Short answer: most UK teachers already have a free version of Microsoft Copilot through their school account. The confusion comes from Microsoft having several products called "Copilot". Here is what is free, what costs extra, and how to check what your school has.
The short answer
If your school uses Microsoft 365 Education, you almost certainly have access to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat at no extra cost when you sign in with your school account. It is a chat assistant that works on the web and in Microsoft apps, with enterprise data protection: your prompts and responses stay within your school's Microsoft environment and are not used to train the underlying models.
What is not free is Microsoft 365 Copilot — the paid add-on that works inside Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams using your school files and emails. That is a per-user licence the school has to buy.
The Copilot versions, in plain English
| Version | Cost to teachers | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot Chat (school account) | Included with Microsoft 365 Education | Web-grounded chat with enterprise data protection; can work with content you paste or upload |
| Microsoft 365 Copilot | Paid add-on licence | Built into Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams, and can use your school files, email and calendar |
| Consumer Copilot (personal account) | Free, with paid upgrades | Personal use — not covered by your school's data protection |
For the full cost breakdown, see what Microsoft Copilot actually costs UK schools.
How to check you are using the free, protected version
- Sign in with your school Microsoft account, not a personal one.
- Look for a shield or "protected" indicator showing enterprise data protection is on.
- If you cannot see Copilot at all, your IT provider may not have enabled it yet. Our guide to setting up Copilot education accounts explains what they need to do.
Want a straight answer for your school?
Ask me anything about AI in your school — policy, tools, training or safeguarding. I reply personally, usually the same day.
Is the free version good enough?
For most teachers, yes. Copilot Chat handles drafting letters, creating quizzes, adapting texts, generating lesson ideas and summarising documents you paste in. The paid version earns its cost mainly for staff who live in email and documents all day — business managers, office teams and senior leaders — where having Copilot inside Outlook and Word saves real time.
Before buying paid licences, train staff to use the free version well. Most schools find usage of the free tool is low simply because nobody showed staff what it can do. See what CPD teachers need before rolling out AI.
Can my school see what I type into Copilot?
Using your school account means your interactions are treated as school data, and administrators can retrieve them through compliance tools where configured. We explain this in detail in can your school see what you do in Copilot?
What about pupils?
Microsoft has extended Copilot Chat to students with school accounts, subject to age requirements and school settings. That is a separate decision for your school, covered in Microsoft Copilot for students in UK schools.
Five things to try in Copilot Chat this week
- Draft a parent letter from bullet points.
- Turn a textbook passage into a ten-question quiz.
- Rewrite a text at a lower reading age.
- Summarise a long guidance document into key actions.
- Generate three worked examples for a maths concept.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Copilot free for teachers?
Yes, in most cases. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is included with Microsoft 365 Education when you sign in with your school account, with enterprise data protection. The full Microsoft 365 Copilot inside Office apps is a paid add-on.
What is the difference between Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Copilot Chat is a protected chat assistant included with education licences. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add-on built into Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams that can use your school files and email.
How do I know I have the protected version?
Sign in with your school account and look for the enterprise data protection indicator. If Copilot is missing, ask your IT provider to enable it.
Does Microsoft train its AI on my school Copilot chats?
With enterprise data protection on a school account, prompts and responses are not used to train the underlying models.
Should our school buy Microsoft 365 Copilot licences?
Train staff on the free Copilot Chat first. Paid licences make most sense for staff who spend their day in email and documents, such as business managers and senior leaders.