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Educators and students - get Figma graphic design software free

17 Jul 2020 🔖 tips
💬 EN

Table of Contents

Figma is a really neat graphic design tool. I’ll let people who actually know what they’re doing tell you why.

I’m just here to say that if you have a “.edu” address or otherwise qualify, get it free while you can.

I’m also here to screenshot a few hard-to-find parts of the process.

Create an account

Go to https://www.figma.com/signup and create an account with a “.edu” e-mail address.

Or, if you have an existing account, change its e-mail address to your “.edu.”

Don’t forget to check your e-mail and confirm with Figma that you legitimately own this e-mail address.

Log in

Go to https://www.figma.com/login and log in with your “.edu” account if not yet logged in.

Apply

Once logged in, go to https://www.figma.com/education/apply.

Fill in your name, school name, and school web site.

Chances are you’ll be automatically verified if you go to a big enough school whose domain they can use a computer to auto-check.

Screenshot

Otherwise, you might have to wait a bit while they verify you’re legit. Their pricing FAQ says even bootcamps count, so give educational verification a try even if you don’t have a classic “.edu” e-mail address.

Benefits apply team-by-team

While your whole account is verified, you have to attach your “free plan” teach “team” your Figma projects are organized into one at a time.

Create a new “Team”

Let’s start by seeing how you’d set up a new team under the Education plan.

Go to https://www.figma.com/files/create-team and enter some sort of team name and click “Create Team.”

This is just for proof-of-concept purposes – you can upgrade old teams that include verified fellow “.edu” folks later.

I called mine demo_upgrading_to_education.

Screenshot

When prompted to add collaborators, click “Skip for now.”

Screenshot

When prompted to choose a team plan, click “Choose Education.”

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Click “Accept Terms and Upgrade.”

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You should be taken to a page along the lines of https://www.figma.com/files/team/12345/demo_upgrading_to_education with a temporary blue “toast” flashing on the page saying:

“Successfully upgraded to an Education Team!”

Screenshot

Congratulations – you now have unlimited projects within your new “team.”

Upgrade an old “Team”

You might notice that Figma came with a team that had a “First Project” project in it, called “YourFirstName’s Team.”

Let’s see how you’d upgrade that one to an “Education Plan” (presuming you haven’t added anyone to it who isn’t a verified education user).

From your home page at https://www.figma.com/files/recent, click the “Upgrade” button in the left navigation.

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When prompted, click “Choose Professional” despite the scary $12/month pricetag.

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Click “Upgrade” next to “YourFirstName’s Team.”

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Don’t bother adding any editors. Instead, below the price tag, drop down the picklist that currently reads “Annual Plan” and select “Education Plan” instead, then click “Continue.”

Screenshot

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Click “Accept Terms and Upgrade.”

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You should be taken to a page along the lines of https://www.figma.com/team/98765/admin with a temporary blue “toast” flashing on the top of the page saying:

“Successfully upgraded to an Education Team!”

Screenshot

Enjoy Figma and watch your status

You’re in! Head back to your Figma home page at https://www.figma.com/files/recent and enjoy this fun tool.

Be sure to check out the starter draft projects visible on the home page:

  1. Figma Basics
  2. Prototyping in Figma
  3. Wireframing in Figma

Here’s Figma’s official documentation.

Figma’s pricing FAQ points out that you have to re-validate your “.edu”-ness every 2 years.

Further reading

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