Microsoft DreamSpark Is Now Azure for Students: Free Software for Students (2026)

Back in 2008 Microsoft launched DreamSpark, giving students free copies of Visual Studio 2008, Expression Studio, SQL Server and XNA Game Studio. DreamSpark later became Microsoft Imagine, and today it’s Azure Dev Tools for Teaching and Azure for Students. Students now get even more free software and cloud credits than DreamSpark ever offered. Here’s what’s available in 2026 and how to claim it.

Quick answer: Microsoft DreamSpark no longer exists; its replacement is Azure for Students, which gives full-time university students a $100 Azure credit (no credit card needed), free cloud services and developer tools, renewable each year. Pair it with the GitHub Student Developer Pack (free GitHub Pro, Copilot Student and many partner offers) and the free Visual Studio Community and VS Code.

What replaced Microsoft DreamSpark?

• 2008: DreamSpark launched with free Visual Studio, Expression and SQL Server for verified students.
• 2015: renamed Microsoft Imagine.
• Today: Azure Dev Tools for Teaching (for schools) and Azure for Students (for individual students), accessed through the Azure Education Hub.

What students get free in 2026

Azure for Students

• $100 Azure credit to use within 12 months, with no credit card required.
• Free monthly amounts of popular services, such as virtual machines, databases and serverless functions.
• Developer software through the Azure Education Hub.
• Renew every year while you’re a student.

GitHub Student Developer Pack

The GitHub Student Developer Pack bundles free GitHub Pro, GitHub Copilot Student for verified students, Codespaces, a free JetBrains IDE subscription, cloud credits and courses from partners.

Free Microsoft developer tools for everyone

• Visual Studio Community: the free, full-featured edition for students, open source and individual developers.
• Visual Studio Code: free code editor for every language; see our list of free HTML editors.
• .NET SDK and many Microsoft Learn courses, all free.

More free software for students

• Microsoft 365 Education: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote online free for students at eligible schools; sign up with your school email.
• JetBrains IDEs: free educational licences for IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm and others.
• Autodesk Education: free access to tools like AutoCAD and Fusion for eligible students and educators.
• Figma Education: free professional features for verified students and teachers.

Always use official sign-up pages and your school email; avoid “free licence key” sites, which often bundle malware.

How to sign up

1. Go to the Azure for Students page and click Start free.
2. Sign in with a Microsoft account.
3. Verify your student status with your school email address.
4. Explore the Azure Education Hub for credits, software and learning paths.
5. Apply separately for the GitHub Student Developer Pack with proof of enrolment.

What happened to DreamSpark’s designer tools?

Expression Studio was discontinued in 2012. Designers today use free tools like Figma’s education plan, Inkscape or Canva, and developers use the tools above.

Starting to code? Read our guide to web application development for beginners.

FAQ

Is Microsoft DreamSpark still available?

No. It became Microsoft Imagine and then Azure for Students and Azure Dev Tools for Teaching.

Do I need a credit card for Azure for Students?

No. You only need to verify that you’re a student.

Can high school students get free tools?

Yes, some offers, including Azure options for ages 13 to 17 in the GitHub pack, are available to younger students.