Google Workspace for Education is how India's best schools run digitally — Gmail on the school's own domain, Google Classroom as a free LMS, Meet for hybrid classes, and Docs/Sheets/Slides that students collaborate in from any device. The entry edition, Education Fundamentals, is completely free for qualifying institutions, and paid editions layer on security, analytics and Gemini AI. Invitty handles the entire journey for Indian schools and colleges: eligibility application, domain verification, deployment, data migration and teacher training.
Which institutions can apply?
Google requires institutions to be government-recognized and formally accredited, delivering approved instruction at primary, secondary or degree level. In Indian terms, that means: K-12 schools affiliated to CBSE, ICSE/ISC, IB, Cambridge International or any State board; colleges and universities recognized by UGC or AICTE, including engineering, arts & science, polytechnic and B-Ed institutions; and international schools with equivalent accreditation. You'll need your affiliation/recognition certificate and control of the school's web domain — Google reviews applications within 14 business days. Coaching institutes and non-accredited academies don't qualify for Education editions, but we set them up on Google Workspace business plans instead.
The four Education editions explained
Education Fundamentals (free) — the full teaching core: Gmail, Classroom, Meet, Docs, Drive, Forms, Chat and admin console, with 100 TB of pooled institutional storage. Education Standard — adds the security layer school auditors and boards increasingly expect: security centre, advanced device/app management, and audit & investigation tools to protect student data. Teaching and Learning add-on — licensed per educator, it upgrades instruction: Meet recordings, breakout rooms, attendance, polls and livestreaming, unlimited Classroom originality reports and AI-driven teaching tools. Education Plus — everything above, plus Gemini AI in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and Vids, personalized learning features, more pooled storage per license and priority support. Google AI Pro for Education is available as an add-on for premium Gemini and NotebookLM access.
Google Workspace for Education — edition comparison (2026)
| Capability | Fundamentals (Free) | Standard | Teaching & Learning | Education Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail, Classroom, Meet, Docs, Drive | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pooled storage (institution-wide) | 100 TB | 100 TB | 100 TB + per-license bonus | 100 TB + per-license bonus |
| Security centre & investigation tool | — | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| Advanced device & app management | — | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| Meet: recordings, breakouts, attendance, polls | Basic Meet | Basic Meet | ✔ + livestream | ✔ + livestream |
| Classroom originality reports | Limited | Limited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Classroom add-ons & premium teaching tools | — | — | ✔ | ✔ |
| Gemini AI in Docs/Sheets/Slides/Forms/Vids | — | — | — | ✔ |
| Licensing model | Free, all users | Per student/staff (subset OK) | Per educator only | Per license, mixed with Fundamentals |
| Best for | Every qualifying school | Data-security conscious schools | Upgrading teaching quality | Flagship digital schools & colleges |
We don't publish pricing because education rates vary by institution size, license mix and term — and our quotes are usually better than list. Fill the enquiry form on this page or WhatsApp us and we'll respond the same day.
Building a digital school? Start here
Google Workspace for Education is the software backbone of a digital school — but the schools that succeed pair it with the right foundation. A typical Invitty digital-school rollout: Workspace for Education (free Fundamentals for all, Plus or T&L for staff), Google Classroom as the LMS with structured course setup, campus Wi-Fi designed for classroom density (Aruba or TP-Link Omada), a firewall with student-safe filtering (Fortinet/Sophos) to satisfy parents and boards, and Chromebooks or laptops (Dell/HP/Lenovo) with device management via the Workspace admin console. One partner, one GST invoice, one support number — instead of five vendors pointing at each other.
The smart way to license: mix editions
The single biggest cost mistake schools make is buying paid licenses for every student. Google explicitly supports mixing: keep every student on free Fundamentals, add Teaching & Learning for your educators, and reserve Standard or Plus for staff and specific senior-student groups that need it. A 2,000-student school often needs fewer than 150 paid licenses to get every meaningful benefit. We design that mix for you before quoting — it's why our proposals routinely come in far below what schools expected to pay.
How Invitty gets your school live
Week 1: eligibility document check, application submission and domain verification. Weeks 2-3: Google approval (up to 14 business days), tenant setup, age-based access policies and DPDPA-conscious settings for minors. Week 3-4: mail/data migration from your current system, Classroom structure creation, and teacher + admin training in English or Tamil. After go-live we stay on as your support desk — password resets policy, new-batch onboarding each academic year, and renewal management. Also see our Google Workspace business page and Google brand page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which schools in India can apply for Google Workspace for Education?
Government-recognized, formally accredited institutions qualify: CBSE, ICSE/ISC, IB, Cambridge and State-board affiliated K-12 schools, plus UGC/AICTE-recognized colleges and universities delivering approved degrees or diplomas. Coaching centres and non-accredited training institutes generally do not qualify — but can use Google Workspace business plans, which we also provide.
Is Google Workspace for Education really free?
Yes — Education Fundamentals is free for all qualifying institutions, with no per-student or per-teacher charge: Gmail on your school domain, Google Classroom, Meet, Docs, Drive, Forms and more. Paid editions add security, analytics, advanced Meet features and Gemini AI.
What documents does a school need to apply?
A scanned copy of your official accreditation/affiliation document (e.g., CBSE affiliation letter, UGC recognition), a contact person's name, role and email, and control of your school's website domain for verification. We prepare and submit the application for you.
How long does Google take to approve a school?
Google reviews eligibility and responds within 14 business days of application and domain verification. Applications through us are typically clean on the first pass because we pre-check documents and set up domain verification correctly.
What is the difference between Education Standard and Education Plus?
Standard adds the security layer — security centre, advanced device and app management, audit and investigation tools. Plus includes everything in Standard and the Teaching & Learning features, plus Gemini AI in Docs/Sheets/Slides/Forms/Vids, personalized learning tools and more pooled storage per license.
What does the Teaching and Learning add-on include?
Premium instruction tools on top of Fundamentals or Standard: Meet with recordings, breakout rooms, attendance tracking, polls and livestream; unlimited originality reports in Classroom; Classroom add-ons; and AI-driven tools for lesson personalization. It's licensed per educator, not per student.
What is the price of Google Workspace for Education in India?
Fundamentals is free. Standard, the Teaching & Learning add-on and Education Plus are paid per license with education-specific pricing that varies by student/staff count and term. Fill the enquiry form on this page or WhatsApp us — we'll respond the same day with a formal quote for your institution.
Do we have to buy licenses for every student?
No — that's where most schools overspend. Standard and Plus can be purchased for a subset (Google requires reasonable ratios; typically staff plus specific student groups), while everyone else stays on free Fundamentals. The Teaching & Learning add-on is per-educator only. We design the cheapest compliant mix.
How much storage do schools get?
All editions include 100 TB of pooled storage shared across the institution — roughly 100 million Docs or 8 million presentations. Teaching & Learning and Education Plus add extra pooled storage per license. We help you set student quotas so storage lasts.
Is Gemini AI available for teachers and students?
Yes — Education Plus includes Gemini in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and Vids for staff, and Google AI Pro for Education is available as an add-on with premium Gemini and NotebookLM access. Admin controls decide which age groups get AI features.
Is student data safe? What about DPDPA compliance for minors?
Google Workspace for Education carries strong contractual privacy commitments — no ads on core services, and the school controls all data. India's DPDPA has specific rules for children's data (verifiable parental consent, no tracking-based processing); we configure age-based access, restricted settings for minors and admin policies to support your compliance position.
Can you migrate our existing school email to Google Workspace?
Yes — from free Gmail accounts teachers currently use, from cPanel/rediffmail-style hosting, or from Microsoft 365 — mail, contacts and Drive data, with correct SPF/DKIM/DMARC setup so school mail stops landing in spam.
Do you train teachers after deployment?
Yes — structured onboarding for teachers (Classroom, Meet, grading workflows) and admin training for your IT coordinator, in English or Tamil, remote or on-site in South India. Adoption, not just activation, is the goal.
We also need devices and Wi-Fi for a digital classroom — can you help?
Yes — we supply the full digital-school stack: Chromebooks/laptops, campus Wi-Fi (Aruba/TP-Link Omada), interactive displays sourcing, firewalls with student-safe web filtering, and CCTV-ready switching. One partner, one GST invoice.
Do you serve schools outside Tamil Nadu?
Yes — application, deployment, migration and training are done remotely for schools and colleges across India: Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi NCR and beyond. On-site training is available across South India.