Automattic is expanding WordPress.com into education with a new Student plan designed for classrooms and young creators. The free offering gives each student a full WordPress.com site, along with domain options on .blog or .art and support for plugins.
Teachers can introduce the program to their classes at no cost for the first year, with no credit card or trial required. The plan is built for lessons on website creation, digital publishing, and collaborative projects that help students learn by building.
Presented at WordCamp US, the package is positioned as a complete learning tool rather than a limited version of the platform. It includes 6 GB of storage, backups, staging sites, SFTP/SSH access, phpMyAdmin, Studio Sync, and plugin support.
Automattic says the initiative was tested with 5,000 students in 27 countries. According to the company, 88.9% of educators reported stronger employability outcomes, while 81.5% said it supported entrepreneurial skills.
After the first year, students may continue for $2 per month or $24 per year. If they choose not to subscribe, their sites remain active on a free WordPress.com plan, preserving pages, posts, comments, and media. The move signals a broader shift toward practical digital skills in education, shaping a more creator-ready future.
