Best VPNs for School and College
Schools and colleges set restrictions often set restrictions on the content that can be viewed on their internet servers. They do this to ensure that both staff and faculty are using the internet for educational purposes, and to keep younger users safe from harmful content.
However, these restrictions are often imposed in a broad stroke, a heavy-handed way which means a lot of helpful and valuable content can get blocked in the process.
A VPN for schools or colleges will allow students to access restricted content. A VPN will temporarily adopt an IP address in a different country, which means the restrictions will not apply to your computer, allowing you to access blocked content.
Best VPNs for Schools and Colleges: At a Glance
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Why Use a VPN for School or College
There are many reasons why you would want to use a VPN. Firstly, most schools and colleges add restrictions on their internet servers.
The intentions are to shield young students from harmful content such as pornography or dangerous chatrooms. However, the methods they use to block content often block other helpful websites can be blocked.
A VPN for your school’s wifi can be very helpful in that case, because it gives access to the websites that can be very helpful for education, as well as using social media sites, checking email, and streaming video.
Even though school Wifi systems are generally secure networks, they are still a public network. This does leave you vulnerable to malicious phishing attacks. Just because you are at a school or college, that does not mean that there will not be hackers and phishers operating over the network. A lot of the data that you have on your computer at school or college is valuable. Plus, it would be disastrous if you lost your end of term papers, revision notes, or medical records.
Getting a VPN will also give you access to video games and streaming sites. Schools want to discourage you from using up their bandwidth. Even so, you should have the option of accessing your chosen content when you have downtime. A VPN can give you access to Hulu and Netflix as well as to many online games.
A VPN will also give you access to torrent sites. Many schools are harsh against torrent sites and ban any form of P2P sharing. However, with the best VPN, you can get access to all the torrent sites you want.
How to Choose the Best VPN for School
There are many VPNs on the internet to choose from, so it is important to know what to look for. Many VPNs, including many free ones, can be very unstable and even harmful for your computer.
Your VPN must have:
Zero logs: The VPN should not keep any record from you, apart from your email address and password.
Fast speeds: There’s no point in being able to access your favorite sites if it always takes a long time to load, or is constantly buffering.
Strong encryption: If you are using a VPN for the purpose of privacy and security, then you must have an encrypted VPN.
Access to geo-restricted content: Even though you may be using your VPN for doing schoolwork, you also want to make sure that you can access geo-restricted content.
Decent cost: If you’re using your VPN for college, there’s a good chance that you’re a student and money is tight. You want to make sure that your VPN has all the features mentioned above, but is also not too costly.
Best VPNs for Schools or College: Complete Breakdown
#1: ExpressVPN – One of the fastest and safest VPNs on the market
Platforms Supported: Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidTV, Linux, Chrome, Routers Firefox | Compatible Devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Also Unblocks: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Hulu | 3000+ Servers | 94 Server Country Locations |
ExpressVPN has been tried and tested across a range of campuses, and can successfully stream from a variety of online platforms, as well as offering access to torrent sites and emails. It is also one of the safest VPNs on the market, meaning it protects all of your data safely when you’re using your VPN at school. They also have an anti-logging policy, which means that none of your personal information, bar your email address and password, are stored on site. The difference in speed between using Express VPN and a regular connection is negligible, which means that it is one of the fastest VPNs out there. For more details on this VPN service, you can visit our ExpressVPN review.
Cost: $6.67/ month (15-month plan)
#2: NordVPN – Up to 6 device connections at any one time
Platforms Supported: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, AndroidTV, Linux, Proxy, Firefox, Router, Chrome | Compatible Devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire | Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Also unblocks: Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, ITVHub, beIN Sports | 5200+ Servers | 59 Server Country Locations |
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs around. What makes NordVPN unique is that it allows up to six connections at any one time, which is a market-leading capability. NordVPN also has a non-data logging policy, so they don’t store any of your personal data. Their referral policy is also attractive; If you get a friend to sign up, you’ll get a 20% discount on your service. In addition, you’ll get one of the cheapest monthly costs of any VPN, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. Have a look at our NordVPN review for more information.
Cost: $3.71/ month (24-month plan)
#3. Surfshark – High-quality low-cost VPN
Platforms Supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome and Firefox | Compatible Devices: Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox | Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Also unblocks: YouTube, Hulu and BBC iPlayer | 1700+ Servers | 63 Server Country Locations |
Surfshark is one of the most secure VPNs on the market with a no-logs policy meaning your details cannot be passed on or sold. However, one of the main benefits of Surfshark, especially for students, is that you can connect an unlimited number of devices to one account, which is a great benefit for any cash-strapped student. The only downside is that Surfshark experiences slightly slower speed than a usual connection, however, this is made up for by the fact that it is one of the cheapest VPNs on the market. Check out our in-depth Surfshark review for more details.
Cost: $1.99/month for 2-year plan
#4: CyberGhost – Commitment-free 7-day trial
Platforms Supported: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Routers, Chrome, Firefox | Compatible Devices: Chromecast, Apple TV, PlayStation, Nintendo, Raspberry Pi, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox, Chrome, Firefox | Unblocks Netflix: Yes | Also unblocks: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hulu and BBC iPlayer | 6336 Servers | 90+ Server Country Locations |
Cyberghost VPN has some of the tightest restrictions out of all the VPNs, which makes it a great VPN for school. Its encryption is strong, and is one of the most user-friendly VPNs you can get. CyberGhost also has a 7-day free trial, and their “try before you buy” deal is second to none. Not only do you get all the premium features of a paid account, but you don’t have to put down a credit card meaning CyberGhost is the best option if you aren’t sure if you need a VPN, as it is commitment-free. They also have a great worldwide network of servers, so even if you’re studying abroad, you can use their service. More features can be found on our Cyberghost review.
Cost: Starting from $2.75/ month (18-month plan)
What about Using a Free VPN for School
You may well be enticed by a free VPN. However, the risks involved with a free VPN are simply not worth it.
Most free VPNs keep your data and sell them onto third-parties because ultimately no VPN is completely free.
Free VPNs are also not secure, which means you have absolutely no security against cyber attacks or phishing attempts. This is also not to mention the terrible connection speeds and frequent adverts.
Downloading VPNs That Work at School
Schools will also block VPN websites on their servers, which means that to actually download the VPN in the first place, you have a couple of options: either you can tether your device to your hotspot on your phone, or you can simply download the VPN in a cafe, at home, or at a friend’s house.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a student or a teacher, the reality is that you need access to the whole internet throughout the day, whether that is for research, emails or entertainment. Arbitrary blocks can be prohibitive, and that is where a VPN comes in.
With a service like ExpressVPN, you can count on features such as 24/7 customer support, a super easy-to-use interface, the fastest streaming and download speeds, and complete and total user anonymity.
all vpns are blocked by school
the vpns are blocked by school
Exactly all of them
Cyberghost VPN turned out to be the best choice for me as a student. It’s affordable and helps me get around blocks which our school Wi-Fi server imposes. However, I’m trying to talk my friend into signing up.
This is a great article as it highlights some of the renowned VPNs used all over the world. However, do the VPNs solve unlimited access issues that are bothersome for many? For instance, even after using these VPNs, some websites are still unreachable from school as they have geo-restricted content. This means that if a student who is a VPN user is in the UK and connects to a US server on his VPN, he might be limited. This is because to access the website (for instance, UK Zattoo service), he needs to be seen as coming only from the UK. The student might then need to switch servers which could be inconvenient for those seeking rapid and diverse reconnects. Doesn’t that still restrict students from having unbound access to information they wish to surf on the internet?
Thanks for the insightful question! Accessing geo-restricted content is a great perk for VPNs, but can also be a bit of a downside. However, some VPNs offer a feature called ‘split tunneling’ which allows you to create two connections to the web–one with the VPN, and one without. This gives you the ability to select which web traffic is directed through your VPN tunnel, and which isn’t. You can thus access both local and geo-restricted websites without having to switch back and forth between servers. While you may still need to change servers in some situations, split tunneling can help solve your access problem. Hope this helps!
Friends are saying to me that VPN download iOS won’t work. Should I use different system like Android? Will I get the same result or is it different?
Hi Mark,
There are excellent VPN services for both Android and iOS. We tested and approved these on both the following reviews: VPN for iPhone and iOS devices and VPN for Android. Please have a look 🙂
I go to a west coast school that is VERY liberal. I mean to the point where students have held demonstrations against President Trump, etc. The overlords in our IT department went a step further and blocked any sites that have anything positive or even neutral to say about the President or the Republican Party, because the idea of free thinking is apparently banned at our college now.
Anywho, I can attest that NordVPN is good for getting me around these blocks. NordVPN will help us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!
Hell NO!! not in my college….All the students were blocked from using VPN. I have tried all the tricks I saw online but unfortunately none worked for me. I feel bad about it. If I may ask, is there any other way out sir?
Hi Daisy,
I thank you for your input. We actually ran a survey on the page in order to see how many students had that exact problem, and it turns out that depending on the State/City, the very fact of being in the campus blocks you from the VPN page itself. We tried several techniques, but unfortunately these didn’t help. What we can suggest is to sign up outside of the campus and already be online via the vpn service when you enter school. There shouldn’t be any problem then. Please follow the guidelines in THE WORKAROUND TO UNBLOCK THE VPN SERVICE PAGE ON SCHOOL CAMPUS above.
Great Information shared by the Author but can you suggest me any ways to access vpn if a school/college
ban the all the vpn sites and my phone network are not available inside campus.
Well explained! This post is exactly what a learner needs to know about the VPN for school. Superb informative. Sometimes, the restrictions are too much to tolerate and these VPNs are really effective in such situations. SecureThoughts.com is a helpful site for upgrading our knowledge!
I was banned from surfing Youtube in my university and was unable to watch even informative videos. Our university had a rule of not allowing any student to use any website that is out of their portal which was kinda boring. So, I decided to bypass this restriction and guess what? I used Express VPN and now I not only surf videos but can even log in to my FB account, thank!
Trying to access a blocked websites from school is really stressful. We sometimes need to get grab some legit data for homework it is always difficult. This post is really helpful. I personally have tried cyberghost VPN and I love it
Thanks for your article. It gave me insight on the importance of Vpn. I make use of PureVPN and it has been working for me.
What do i do if the site for VPN is blocked and i cannot access the website to put up a VPN
Hi Abby,
We tried to help our users with this as we realized that school campus IT administrators block certain sites like Youtube, Snapchat,etc. They’ll therefore block the VPN site since they know the VPN will enable you to overcome that issue. What I suggest you do is try clicking on ExpressVPN on this page – the URL has been adjusted so that you can access the page. If it still doesn’t work, I strongly recommend you access the VPN site when you are out of the school campus and register. Once you launch the software, you should be able to use it within the campus at any time based on your subscription.
Let me know if this helps.
HI,, need help.. Looks like my wifi service provider has blocked all vpn access too.. So i cant access internet when i turn on vpn,, What can i do . Thanks
Hi there,
Thank you for reaching out.
Can you please give me a direct email where I can get you in touch with the service technical department?
Please send at [email protected].
Thank you very much, hope to hear from you soon!
I have tried downloading a few vpn eg:tunnel bear at home before using it in school but it did not work how?
your article is helpful for me thank’s………..
My school blocks them by categorizing it as security.proxy what could I do.
My school blocks alot of websites including these vpns with lightspeedsystems can you help me. I can’t even acess my gmail please help.
well im trying to get a free vpn just so I can play roblox but every time I try all the vpn websites are blocked by my school. The blocker thing is called light speed systems. Please help. ;ccc I can’t even acess them because they are blocked by lightspeed.
My school blocks vpn and proxy sites how can i bypass that ?
Well, it seems none of these work, because my school has Lightspeed Mobile Filter downloaded forcefully on all the Chromebooks, blocking the sites. I have tried proxys and VPN sites, but alas, everything is blocked. Do you know of a website that isn’t blocked by Lightspeed? (Oh by the way, I can’t do anything about Lightspeed, and I’ve tried everything).
Hey Lennon!
Try making or using another account next to your school account!
Only your school email is blocked from downloading from the chrome web store !
I have a vpn at my school and I was used to get passed it with a vpn called free vpn. They somehow blocked all vpn’s even the ghost one. Is there still a way to get around it?
well my school has all the vpn websites blocked, so i cant get on anything. i dont see how they blocked ALL OF THEM. any suggestions ?
I’ve downloaded and setup cyberghost at home and i’ve come to school and tried to connect to it while connected to my school wifi but it says “Service Not Reachable, It seems that you cant reach the CyberGhost system. Please ensure you’ve a working internet connection and retry.” My connection is working, i can access the internet so i don’t know why it won’t work. If my school has blocked VPN’s is there anything else i can try?
Hello Tamia,
It might be best to contact the VPN’s customer support team to see if they can find any solutions.
Unfortunately, if a VPN won’t work there might not be many options available to you. Other VPNs might be more useful, but I could not tell you if your school is blocking them or not.
Best,
Lyndon
My school has blocked the use of VPN’s and Proxies, I did find one port which they did not block which was the port 3128. They have now blocked this one as well. What would you recommend I do, I have tried all kinds of proxies and VPN’s but they never work. Any advice?
Oli
My school blocks all installations and downloads, is there a portable version i could download onto a flash drive that would work?
I’ve attempted to use numerous VPN apps on IOS but have encountered nothing but failure. I am able to download and use the apps but cannot actually connect to a VPN. I believe the school is blocking this somehow but I am unsure. Is there a way to use a VPN that cannot be blocked or is this an end to my shenanigans?
can you do one for light speed its mostly used and hard to bypass
HotSpot shield works for me at my school
my schools block is just too good, curse you calallen isd xP
My school blocks vpn. I have tried many vpn but none work. I blocks openvpn too.
Hey gnurt,
Did you try contacting the VPN’s customer service? They often have a solution which can help.
Best,
Lyndon
All of the VPNs you gave are all blocked for me.
Hey Sage,
Have you tried contacting their customer service? Do you know how your school is blocking the VPN?
All of the vpns that I try to use at my school are blocked, blocked in a sense of not connecting, when you try to use the Vpn app the connecting option never goes away. I’m not sure why this is happening I was hoping you could help me.
Hey Casey,
I believe the VPN customer service department for the VPN you’re attempting to use would be more helpful than myself.
Best,
Lyndon
why will it not work!!!!!!!
Hello Claston,
What problem do you have with the VPN? Have you tried contacting you service provider’s customer service?
Best,
Lyndon
Hello,
I have downloaded a lot of VPN’s (including CyberGhost) but they do not work…
Hello Mike,
Could you explain in a little more detail how they are not working? Have you tried contacting the customer service of any of the VPNs you tried out?
Best,
Lyndon
I need something for my school, but they have like every proxy website and proxy blocked.
Hey Lizzie,
Do you think you could tell me a bit more about the methods they use to block proxies? Thank you.
Best,
Lyndon
Ok so non of this is working out is it possible I go home get it all set up there then come back to school and see if it works then?
Dear Mario,
Depending on how your school manages to block VPNs, that could very well work.
Best,
Lyndon
My school blocked downloading a vpn what do i do
Which VPNs did they block downloading? Unfortunately this is a bit of complex situation since I’m not certain what exactly your school did.
Best,
Lyndon
i have tried everything and i still cant get through sometimes when i try to use a proxy it cant get through or it will say Website contains prohibited proxy content. someone plz help out
Hey there,
Unfortunately I’m not exactly sure how much I can help you. School systems vary greatly and they might be sophisticated enough to notice proxy servers. You can try different options or you can see if there are people or resources that can know more about the situation to help you.
Best,
Lyndon
none of these work for me….
Hey Blake,
Sorry to hear that, what seemed to be the problem? Did you try contacting the customer service phone or email of any of the services you used?
Best,
Lyndon
None work fro me either
Our school block VPN’s how do I bypass this?
Alex,
If they block you installing a VPN then try some proxy sites. Although they are less dependable than a VPN you might be able to find one that works.
VPN MASTER seems to be effective against my school, but its android only as far as I know. Its on the play store, but you probably could find it through a google search.
i need to block my school from blocking me on you tube how do I do that?
Destiny, great question. A VPN can certainly help you with that. Check out the information on this page: https://securethoughts.com/best-vpn-youtube/
You’re sure to find a solution.
I’m blocked from downloading vpns at my school using. Monderd cromebook what should I do???
Hey James,
It depends on how you are being blocked. Could you download it elsewhere and use it once it is installed?
Best,
Lyndon
Well like my school just blocked all vpn service eh I’m useing a chromebook from Google that is controlled by an administrator called gafe.crpusd.org so what is the best vpn service to use?
Hello James,
I would like to refer you to our best VPN for Chromebook page. https://securethoughts.com/best-vpn-for-chromebooks/
Otherwise, I might recommend contacting customer service for the service that you’re using, as they have much more experience working around these sorts of problems than myself.
Best,
Lyndon
Use Ultra VPN. It’s definitely better than Ghost VPN.