If you are paying for YouTube Premium individually when you could be on a family plan, or if you are a student paying full price, you are spending more than you need to. YouTube Premium’s family plan and student discount are straightforward to set up – here is exactly how to do it.

YouTube Premium Family Plan

What the Family Plan Includes

• Up to 6 family members can each have their own Premium account.
• All members get the full Premium benefits: ad-free video, background play, offline downloads, and YouTube Music Premium.
• Each member has their own separate account with their own watch history, recommendations, and playlists.
• The plan is billed to one payment method (the plan manager’s account).

Requirements for Family Plan Members

• All members must be in the same household. YouTube verifies this through your home Wi-Fi network and device location data.
• Members must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age in your country).
• Each member needs their own Google account.

How to Set Up the Family Plan

1. Go to youtube.com/premium or open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture, then Get YouTube Premium.
2. Select the Family plan option.
3. Complete payment setup.
4. Once subscribed, go back to your Premium settings and select Manage family members.
5. Enter the Google account email addresses of the family members you want to invite.
6. They will receive an email invitation. They need to accept it from a device connected to your home Wi-Fi.

Adding and Removing Family Members

You can manage family members at any time from the family plan settings. To remove someone, go to Manage family members, find their account, and select Remove. To add a new member (up to the six-person limit), send a new invitation the same way as above.

YouTube Premium Student Discount

What the Student Plan Includes

The student plan includes all the same features as regular YouTube Premium – ad-free video, background play, offline downloads, and YouTube Music Premium – at approximately half the price of the individual plan.

Eligibility Requirements

• You must be enrolled at an eligible college or university.
• Your institution must be listed in YouTube’s verification system (powered by SheerID).
• You need a valid .edu email address or equivalent institutional email.
• The discount is available for up to four years, after which you are switched to the standard individual plan.

How to Apply for the Student Discount

1. Go to youtube.com/premium and look for the Student plan option, or search ‘YouTube Premium student’ in your browser.
2. Click Get started under the student plan.
3. You will be directed to the SheerID verification system.
4. Enter your university name and your student email address.
5. SheerID will verify your enrollment status. This may require uploading proof of enrollment if your institution is not automatically verifiable.
6. Once verified, your discount is applied and billing begins at the student rate.

Renewing the Student Discount

The student discount requires annual re-verification. YouTube will notify you when verification is due. If you do not re-verify within the given window, your subscription will automatically revert to the standard individual price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can family plan members live in different cities?

No. YouTube requires family plan members to share the same household. If a member’s device location consistently differs from the plan manager’s home location, they may lose access.

What happens if I graduate and stop being a student?

When annual verification fails (because you are no longer enrolled), your subscription converts to a standard individual plan at full price. You will receive advance notice before this happens.

Can I combine the family plan with the student discount?

No. The student discount is for an individual account only and cannot be applied to a family plan.