Understand Copilot options in education
Microsoft uses the term 'Copilot' broadly, but not all Copilot experiences are managed or governed the same way. In Microsoft 365 Education tenants, the most important distinction is between Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Copilot Chat is a secure AI chat experience available at no additional cost for eligible education tenants when users sign in with their school account. It supports summarization, brainstorming, and general assistance, but doesn't enable AI features inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Teams. Copilot Chat is web-grounded, EDP-protected, and institution-managed.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add‑on license. When assigned, it enables AI assistance directly inside Microsoft 365 apps, allowing users to draft content, summarize meetings, analyze data, and generate presentations using their organizational data.
Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot are accessed through the Microsoft 365 Copilot app; licensing determines whether responses are grounded in web data only or organizational data.
Note
Consumer Copilot experiences, such as personal Microsoft 365 subscriptions or public web Copilot, are outside institutional control and shouldn't be considered part of a managed school deployment.
| Copilot Chat (free) | Microsoft 365 Copilot | Consumer Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Cost: No additional cost with Microsoft 365 Education | Cost: Paid add-on license | Cost: Personal or promotional plans |
| Access: School account (work/school) | Access: Licensed school account | Access: Personal Microsoft account |
| Features: AI chat for questions and brainstorming | Features: Integrated in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more | Features: AI tools for web and home use |
| Managed by your institution | Controlled by your institution | Not managed by your institution |