Oxford becomes first UK university to offer ChatGPT Edu to all staff and students

OpenAI's flagship GPT-5 model will be provided across the University and Oxford Colleges through ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT built for universities that includes enterprise-level security and controls.

The University of Oxford will become the first university in the UK to provide free access to the most advanced tier of ChatGPT to all staff and students, starting this academic year.

OpenAI's flagship GPT-5 model will be provided across the University and Oxford Colleges through ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT built for universities that includes enterprise-level security and controls. This university-wide rollout follows a successful year-long pilot involving around 750 academics, research staff, postgraduate research students and professional services staff in a wide range of roles across the University and Colleges.

Designed for the education sector, ChatGPT Edu offers enhanced privacy and information security and ensures that data is retained within the University.

Professor Anne Trefethen, the University of Oxford's Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Digital, said: 'As part of the University's ongoing collaboration with OpenAI and our expanding provision of AI tools, we are providing inclusive access to ChatGPT Edu. This is an exciting step in our ongoing process of digital transformation.

Through robust governance, training, guidance and support, we are encouraging safe and responsible use within a secure environment

Professor Anne Trefethen

'We know that significant numbers of staff and students are already using generative AI tools. There is huge potential for us to harness this to accelerate high-impact, curiosity-led research and innovation, and to facilitate breakthroughs that could address major global challenges. There are also significant opportunities to improve our operational efficiency and to enhance the services that support our world-leading teaching and research. Through robust governance, training, guidance and support, we are encouraging safe and responsible use within a secure environment. All our students will be able to utilise ChatGPT Edu as an accessible tool for study, to enrich and personalise their learning, opening up new opportunities to explore and create.'

Jayna Devani, International Education Lead at OpenAI said: 'Oxford University is setting a new standard for how AI can enrich higher education, giving students more opportunities for personalised learning, improving efficiencies for faculty, and helping advance research breakthroughs. By making ChatGPT Edu available to everyone, Oxford is equipping all its students, academics and staff with the AI skills, tools and training they need to truly benefit from this transformative technology and succeed in the AI era.'

The University's training and guidance on the safe and responsible use of generative AI, for both staff and students, emphasises ethical usage, critical thinking and responsible application.

From this term, all staff including academics, professional services and support staff, research staff, and students will have access to a range of enhanced, in-person and online courses and course recordings from specialists within the University, on the use of ChatGPT Edu and other generative AI tools. Users will also be able to access free training and webinars on getting started with generative AI, via the OpenAI Academy.

Ongoing support with getting the most out of these tools is provided by a dedicated AI Competency Centre and a growing network of staff and student AI Ambassadors. As well as mandatory information security training for all staff, which covers the use of AI, tailored guidance is available on the use of AI tools in research, study, communications and for the delivery of student assessments. This is being continuously reviewed.

A new Digital Governance Unit has also been created within the University's central services, along with an AI Governance Group that will oversee the adoption of new technologies in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Professor Freya Johnston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University, added: 'University-wide access to ChatGPT Edu will support the development of rigorous academic skills and digital literacy, so that we prepare our graduates to thrive and lead by example in an AI-enabled world. Generative AI is also helping us to explore new ways of engaging with students, alongside our renowned face-to-face teaching and tutorial model, which emphasises critical thinking and contextual analysis.'

Sarah Friar, Chief Financial Officer at OpenAI, a former student of St Anne's College, Oxford and current Global Advisory Board member of the Oxford Blavatnik School of Government, said: 'As an Oxford graduate, I'm proud to see the University leading the way in giving faculty and students the skills and tools to use this powerful technology to advance learning and research. With this thoughtful rollout, every Oxford student will graduate ready to thrive in an AI-enabled workplace.'

University-wide access to ChatGPT Edu will support the development of rigorous academic skills and digital literacy

Professor Freya Johnston

As part of the University's strategic partnership with OpenAI, pilots are already underway to digitise the Bodleian Libraries' collections, exploring whether AI tools could make centuries-old knowledge easier for scholars worldwide to search and discover.

There are also plans for a jointly funded research programme between the Oxford Martin School and OpenAI, to explore the societal impact of the development and widespread use of generative AI. There will be an open call for proposals from within the University, during the 2025/26 academic year, with details to follow in the coming months. This research project forms part of OpenAI's NextGenAI programme, a first-of-its-kind consortium with 15 leading research institutions dedicated to using AI to accelerate research breakthroughs and transform education.

Alongside inclusive access to enterprise-level ChatGPT Edu accounts, the University also provides secure and supported access to other leading generative AI tools. This includes access to Copilot Chat through Microsoft's Nexus365, with the option for departments to purchase additional Copilot for Microsoft365 licences, and to Gemini and NotebookLM through the University's Google workspace.