ChatGPT Education

ChatGPT Education is an educational version of the AI application ChatGPT designed for higher education institutions. It enables users to create texts, analyze content, support teaching, and improve everyday work processes in a secure way. The ChatGPT service is provided by OpenAI, with whom the University of Tartu has signed a one-year agreement (5 December 2025 – 5 December 2026). At the current stage, licenses are offered primarily to employees.

Purpose

ChatGPT Education is suitable for:

• creating texts such as guidelines, lecture materials, or emails;

• analyzing and summarizing large documents, texts, and datasets;

• creating learning materials, assessment questions, or idea drafts;

• supporting linguistic editing, rewriting, and translation of texts;

• simplifying complex topics;

• facilitating the automation of repetitive work tasks.

Prerequisites

• A University of Tartu user account.

• Payment for the license approved by the financial authority and a license ordered via the IT department.
  If not yet ordered, you can submit a request in the requests portal. Include:

  • the license holder’s name,

  • ut.ee email (firstname.lastname@ut.ee),

  • whether you want additional features (yes/no),

  • the financial source covering the license,

  • the person responsible for that financial source.

• A web browser and internet connection.

What does the license include?

The ChatGPT Education license allows the use of OpenAI’s latest language model GPT-5.2 Chat in a secure, privacy-protecting environment.

Base license includes:

• ChatGPT Edu (secure environment)

• GPT-5.2 Chat and GPT-4o language models

• Web search (ability to search the internet)

• Canvas (interactive workspace for documents and code)

• Custom GPT creation (automation of work tasks)

Available for an additional fee:

• Reasoning models (e.g. GPT-5.2 Thinking) and older models
  (GPT-5, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.5, o3, o3-pro, o4-mini)

• Deep Research (for in-depth analysis)

• ImageGen (image generation)

• Voice (voice features)

• Agent (agent mode that searches web pages)

• Codex and other new products

These features are used based on separate credits, if enabled for the user (disabled by default).

The most up-to-date information on credits and feature availability is available on the OpenAI website.

Guide

First visit: Invitation to the OpenAI workspace and login

1. Once a license has been ordered and ChatGPT Education activated, OpenAI will send an invitation to your ut.ee email account to join the University of Tartu workspace. The email subject will be “OpenAI has invited you to ChatGPT Edu” (or the Estonian equivalent). The message is sent from noreplay@tm.openai.com. If the invitation has not arrived, please also check your spam/junk folder. If issues persist, contact IT helpdesk via the requests portal or helpdesk@ut.ee. 

2. Click the Join Workspace link in the email.

3. In the browser window that opens, enter your ut.ee email address (firstname.lastname@ut.ee) in the bottom field and click Continue.
   

4. On the next screen, select “Tartu Edu” and proceed with standard university authentication:
   • username and password or ID card, Mobile-ID, or Smart-ID.

   • On first login, two-factor authentication is required.

5. If you previously created a ChatGPT account using your ut.ee email address, ChatGPT will offer to transfer data and delete the previous account (check screenshot below) 
   
   

   What happens during data transfer for different account types:

   • Free account
     Data transfer may be delayed. If your previous conversations have not been transferred within 5 days and you still want to retrieve them, please submit a request to IT support so that OpenAI can be involved in data recovery. We recommend transferring only materials that are genuinely needed for work purposes.

   • Plus or Pro account
     Data transfer will take place, but access to your previous license and its associated features will be lost. You will only be able to use EDU workspace features, as the previous license will be cancelled. ChatGPT will automatically process a reconciliation and refund the cost of the previous license within 10 business days to the account from which the payment was made.

   • Business account
     Data transfer is not offered. Instead, a separate workspace called “University of Tartu EDU” will be created for you. Data from your previous account will remain associated with the previous license and can be accessed by switching workspaces. Access to the University of Tartu EDU workspace requires logging in via SSO.

6. After successful login, you will be asked to confirm that you comply with the requirements and recommendations for using AI tools under the license, after which you can start using ChatGPT.

Using the environment

After logging in, the chat view opens.

1. Enter your question or task in the input field.

2. You can attach files if needed.
   

3. Press Enter or click the arrow icon to start the conversation.

To familiarize yourself with AI usage opportunities, we recommend completing the free Digital State Academy course "Introduction to the field of generative artificial intelligence" (in Estonian). 

Privacy and security

• Kui koostad tööks olulisi juhiseid, dokumentide või õppematerjale, siis soovitame need alati varundada ülikooli teistesse keskkondadesse (nt OneDrive või SharePoint), sest ChatGPT Education kontol asuvad andmed ei pruugi pidevalt ja igavesti kättesaadavad olla. Tegemist on pidevas arenduses oleva rakendusega, mille kasutuslitsents on meil hetkel 2026. aasta lõpuni.
• Tartu Ülikooli IT osakond ei näe vestluste sisu. Süsteemi haldavad ülikooli töötajad näevad ainult üldist kasutusstatistikat ja organisatsiooni tööruumis avaldatud GPT-de ja projektide nime ning loojat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Access and accounts

How do I get access to ChatGPT Education?
ChatGPT Education is a paid license that requires approval of a financial source and a completed request in the requests portal. Include all required details (license holder, ut.ee email, additional features, financial source, responsible authority).

Why can’t I log in even though I have a UT account?
The service may not be ordered or activated yet. If the invitation has not arrived within 24 hours, check your spam folder and contact IT support if needed.

Can I use ChatGPT Education if I previously had a personal OpenAI account?
Yes. Personal accounts (e.g. Gmail-based) remain separate. Logging in via university SSO creates a distinct University of Tartu EDU account. Keep personal and work accounts separate.

Can I create an account without an invitation?
No. Accounts are created only through the university.

How long can I use ChatGPT?
The initial license is valid until 5 December 2026. Before expiry, IT will assess renewal options and alternatives.

How many people can use one license?
One license per person. The license is personal and tied to the user’s ut.ee account.

What happens if an employee leaves the university?
The license is removed and access ends. Any data that needs to be kept must be saved manually beforehand.

Usage and features

Why not continue using the free version of ChatGPT?
Paid versions offer two key advantages: security (GDPR-compliant, no model training on your data) and more features. If you prefer not to pay, the university recommends Copilot Chat, which is free for UT staff and secure.

Does ChatGPT Education work on mobile?
Yes, both in the browser and the app when logging in via SSO.

Can it analyze specialized texts?
Yes, but domain-specific conclusions remain the user’s responsibility.

Can it help with coding or data analysis?
Yes, provided no personal or sensitive data is included.

Can conversations be shared?
Yes, via web links, but only with workspace members. Do not share sensitive content.

Are conversations saved?
Yes, under the user profile until deleted.

What are custom GPTs?
Custom GPTs allow configuring a model’s behavior, role, rules, and reference documents. They can be shared within the workspace.

What are projects?
Projects are folders that group conversations and files by topic, maintaining context. Projects can be shared, and all members can see the conversations.

Usage and teaching

Can ChatGPT be used to create learning materials?
Yes, this is one of its main use cases.

Can lecturers assign tasks to students that involve the use of AI?
Yes, provided that this supports the intended learning outcomes and complies with the principles of academic integrity.
If students do not have access to a paid AI license, students and staff of the University of Tartu can use the AI tool Copilot Chat free of charge with a ut.ee account.

Does ChatGPT help with translation and editing?
Yes. It can simplify text, rephrase content, improve style, and translate.

Will Microsoft Copilot Chat be discontinued?
No. ChatGPT is simply an additional option. The university will continue to centrally provide Microsoft Copilot Chat for both staff and students.
It is also still possible to order Microsoft Copilot 365 for an additional fee.

Privacy and data protection

Is my input used for training AI models?
No. Data entered into the Education version is not used to train models.
Therefore, for work-related use, we recommend ChatGPT Education or Copilot Chat, both of which are covered by agreements with the University of Tartu that comply with EU data protection and information security requirements.

May I enter work-related information?
Only if it is not confidential and you have the right to process such data.

Troubleshooting

What should I do if I cannot log in?
Try refreshing the page, closing the browser, or starting a new session.
If the problem persists, contact IT support.

Does the service work outside the university network?
Yes. An internet connection and the ability to authenticate via SSO are sufficient.

Support and contact

If you need help with access or usage:

• Email: helpdesk@ut.ee

• Web: https://it.ut.ee

Additional information

• Digital State Academy course "Introduction to the field of generative artificial intelligence" (in Estonian). 

• Guidelines for using AI applications for teaching and studies
• Educational material: Learning and teaching in the age of artificial intelligence: how to use text bots in teaching | Artificial Intelligence at the University of Tartu
• OpenAI Academy