[ COMPARE ]
Microsoft Copilot for students and Nexus
Copilot Chat is free with Microsoft 365 Education for students 13 and older. Here is what it gives students and teachers, and what Nexus adds: approved models from several providers and a learning mode on every class chat.
[ SUMMARY ]
The short version
Copilot Chat is free with Microsoft 365 Education for students 13 and older, once IT turns it on. Teachers can set AI rules per assignment and see aggregated activity. Nexus adds models from several providers your school approves, a class learning mode students cannot change, and teacher review of class chats. One caveat for Microsoft schools: Nexus signs people in with Google accounts today, and Microsoft sign-in is not available yet.
What Microsoft offers students
Students 13 and older can use Copilot Chat, which is off by default for K-12; IT must turn it on and set the age group. The Study and Learn agent asks before it tells and costs nothing extra. Teachers can set AI rules per assignment, from no AI to full Copilot Chat, and see aggregated live activity in Learning Zone.
From mid-October 2026, Copilot adds content-safety protections for users 13 to 17 by default, and student access depends on the age-group attribute in Entra ID. Copilot Chat comes with A1, A3 and A5 licenses; Microsoft 365 Copilot costs $18 per user per month for education (as of October 2025).
On Sep 9, 2026, Microsoft, the AFT and the UFT announced a National AI Safety & Privacy Standard for schools: no training on student data, no sale, and school control of retention. Which products it covers, and from when, was not confirmed when we checked.
Side by side
Facts as of Oct 18, 2026, from Microsoft's education blog, its Copilot in education page and the Microsoft 365 message center.
| Item | Nexus | Microsoft Copilot Chat for students |
|---|---|---|
| Ages | Students 13 and older | Students 13 and older; off by default for K-12 |
| Models | Approved by your school per class, from several providers; students can compare two or three | Microsoft-managed |
| Rules students cannot leave | A class learning mode: Hints, Guided, or Full answer with critique | Teachers set AI rules per assignment, from no AI to full Copilot Chat |
| What teachers see | Class chats, with notice; personal chats are not shown to teachers; every read logged | Aggregated live activity in Learning Zone; Microsoft does not say teachers can read student chats |
| Sign-in | Google sign-in; Microsoft sign-in not available yet | Microsoft 365 accounts |
| Price | See Nexus pricing | Copilot Chat included with A1, A3 and A5; Microsoft 365 Copilot $18 per user per month for education |
How often districts allow Copilot
Districts treat Copilot differently from other chatbots. In Lightspeed's 2026 EdTech App Report, ChatGPT and Gemini were each allowed in 93% of its customer districts, and Copilot in 54%. Lightspeed does not say whether "allowed" covers students or only staff.
Where Nexus differs
- Models from more than one company. Your school approves models per class, and students can compare answers from two or three of them. Comparing answers lets students practice the skill the OECD and European Commission framework names: "Evaluate whether AI outputs should be accepted, revised or rejected."
- A mode on every class chat. In Copilot, teachers set rules per assignment. In Nexus, each class has a learning mode that students cannot change, on any assignment they bring.
- Teacher review, with notice. Teachers can review class chats, students are told when they can, and Nexus records who opened each class conversation.
Before a Microsoft school pilots Nexus
Plan for sign-in first. Nexus signs people in with Google today, and Microsoft sign-in, SAML, Clever and ClassLink are not available in the school edition yet, so pilot accounts need Google accounts. A connection that brings class materials from Microsoft Teams into a Nexus class is in progress. See Nexus and Microsoft Teams.
When Copilot may be enough
- Your school runs Microsoft 365 and wants a no-extra-cost option for students 13 and older.
- Per-assignment AI rules and aggregated views meet your teachers' needs.
- You do not need staff to read individual student chats, or students to compare models.
[ FAQ ]
Questions and answers
Can students use Microsoft Copilot at school?
Students 13 and older can use Copilot Chat with Microsoft 365 Education, but it is off by default for K-12. IT must turn it on and set the age group (Microsoft, May 2026).
Does Copilot Chat cost extra for students?
No. Copilot Chat and the Study and Learn agent come at no extra cost with Microsoft 365 Education licenses. Microsoft 365 Copilot is a separate paid product at $18 per user per month for education (as of Oct 2025).
Can teachers read student Copilot chats?
Microsoft describes aggregated live activity for teachers in Learning Zone, and does not say teachers can read student chats (as of Oct 18, 2026).
Does Nexus work with Microsoft sign-in?
Not yet. Nexus signs people in with Google today. Microsoft sign-in, SAML, Clever and ClassLink are not available in the school edition yet.
[ SOURCES ]
Sources
Facts checked Oct 18, 2026.
- 1Microsoft Education Blog, Study and Learn: AI built for your studentMay 13, 2026 · microsoft.com
- 2Microsoft Education Blog, new Microsoft 365 education experiencesJun 24, 2026 · microsoft.com
- 3Microsoft, Copilot in education2025-10 · microsoft.com
- 4Microsoft 365 message center MC1509805 (Copilot protections for users 13 to 17)Oct 15, 2026 · mc.merill.net
- 5Microsoft, AFT and UFT, National AI Safety & Privacy Standard for schoolsSep 9, 2026 · news.microsoft.com
- 6Lightspeed Systems, 2026 EdTech App Report2026 · lightspeedsystems.com
- 7OECD and European Commission, AILit Framework2026 · ailiteracyframework.org
[ AI FOR SCHOOLS ]
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