Google is giving eligible college students in the US a major back-to-school perk. The tech giant is offering one full year of Google AI Pro at no cost, a subscription normally priced at $19.99 per month, or nearly $240 over 12 months. The offer comes as Google rolls out a wider set of AI-powered education features across Gemini and Google Search, turning the chatbot into something closer to an all-in-one study assistant, reports Toms Guide.ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, who sold half of her Amazon stake, helped erase $40 billion in medical debt with $100 million in donationsUS students can get Gemini AI Pro free for 12 monthsThe biggest part of the announcement is the free subscription for eligible college students in the US. Google AI Pro normally costs $19.99 a month, but qualifying students can claim the plan for an entire year without paying the subscription fee. Students need to verify their eligibility through SheerID, and the offer is available to redeem through December 31, 2026.The plan comes with higher Gemini usage limits, access to Gemini features integrated into Google services such as Gmail and Docs, and 5TB of cloud storage. Google is also including access to Gemini Spark and other premium capabilities.ALSO READ: Europe’s youngest self-made billionaire: James Dacombe dropped out of high school at 17 to build his startup and now his wealth has crossed the $1 billion mark at 25For students outside the US, Google is offering a different deal. Eligible students in more than 140 markets can receive a free year of Google AI Plus, which includes Gemini Omni, higher usage limits and 400GB of storage.Gemini gets a new student hubGoogle is also making Gemini more useful for students with a dedicated Student Hub. The hub brings several study-focused tools into one place, including study notebooks, flashcards and quizzes. Students can use their class materials to build customized learning resources rather than simply asking Gemini to provide answers.Study notebooks can organize course material and help students create quizzes based on what they are learning. Google is also adding interactive visuals, tables and 3D elements designed to make complicated subjects easier to understand.That could be particularly useful for students dealing with subjects where diagrams and visual explanations are more effective than blocks of text.ALSO READ: 18-year-old California student wins $40,000 in prestigious Regeneron science competition for machine-learning program that could help physicists better understand particle collisionsGoogle Search and Lens are getting smarter for homeworkThe AI upgrades are not limited to the Gemini app. Google Search is adding more learning-focused capabilities, including AI-generated visuals and practice quizzes through AI Mode. Google Lens can also work with photos of worksheets and study material, helping students work through problems step by step.Meanwhile, Gemini Live is getting Deep Research capabilities, allowing students to start research using voice and let Gemini work through a more detailed report.Google is also expanding Notebook-style organization so students can keep their research and class-related material together.ALSO READ: 'She will never leave me': President Donald Trump says aide Natalie Harp 'loves me as much as Melania' as brother calls her “delusionally obsessed”A bigger push into AI-powered educationThe free Gemini offer is arriving as Google prepares for the new academic year and expands its education-focused AI tools. For students, the combination could be significant: $19.99-a-month Google AI Pro for free, 5TB of storage and a growing collection of AI study tools.The bigger question will be how students use those tools. Rather than simply using Gemini to generate answers, Google's new features are clearly designed to make AI part of the studying process itself — from creating quizzes and explaining difficult concepts to organizing research and working through homework.For eligible US college students, however, there is a simple reason to pay attention now: the $240-a-year Google AI Pro subscription is available free for 12 months, making this one of Google's most aggressive student AI offers yet.