Free Photoshop & AI tools for students! Adobe rolls out Creative Cloud access across 15,000 schools, 500 colleges

In a major boost to digital creativity and AI learning, Adobe has announced free access to its premium creative and productivity tools for Indian students. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the Government of India, will make industry-standard applications available to accredited higher education institutions nationwide.

Under the programme, students will get complimentary access to popular tools including Photoshop, Acrobat and Firefly along with more than 20 desktop, mobile and web apps from the Creative Cloud ecosystem. These include Illustrator, Premiere, Express and Lightroom — software widely used in media, design, filmmaking and marketing industries.

AI-first certifications with industry partnership

The company has also partnered with NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime to provide AI-focused certification programmes. Along with free software access, students will receive structured training to learn how to practically use generative AI tools in real-world workflows.

The scheme will initially benefit students from 15,000 schools and 500 colleges that host Content Creator Labs — a government initiative introduced in the Union Budget 2026 to promote digital skills and creative entrepreneurship.

What students will get

Eligible students will receive:

• Access to 20+ Creative Cloud applications
  
  
• Mobile and web versions of key apps
  
  
• 100 GB cloud storage
  
  
• Standard fair-use credits
  
  
• 25 premium generative AI credits per month
  

To activate the offer, students must have a Federated ID. If not available, Adobe will send a VIP enrollment invitation which must be accepted before account setup.

Not the same as paid plan

The company clarified that this “Creative Cloud Pro India for HED” package differs from its regular student subscription plan, which costs ₹400 for the first month and ₹2,714 thereafter. Some premium features available in Creative Cloud Pro Plus are not included in the free version.

The offer will be reviewed annually, and Adobe retains the right to modify or discontinue it in the future.