Raven Wu
Updated on: October 15, 2024
Fact-checked by Katarina Glamoslija
Only 3 Steps (Quick + Easy) to Unblock ChatGPT at School in 2024:
- Download and install a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because it can reliably bypass the network filters and other methods schools use to block the ChatGPT app and website.
- Connect to a VPN server. Picking a server location that’s close to you will get you faster speeds.
- Log into ChatGPT. You’re all set! You can now access ChatGPT at your school or university.
The quickest and easiest way to get around school network filters that prevent you from accessing ChatGPT is with a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN works by sending your internet traffic through its own DNS servers rather than the school’s. It’s sort of like using a secret passage to bypass a barrier.
A VPN also makes your internet traffic unreadable to your school and network admins, so they won’t be able to see you’re using ChatGPT. Additionally, the VPNs I recommend all come with obfuscation, which makes your VPN traffic look like regular traffic — this gets you access to ChatGPT even if your school network blocks VPN traffic.
I did a lot of research and testing to find the best VPN for unblocking ChatGPT at school. While all of the VPNs on my list are very good, ExpressVPN is my favorite because of how reliable it is at bypassing network filters, its blazing-fast speeds, and its excellent privacy features. Editors’ Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
UNBLOCK CHATGPT WITH EXPRESSVPN
How to Unblock ChatGPT at School From Any Device
1. Choose a VPN that works well with ChatGPT.
Not all VPNs are good at bypassing school network restrictions. I recommend ExpressVPN — it unblocks ChatGPT 100% of the time and has powerful privacy tools to prevent school admins from seeing what you’re doing.
2. Download and install the VPN to your device.
You can find the app for your device either on the provider’s official website, or on your device’s respective app store (the Google Play Store for Android and the App Store for iOS). Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the installation wizard to complete the process.
3. Open the app, choose a server, and log into ChatGPT.
Launch the VPN app, find the server list, and scroll to find your preferred location. Then, press the connect button, and you’re all set to access ChatGPT on your school’s network. Log into your account and start chatting!
Best VPNs for Unblocking ChatGPT at School in 2024
Quick summary of the best VPNs for unblocking ChatGPT at school:
- 🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for unblocking ChatGPT at school (reliable access).
- 🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for accessing ChatGPT at school on mobile.
- 🥉3. NordVPN — Strong security features for using ChatGPT at school.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Unblocking ChatGPT at School in 2024
ExpressVPN is my goto VPN for unblocking ChatGPT at school. In my tests, it was able to bypass all of the website filters, DNS blocks, and firewalls used by schools to block the ChatGPT app and site 100% of the time. Additionally, I never experienced any issues accessing ChatGPT when connected to several of ExpressVPN’s servers in 105 countries, which is why it’s our top VPN for ChatGPT out there.
ExpressVPN offers high-end privacy and security features to prevent your school network administration from seeing that you’re accessing ChatGPT. It protects against all forms of IP leaks (DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC), so your real IP address is never exposed to the school administrator — it would signal you’re potentially bypassing restrictions. I ran leak tests on mobile and desktop while connected to more than 10 different ExpressVPN servers and never saw any leaks.
This provider supports obfuscation on all of its servers and works really well on school networks that ban VPN traffic — your school administrator won’t know you’re using a VPN on the network to access a restricted site or app like ChatGPT. I also like that ExpressVPN’s obfuscation is automatically enabled, which means you don’t have to change any settings (most VPNs require you to turn on the obfuscation).
ExpressVPN’s plans start at £4.20 / month, and it backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk free.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Accessing ChatGPT on Mobile
Private Internet Access is good for unblocking ChatGPT at school on Android and iOS. I had no issues accessing the ChatGPT app and site through various network filters and firewalls schools use, and I could always chat with ChatGPT no matter what server location I connected to — PIA has servers located in 91 countries.
PIA’s apps, both mobile and desktop, are highly customizable, which is great for tweaking your connection to get better speeds on super slow school Wi-Fi networks. For example, you can switch the encryption level from 256-bit AES encryption to 128-bit AES encryption for slightly faster speeds and choose a small packet size for the connection if the school network is unreliable.
PIA provides obfuscation that gets around school VPN blocks to access ChatGPT. However, it only supports obfuscation via the Shadowsocks proxy in 5+ countries (the US, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, and Japan), so you’re much more likely to get better obfuscation speeds with ExpressVPN, which obfuscates all server locations and protocols.
Private Internet Access’s plans start at just £1.57 / month, and all subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. NordVPN — Strong Security Features for Using ChatGPT
NordVPN is great for unblocking ChatGPT at school without anyone knowing. I had no trouble accessing ChatGPT while connected to different server locations from its server network that spans 111 countries. It also managed to bypass all of the network filters and firewalls I tested it against. Plus, it provides obfuscated servers in 15+ countries to hide your VPN use from the school network administrator.
NordVPN has full leak protection to prevent your IP address from being flagged on the school administrator’s board, just like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. What I really like is NordVPN’s app-based kill switch that allows you to shut down the internet connection for ChatGPT only if your VPN connection drops as an added security measure.
I’m a huge fan of NordVPN’s Meshnet feature, too. This allows you to connect the mobile, tablet, or laptop you use at school to the rest of your devices via an encrypted network. You can then use this feature to remotely access your computer at home, which doesn’t block access to ChatGPT, and chat with the AI bot from there, without having to rely on the school Wi-Fi network directly.
NordVPN’s plans start at £2.59 / month, and every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Quick Comparison Table
Editors’ Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To find the best VPNs for unblocking ChatGPT at school, I used our tried-and-true VPN testing methodology. This involved extensive testing against the types of filters commonly used by schools to block apps and websites, running multiple IP leak tests while connected to different VPN servers to ensure that you remain anonymous when accessing ChatGPT, and more. Every VPN on my list not only met but exceeded our benchmarks and provided more value than their competitors. For a more detailed breakdown of my comparison and ranking criteria, see below:
- I picked VPNs that work on restrictive school networks. Every VPN on this list can bypass the filters commonly used by schools to block the ChatGPT app and website traffic.
- I chose VPNs that work with ChatGPT 100% of the time. The VPNs on my list allow access to ChatGPT without any interruptions.
- I looked for VPNs with a good obfuscation feature. Some schools block VPN traffic to prevent students from accessing banned apps and sites, like ChatGPT. This is why all the VPNs I recommend come with a good obfuscation tool that can successfully hide your VPN use from the school network administrator.
- I chose VPNs with strong privacy features. The VPNs I recommend all come with industry-standard security features, including 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy (the provider doesn’t see or track what you do online), and a kill switch, which prevents accidental data leaks to your school network administrator in the event that your VPN connection drops unexpectedly while you’re using ChatGPT.
- I tested each VPN’s speeds. Your internet speeds can affect ChatGPT’s ability to process and respond to your requests, and all VPNs slow your speeds slightly due to the time it takes to encrypt your data and obfuscate your traffic. So I made sure I only picked VPNs that were able to maintain fast and reliable connections.
- I assessed each VPN’s overall value. I only recommend VPNs that offer reasonably-priced plans, useful extra features for unblocking ChatGPT (like split-tunneling), allow a minimum of 5 device connections, and come with a money-back guarantee.
What Is a VPN & How Does It Unblock ChatGPT?
A VPN is an online app that has servers located all over the world. When you connect to a VPN server, all of the data sent to and from your device is encrypted — your data is turned into a secret code that only you and the VPN can decipher. This means that your online activities, such as visiting the ChatGPT site or app, are completely hidden from third parties, including your school administrator and ISP (internet service provider).
In addition, when you connect to a VPN server, it hides your IP address and assign you an IP address that matches the server location — an IP address reveals your general location. This change helps bypass filters and restrictions that are based on your device’s IP address, as the school network won’t recognize the new IP and won’t apply the same filtering rules to it.
Finally, top VPNs also include an obfuscation tool, which disguises your VPN traffic as regular traffic. This is particularly relevant for bypassing restrictions on school networks with advanced filters that not only block access to ChatGPT but also detect and block VPN traffic. Obfuscation ensures your encrypted connection isn’t flagged or blocked by the school’s network and allows you to use the VPN to chat with ChatGPT without any issues.
Other Ways to Unblock ChatGPT At School
- Use mobile data instead of the school’s Wi-Fi. Since you won’t be using the school’s network at all, your online activities won’t be subject to any of the school’s network restrictions. However, this does mean that you’ll be consuming your data allowance, and extensive usage of ChatGPT could result in higher phone bills.
- Use a proxy server. When you use a proxy server, your internet traffic is first sent to the proxy server, which then sends it to the original destination. This can trick the school’s filters into thinking you’re visiting the proxy instead of ChatGPT. But note that proxies don’t encrypt your traffic, so your chats with ChatGPT aren’t entirely private. Plus, they don’t work on school networks that block proxy and VPN traffic (no obfuscation).
- Use SmartDNS. When you try to access ChatGPT, your device must make a DNS request to get ChatGPT’s address. Schools that don’t allow access to ChatGPT on their networks usually set filters that can spot this DNS request to block it. A SmartDNS disguises your DNS request to make it look like you’re trying to visit a different site instead. This is an effective method to unblock ChatGPT at school, but it can be pretty tricky to set up.
- Use the Tor network. The Tor browser applies multiple layers of encryption to prevent your school filters from seeing your attempts to access ChatGPT. The main issue with using the Tor network is that it slows your connection speeds significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the school be able to tell if I’m using a VPN to access ChatGPT?
Not really. The school will be able to see that you’re using a VPN and that your traffic is encrypted, as well as how long you’re connected to the VPN. However, they won’t be able to tell what you’re using the VPN for — whether it’s accessing ChatGPT or anything else.
The best VPNs for unblocking ChatGPT come with obfuscation, which can disguise your VPN traffic as regular internet traffic, so your school won’t even be able to tell that you’re using a VPN. However, I only recommend using this if your school prohibits and blocks VPN traffic because obfuscation slows down your connections.
Is it legal to use a VPN to access ChatGPT at my school?
Yes, it’s legal to use a VPN to access ChatGPT. VPNs are legal in most countries. The use of a VPN isn’t against ChatGPT’s terms of service either. However, if your school blocks ChatGPT, using a VPN to circumvent that block would certainly be a violation of school policy.
If you need to use a VPN to access ChatGPT at your school, I recommend getting a VPN with strong privacy features and a strict no-logs policy, so your school administrators won’t be able to see what you do online when you’re connected.
Why can’t I access ChatGPT at school?
If you can’t access ChatGPT at school, it’s possible that the school network administrator is blocking access to the site and the app. The VPNs on my list work consistently with ChatGPT and can access the app/site from anywhere.
Why is ChatGPT blocked at school?
ChatGPT is banned at some schools because it can be a distraction for students and might be used to cheat. By blocking ChatGPT, schools aim to ensure that students don’t use it to get answers for assignments or exams or to do their work for them, helping maintain academic integrity and a productive learning environment. A good VPN can help you bypass school network filters and access ChatGPT.
