after you graduate or are no longer affiliated with the school.
Leveraging your university’s Grammarly license is a great way to get Premium for free as long as you remain an actively enrolled student.
5. Use Grammarly at Your School’s Library
If your college or university does not provide institution-wide Grammarly access, you may still be able to use it for free on computers at your school’s library.
Many campus libraries have individual desktop licenses for various software products, including Grammarly Premium. This allows students to utilize the advanced writing tool while studying and working on papers at the library itself.
To check for Grammarly access through your library:
- Visit your university library’s website and look for the list of available software or online tools.
- Search the library site for “Grammarly” to see if they mention access.
- Ask a librarian if they offer Grammarly Premium on public computers.
- If available, only use Grammarly when signed in and actively working on a library computer per the license terms.
Even if you cannot install Grammarly, taking advantage of the library licenses is helpful. Write and edit papers with Premium assistance while at the library.
6. Use the Microsoft Office Extension
Students with a Microsoft 365 subscription automatically have access to the Grammarly Microsoft Office add-in. This provides Premium Grammarly functionality while writing in MS Word and Outlook.
To set up Grammarly through Microsoft 365:
- Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription with the desktop apps.
- Download and install the Grammarly for MS Office add-in.
- You will now see Grammarly corrections, suggestions, and explanations when using Word or Outlook.
- The Microsoft Office add-in provides the key Grammarly Premium features without an additional Grammarly subscription.
As long as you have Microsoft 365, you can enjoy Grammarly Premium corrections within Word and Outlook at no extra cost.
Note: The MS Office add-in will not work on your browser or other programs. You need the full Premium account for system-wide use. But it does offer a free trial of Grammarly’s advanced capabilities.
7. Join Grammarly Groups or Teams
If you are part of an organization or group with a Grammarly Business or Enterprise team account, you may be able to get Grammarly Premium through your membership.
Many student clubs, publications, departments, and organizations now use Grammarly’s group-based accounts, which include Premium access. If you contribute to any of these groups, you likely qualify for the elevated Grammarly features.
To access Grammarly through an organization:
- Ask student group leaders or campus department admins if their team uses Grammarly.
- Have them invite you to join the Grammarly business or enterprise account.
- Once added as a team member, you will be set up with Grammarly Premium.
- Use Premium when collaborating with the group or working in your role with the organization.
Team Grammarly accounts are a great way to take advantage of Premium as a student at no personal cost. Just ensure you are actively participating with the group that is providing you access.
Conclusion
While Grammarly Premium offers immense value, the monthly or annual subscription fee can be steep for many students. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to access Grammarly’s robust Premium features for free or at a major discount as a student.
Taking advantage of the free trial, student pricing, university partnerships, library access, Microsoft integration, or team accounts allows you to unlock Grammarly’s advanced capabilities on a budget. Use these student-friendly methods to get your hands on Grammarly Premium at little to no cost.
The investment into an enhanced writing and grammar tool like Grammarly can really pay off for students looking to take their academic writing to the next level. Start benefiting from the Premium features today using one of the student-tailored Grammarly access options covered in this guide.