Free access to OpenAI models for 100,000 researchers

OpenAI's ChatGPT for Academic Researchers program is opening its free access to 100,000 scientists. A measure to support external research.

The ChatGPT for Academic Researchers program plans to equip 100,000 scientists, mathematicians, and engineers affiliated with selected academic institutions free of charge. An initial cohort of 10,000 individuals is already benefiting from the initiative, notably at the Institute for Advanced Study and the École normale supérieure.

Participants will have access to models from the GPT-5.6 family, including GPT-5.6 Sol Pro, as well as ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex. Higher usage limits, extended context windows, and more in-depth searches are set to support tasks ranging from genomic analysis and protein modeling to programming, literature reviews, grant proposals, and scientific writing.

Each selected researcher will be able to invite up to four collaborators from their institution. Workspaces will incorporate protections comparable to professional offerings, and data will not be used by default to train the models. The program also includes training, technical support, and exchanges among researchers.

Applications are restricted to active members of universities or degree-granting institutions recognized for their research activity. Interested individuals must confirm their affiliation and present their field of work as well as their envisioned scientific use case.

This initiative is part of an announced commitment of over $250 million in support of external scientific research, alongside the NextGenAI program and collaborations with laboratories and universities.