Create Google Workspace For Education
Create Google Workspace For Education
If you are looking to enhance digital learning and improve collaboration at your school, creating a Google Workspace for Education account is a great way to begin. This comprehensive suite of cloud-based tools is tailored for K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and even U.S. homeschools. It includes a variety of essential apps, such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Classroom, and many others, providing a secure and efficient platform for communication, collaboration, and organisation.
Google Workspace for Education enables schools to support teaching and learning in a modern and flexible way. With its reliable tools for messaging, file sharing, and real-time collaboration, teachers can manage assignments and communications all in one place, while students can easily access their work from any device. Additionally, IT administrators benefit from a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies account management and settings.
Setting up Google Workspace for Education is not as complicated as it may seem. The process involves signing up, verifying your institution’s domain, and customising your setup to suit your needs. Once the account is created, you can begin adding users and configuring the tools and features for your school.
In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of creating a Google Workspace for Education account, explain the requirements, and help you get started with the tools your school needs to thrive in today’s digital learning environment. Whether you are a small homeschool group or a large school district, this guide is here to help.
What Is Google Workspace for Education?
Google Workspace for Education is a set of cloud-based tools designed to help schools make teaching and learning easier, more connected, and more efficient. It brings everything into one place so students and teachers can work together seamlessly, whether they are in the classroom or learning from home. With this platform, schools get access to:
Gmail:
- Custom email addresses for students, teachers, and staff
Google Classroom:
- A digital hub for sharing assignments, giving feedback, and staying organised
A Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides:
- Tools for writing, working with data, and creating presentations together in real time
Google Meet:
- A secure way to hold virtual classes or meetings
Google Drive:
- Cloud storage for safely sharing and saving files
Admin Console:
- Controls for managing users, apps, and settings with ease
READ ALSO: How Can I Create a Google Workspace Account?
Versions of Google Workspace For Education
There are four versions of Google Workspace for Education. It starts with Education Fundamentals, which is completely free and includes all the essential tools schools need to get started. Below are the various versions:
- Education Fundamentals
This is the free version that many schools start with. It includes all the essential tools like Gmail, Google Classroom, Docs, Drive, Meet, and more. It also comes with basic security features and admin controls to help schools stay organized and connected.
- Education Standard
Education Standard adds more advanced security tools and analytics. It is a good choice for schools that want extra protection and better visibility into how their digital tools are being used. It includes features that help detect potential threats and manage activity across the school.
- Teaching and Learning Upgrade
This version focuses on giving teachers more powerful tools for instruction. It includes enhanced features in Google Meet like breakout rooms, polls, Q&A, and attendance tracking. Also it offers more Classroom tools and additional storage. It is great for schools that want to improve engagement in both virtual and in-person learning.
- Education Plus
Education Plus gives schools access to everything in the other versions, along with more admin controls, advanced tools for teaching and learning, and priority support. It is the most complete option and works well for schools that want the full range of features and flexibility.
Why Choose Google Workspace for Education?
Many schools are turning to Google Workspace due to the following important reasons
- It is budget-friendly:
The basic version is free for qualifying schools
- It protects your data:
Built-in security features help keep personal and school information safe
- It encourages collaboration:
Students and teachers can work on documents, presentations, and projects together in real time
- It is simple to manage:
School admins can easily create accounts, set permissions, and monitor everything from one dashboard .
Who Can Use Google Workspace for Education?
Google Workspace for Education is a set of tools designed specifically for schools and educational organizations. It is available to qualifying institutions around the world. However, Google has the final say in determining if an organization meets the eligibility requirements. To qualify, your school or institution must meet a few key criteria:
- Recognized and Accredited:
Your institution must be officially recognized and accredited by the government. This includes K–12 schools and colleges or universities that offer instruction to students.
- Educational Website:
Your school must have an active website that represents your educational institution.
- Application Must Come from the Organization:
The person applying for Google Workspace for Education must be affiliated with the school or institution that is requesting access.
Some examples of organizations that would qualify include fictional schools like Park Elementary School, Park High School, Park Community College, or Park University. Note that once your school is approved, it will be given access to a single Google Workspace for Education tenant. This tenant is meant to serve one organization or group. Users should not be spread across multiple tenants, so it is important to keep everything under one administrative setup.
Is Google Workspace for Education Free?
Yes, Google Workspace for Education offers a free version called Education Fundamentals. This version is available to qualifying K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and U.S. homeschools. It includes essential tools like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and more, all designed to support teaching, learning, and collaboration in a secure environment. In addition to the free version, Google offers two paid editions for schools that need more advanced features:
- Education Standard: This edition costs $3 per student per year and adds extra security and analytics tools on top of the free version.
- Education Plus: At $5 per student per year, this edition includes everything in Education Fundamentals and
Education Standard, plus enhanced teaching tools, additional storage, and personalised cloud search. These paid editions are available on an annual subscription basis, with pricing based on the number of user licenses your institution needs. Schools can also purchase additional features, like the Teaching and Learning Upgrade or Gemini Education, to further enhance their Google Workspace setup.
What If Your Organization Is Not a School?
Google Workspace for Education is designed specifically for schools and accredited educational institutions. If your organization supports students but is not a school itself, it likely does not qualify for this version.
Instead, Google offers a range of other Workspace editions that may be a better fit. You can explore these options by visiting Choose your Google Workspace edition.
Examples of Organisations That Do Not Qualify| Create Google Workspace For Education
Below are some examples of organizations that would not be eligible for Google Workspace for Education:
- Community centres that offer educational activities
- Corporate training centres
- Correctional facilities with educational programs
- Companies that provide employee training or development
- For-profit tutoring services or education companies
- MOOC platforms (Massive Open Online Courses)
- Military academies
- Museums and public libraries
- Healthcare systems and hospitals with training programs
- Mentorship or coaching programs run by nonprofits or businesses
- Research labs and institutions
- Job training programs
- Examination and testing companies .
How To Create Google Workspace for Education| Create Google Workspace For Education
If your school or institution qualifies for Google Workspace for Education, here is a simple step-by-step guide to help you request approval and set everything up.
Step 1: Request Approval
You can get approved for Google Workspace for Education by either signing up for the first time or upgrading your existing Google Workspace account.
If You Already Have Google Workspace:
- Sign in using your Google Workspace administrator account.
- Open the upgrade request form.
- Fill out the form with the required information, then click Submit.
If You’re New to Google Workspace:
- Visit the Google Workspace for Education sign-up page.
- Complete the form with your institution’s details.
- Review and agree to the School Consent terms, then click Agree and Continue.
- Review and agree to the Google Workspace for Education Agreement, then click Agree and Create Account.
After signing up, you will be taken to the Google Admin console. If you are using an existing domain, you will need to verify that you own it before you can move forward.
Step 2: Verify Your Domain
If you bought your domain through Google while signing up, or if it has already been verified, you can skip this step. If not, you will need to verify that the domain belongs to your institution. This helps ensure that no one else is using your domain or pretending to be your school. This is what to do:
- Go to the domain verification page and follow the steps to prove ownership.
Gather your supporting documents for review. You’ll need:
- A scanned copy of an official accreditation document showing your school’s educational status.
- Your name, title or role at the institution, and a contact email address not associated with the Google Workspace account.
- The institution’s official website (this is optional but helpful).
After You Are Approved
Once your application is approved, you can start setting up your Google Workspace for Education account. This includes:
- Adding users (such as students, teachers, and staff)
- Setting up apps and services
- Accessing extra features like email migration
Note:
- Your account is approved for one Google Workspace for Education tenant, which should only be used for one organization or group.
- Each user should only belong to one tenant.
- Once approved, you cannot use another Google Workspace edition, including Google Workspace for Nonprofits.
Tips for a Smooth Setup
- Train your staff: Google offers free resources and certification programs to help teachers learn how to use the tools effectively.
- Use Organizational Units: Group users by role (such as students, teachers, and staff) to manage access and settings more easily.
- Enable Google Classroom and Meet: These tools are especially useful for remote or blended learning environments.
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