Microsoft launched a promotion giving eligible college students 12 months of LinkedIn Premium Career and Microsoft 365 Premium for free — no payment card required if your institution participates in direct verification. The bundle includes unlimited InMail messages, advanced job search filters, profile analytics showing who viewed you, and access to 24,000+ LinkedIn Learning courses. This tutorial walks through the complete signup process, payment card workarounds, international availability, and what happens after your free year ends.
Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility
You need a valid .edu email address from an accredited higher education institution. Microsoft verifies student status through third-party service SheerID, which checks enrollment databases for:
- Community colleges, universities, and technical schools in the U.S., Canada, UK, and 70+ countries
- Students currently enrolled (not alumni—graduated students don’t qualify)
- Active email addresses matching institutional domains ([email protected])
Important: High school students don’t qualify for this specific promotion. Microsoft restricts the offer to “higher education” institutions, typically meaning post-secondary education. Separate K-12 student programs exist but don’t include LinkedIn Premium.
Step 2: Navigate to the Student Signup Page
- Visit microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/college-student-pricing
- Click the blue “Get Started” or “Verify Student Status” button
- Sign in with your existing Microsoft account or create one (use any email — doesn’t need to be your .edu address yet)
- The system redirects to SheerID verification portal
Alternative entry: LinkedIn.com → Premium → “Students” section may also link to this promo, though Microsoft’s direct signup page provides the clearest path.
Step 3: Complete Student Verification
SheerID asks for these details to confirm enrollment:
- First and Last Name: Must match school records
- School Email: Enter your .edu address
- School Name: Select from dropdown or type to search
- Country: Where your institution is located
Click “Verify”. SheerID processes verification in 1-3 minutes for most institutions. If instant verification fails, you may need to upload enrollment documentation—check your school email for instructions including a verification link to complete manually.
If Verification Fails
Common issues and fixes:
- School not in database: Smaller institutions may require manual verification via document upload (student ID, enrollment letter, transcript with current semester)
- Email doesn’t match records: Use the exact email format your school issued, including any middle initials or numbers
- Already graduated: Alumni aren’t eligible—verification checks current enrollment status
Step 4: Payment Card Setup (Required Even for “Free” Offers)
Microsoft requires a payment method to activate the free trial, which auto-renews at $9.99/month after 12 months unless cancelled. Here’s how users work around this:
Option 1: Virtual/Prepaid Debit Card (Safest)
Use a prepaid Visa/Mastercard with minimal balance ($5-10) or virtual card services:
- Privacy.com: Generate single-use virtual cards (U.S. only)
- Revolut/Wise: International virtual cards with spending limits
- Bank virtual cards: Many banks offer disposable card numbers through mobile apps
Why this works: If you forget to cancel before the 12-month mark, the card declines the $9.99 charge instead of automatically billing you. Microsoft sends warning emails before charging.
Option 2: International Cards (Google Pay Method)
For users outside the U.S. with local currency cards (Naira Mastercard mentioned in comments):
- Add your Mastercard/Visa to Google Pay
- Select Google Pay as payment method during Microsoft signup
- Authorize the $0 verification hold (immediately released)
This bypasses some regional card restrictions Microsoft’s direct payment processor enforces. Google Pay acts as intermediary, handling currency conversion and authorization.
Option 3: Regular Bank Card (Set Calendar Reminder)
If using your primary debit/credit card:
- Set phone calendar reminder for 11 months from now to cancel subscription
- Enable email notifications from Microsoft billing (they send 7-day and 1-day warnings)
- Note that Microsoft charges on the activation date anniversary, not calendar month
Step 5: Activate Your Subscriptions
After verification completes:
- You receive confirmation email with activation links
- Click “Activate LinkedIn Premium” in email or visit premium.linkedin.com
- Sign in with your LinkedIn account (create one if you don’t have it)
- Premium activates immediately—check for the “Premium” gold badge on your profile
- Download Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) from your Microsoft account dashboard
Note: LinkedIn Premium and Microsoft 365 Premium are separate activations—you need to set up both individually even though they’re in the same offer bundle.
What You Actually Get for 12 Months
| Feature | LinkedIn Premium Career | Microsoft 365 Premium |
|---|---|---|
| InMail Credits | 5 per month (contact anyone) | N/A |
| Profile Analytics | See all profile viewers, search appearances | N/A |
| Job Applicant Insights | See how you compare to other candidates | N/A |
| LinkedIn Learning | 24,000+ courses with certificates | N/A |
| AI Assistant | N/A | Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4 powered) |
| Cloud Storage | N/A | 1TB OneDrive storage |
| Office Apps | N/A | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook |
International Availability and Regional Restrictions
The promotion officially supports students in 70+ countries, but availability varies by region:
Confirmed Working (As of January 2026):
- United States, Canada: Full access, direct verification
- United Kingdom, EU countries: Most institutions supported
- India: Microsoft 365 Personal trial exclusion applies (per LinkedIn’s partner benefits FAQ), but LinkedIn Premium works
- Australia, New Zealand: Supported
- Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya (Africa): Payment processing requires Google Pay workaround or virtual cards
Potential Issues:
- China: LinkedIn operates as localized version without full Premium features
- Russia: Sanction-related payment processor blocks
- Smaller nations: School database coverage incomplete—manual verification needed
How to Cancel Before the Free Year Ends
To avoid auto-renewal charges 12 months from now:
Cancel LinkedIn Premium:
- LinkedIn.com → Click your profile icon → Settings & Privacy
- Account → Subscriptions
- Click “Cancel subscription”
- Choose “Cancel my Premium subscription” (not pause)
- You retain Premium access until the 12-month anniversary date
Cancel Microsoft 365 Premium:
- Visit account.microsoft.com/services
- Find Microsoft 365 Premium in your subscriptions
- Click “Manage” → “Turn off recurring billing”
- Confirm—you keep access until expiration date
Pro tip: Cancel immediately after activation. Both services let you use the full 12 months even if recurring billing is disabled right away. This guarantees you won’t forget later.
Alternative Methods (If Student Offer Doesn’t Work)
If you don’t have a .edu email or verification fails:
- Visual Studio Dev Essentials: Free Microsoft program giving 1 month LinkedIn Premium Career (no card required)
- University career services: Some schools provide LinkedIn Premium licenses through campus agreements—check your career center
- Public library: Many libraries offer free LinkedIn Learning access (not full Premium, but courses work)
- Standard 1-month trial: Available to everyone (card required, auto-renews)
What Happens After 12 Months
When your free year ends:
- LinkedIn Premium attempts to charge $39.99/month for Career plan (or whatever tier is current pricing)
- Microsoft 365 Premium tries charging $9.99/month
- If payment fails: Subscriptions downgrade to free tiers, you lose Premium features but keep accounts
- Downloaded Office documents remain accessible (read-only if subscription lapses)
- LinkedIn Learning course progress saves but new courses require Premium or institutional access
Important: LinkedIn InMail messages you’ve sent remain in recipients’ inboxes, but you can’t send new ones after Premium expires.
Academic Integrity and Fair Use
While using Microsoft 365’s Copilot AI for coursework, remember:
- Check your school’s AI usage policies—some courses prohibit AI-generated content
- Disclose AI assistance where required by instructors
- Use Copilot for outlining/editing, not generating entire assignments
- Cross-check AI outputs for accuracy—Copilot can confidently cite nonexistent sources
Most universities adopted AI policies throughout 2025, typically requiring transparency about AI usage rather than outright bans.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
“Payment method declined”: Try Google Pay with your local card, or use a virtual card service. Microsoft’s processor blocks some international cards directly but accepts them through Google Pay.
“School not found in database”: Use your institution’s official full name, not abbreviations. If still not found, contact SheerID support with enrollment proof.
“You’re not eligible”: Verify you’re currently enrolled (not alumni), using an active .edu email, and meet age requirements (typically 18+).
“Already used trial before”: This 12-month student promotion is separate from the standard 1-month trial. You can use both, though not simultaneously.
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