Get started with ChatGPT Edu: request access, sign in with your University of Maine System (UMS) credentials, make sure you're in the UMS workspace, and try your first conversation.
ChatGPT Edu is opt-in, so you request access to the UMS ChatGPT Edu workspace before you sign in. You only need to do this once.
Already use ChatGPT with your @maine.edu address? Read the UMS ChatGPT Edu Migration Overview before you request access. Requesting access starts a migration prompt for that account.
- Select Request access below to open the ChatGPT Edu access package.
- Select I'm ready to move to ChatGPT Edu.
- Submit your request. You can leave the business justification box blank.
- Allow up to one hour for the request to process.
Request access
Once your request has processed, sign in. You can also use the ChatGPT button on the myCampus launchpad.
- Go to chatgpt.com (External Link).
- Enter your UMS email address ending in @maine.edu. Don't select Google, Microsoft, Apple, or another sign-in option.
- On the login screen, select University of Maine System ChatGPT Edu.
- Sign in with your UMS credentials through single sign-on.
- If you're asked to choose a workspace, select University of Maine System ChatGPT Edu.
- Check that the UMS workspace name or logo appears in the sidebar or account menu. That means you're in the UMS ChatGPT Edu workspace, not a personal account.
For more detail and troubleshooting, see Logging into ChatGPT Edu.
Use ChatGPT Edu for UMS work. Use your UMS ChatGPT Edu account, not a personal account, for UMS work. Conversations and data in the UMS ChatGPT Edu workspace aren't used to train OpenAI's models.
ChatGPT Edu is available to UMS employees and active students as a secure, UMS-supported AI tool for teaching, learning, research, and daily work.
The interface at a glance
- Sidebar: Your conversations and Projects.
- Model picker: Choose how much ChatGPT thinks. Instant is the default, fast and free. Higher levels take longer and use credits.
- Message composer: Type your prompt, attach files, and open tools such as search and deep research.
Key features to explore
| Feature |
What it does |
How to start |
| Web search |
Finds current information online |
Tools menu → Search |
| File upload |
Works with documents, spreadsheets, images, and other files |
Attachment icon in the message composer |
| Data analysis |
Creates summaries, charts, and statistics from your data |
Upload a CSV or Excel file and ask a question |
| Canvas |
Gives you a side-by-side space for editing text or code |
Ask ChatGPT to use Canvas |
| Projects |
Keeps related chats, files, and instructions together |
Sidebar → Projects → New project |
| Plugins |
Bring reusable instructions, reference files, and apps to a task |
Type @ and the plugin name, or select + → More |
| Deep research |
Runs extended, multi-source research and returns a report with citations |
Tools menu → Deep research |
| Image generation |
Creates images from text descriptions |
Ask ChatGPT to create an image |
| Memory |
Remembers selected preferences across conversations |
Manage in Settings |
| Work (faculty and staff) |
Handles longer, multi-step tasks |
On the web, select Work |
| Sites (faculty and staff) |
Builds simple websites and web apps you can share |
In Work, ask for a website or type @Sites |
What's free and what uses credits
Instant, web search, file uploads, Canvas, Projects, and Memory are free to use. Each day you also get 3 free images and 5 free deep research tasks. Higher thinking levels, more images or research, voice, Work, and Sites use your monthly credits. For details, see ChatGPT - Plans & Usage Limits.
Use it responsibly
Your use of ChatGPT Edu must follow UMS policies and practices, including those on data protection, academic integrity, accessibility, and responsible technology use. Guidelines and policies are on the UMS AI Hub.
Type a question or task in the message composer and press Enter. Try one of these:
- "Summarize the key points of this document." Attach a PDF or Word file.
- "Draft a professional email to a student explaining our transfer credit timeline."
- "Explain the difference between supervised and unsupervised machine learning in simple terms."
- "Analyze this spreadsheet and show me a bar chart of totals by department." Attach a CSV or Excel file.
Tips for better results
- Be specific. "Summarize this report in three bullet points for a non-technical audience" works better than "Summarize this."
- Upload files instead of pasting large amounts of text when you can.
- Refine the result. Follow up with requests like "Make it shorter," "Use a more formal tone," or "Add a section about costs."
- Use Projects for work that continues across several conversations.
Need help getting started?
Environment
- University of Maine System (UMS) ChatGPT Edu workspace
- UMS employees and active students
- Sign in with UMS credentials (single sign-on)
- Web browser at chatgpt.com, plus the ChatGPT desktop and mobile apps