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This quick start guide explains how to sign in to ChatGPT Edu with your University of Maine System credentials, confirm that you are using the UMS workspace, start your first conversation, and explore key features.
Logging In
- Go to chatgpt.com.
- Enter your University of Maine System email address ending in @maine.edu. Do not select Google, Microsoft, Apple, or another authentication method.
- On the login screen, select University of Maine System ChatGPT Edu.
- Authenticate with your UMS credentials through single sign-on, as you would with another university application.
- If prompted to choose a workspace, select the University of Maine System ChatGPT Edu workspace.
- Once logged in, confirm that you see the UMS workspace name or logo in the sidebar or account menu. This indicates that you are using the university's licensed ChatGPT Edu workspace rather than a personal account.
Important: When using ChatGPT for university work, use your UMS ChatGPT Edu account rather than a personal account. Conversations and data in the UMS ChatGPT Edu workspace are not used to train OpenAI models.
The Interface at a Glance
- Sidebar: View your conversations, Projects, and Custom GPTs.
- Model picker: Select which AI model to use. The default Auto option is appropriate for most tasks.
- Message composer: Enter your prompt, attach files, and access tools such as Search, Deep Research, and Study Mode.
Welcome to ChatGPT Edu at UMS
ChatGPT Edu is available to University of Maine System employees as a secure, institutionally supported generative AI platform. It expands access to AI capabilities while supporting the protection of university data and UMS's commitment to innovation in teaching, research, and administrative work.
Responsible and Appropriate Use
Use of ChatGPT Edu must comply with applicable university policies and practices. Users are responsible for ensuring that their activities align with institutional expectations related to data protection, academic integrity, accessibility, and responsible technology use.
Applicable guidelines and policies are available through the UMS AI Hub.
Your First Conversation
Enter a question or task in the message composer and press Enter. Examples include:
- "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.
Key Features to Explore
| Feature |
What It Does |
How to Access It |
| Web Search |
Finds current information from the internet |
Tools menu → Search |
| File Upload |
Analyzes documents, spreadsheets, images, and other supported files |
Attachment icon in the message composer |
| Data Analysis |
Creates summaries, charts, statistics, and insights from uploaded data |
Upload a CSV or Excel file and ask a question |
| Canvas |
Provides a side-by-side workspace for editing text or code |
Ask ChatGPT to use Canvas, or open it when prompted |
| Projects |
Organizes related chats, files, and instructions |
Sidebar → Projects → New project |
| Custom GPTs |
Creates task-specific AI assistants |
Sidebar → Explore GPTs → Create |
| Deep Research |
Conducts extended, multi-source research and returns a report with citations |
Tools menu → Deep Research |
| Study Mode |
Provides step-by-step guided learning instead of direct answers |
Tools menu → Study and learn |
| Image Generation |
Creates images from text descriptions |
Ask ChatGPT to create an image |
| Memory |
Allows ChatGPT to remember selected preferences across conversations |
Manage in Settings |
Usage Limits
Most everyday features are available within the UMS ChatGPT Edu workspace, including the default model, web search, file uploads, Canvas, Projects, Custom GPTs, Study Mode, and Memory.
Some advanced features may have separate usage limits. These may include Deep Research, image generation, advanced reasoning models, and advanced voice features. Available limits may change over time and may be managed at the institutional level.
Tips for Better Results
- Be specific. For example, "Summarize this report in three bullet points for a non-technical audience" will usually produce a better result than "Summarize this."
- Upload files instead of pasting large amounts of text when possible.
- Refine your results. Ask follow-up questions such as "Make it shorter," "Use a more formal tone," or "Add a section about costs."
- Use Projects for work that will continue across multiple conversations.
Getting Help
For questions about access or technical issues, contact the UMS IT Help Desk at help@maine.edu or review the related articles in this knowledge base collection.
Environment
- University of Maine System
- ChatGPT Edu
- UMS employees
- UMS single sign-on credentials
- Supported desktop and mobile web browsers
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