UMD Billing & Usage

UMD ChatGPT Edu Billing & Usage Guide

Understand license tiers, credit pools, and when different ChatGPT capabilities may consume credits.

4 License tiers
Credits for advanced usage
Modes practical guidance

License tiers

Effective July 1, 2026, OpenAI introduced a new billing model for Higher Education workspaces. In response, UMD has updated its ChatGPT licensing model to better align with these changes.

UMD ChatGPT licenses now use a credit-based billing model for advanced capabilities instead of a fixed pricing structure. Standard ChatGPT features remain included, while advanced capabilities draw from the monthly credit allocation associated with each licensing tier (see the attached overview of included and advanced capabilities).

Users may change their licensing tier at any time by submitting the ServiceNow ChatGPT License Request form. Please note that both the user and the designated financial reviewer must approve any upgrade request before it can be processed.

Standard

Seat + credits
$30 per seat / month
500 credits
  • Good fit for routine campus work with occasional advanced needs.
  • Uses credits when you choose advanced capabilities.

Power

More credits
$100 per seat / month
2250 credits
  • For teams that regularly use advanced reasoning or research tasks.
  • More headroom for higher-cost modes and features.

Max

Heavy usage
$200 per seat / month
4,750 credits
  • Designed for heavy advanced usage and frequent Codex work.
  • More room for sustained, high-volume or high-complexity workflows.

Ultra

New Extended allocation
$400 per seat / month
9,750 credits
  • Designed for sustained advanced usage, including research-intensive and Codex workflows.
  • Provides additional monthly credits for research-intensive and high-demand workflows.

We understand that not everyone's usage patterns will fit neatly within these tiers. If your initiative requires credits beyond the Ultra allocation, please contact us at dit-ais@umd.edu. We can work with you to establish an allocation that aligns with your anticipated usage and funding requirements.

Important
  • Credits DO NOT automatically rollover from month to month.
  • Not every interaction necessarily consumes credits. Core capabilities are included with your seat, and usage beyond included limits or use of credit-based features may consume credits according to the rate card.

Features & credit rates

Core capabilities are always included with your seat. Advanced features draw from your monthly credit allocation. The matrix below shows what's included, what's limited, and what consumes credits.

A feature matrix titled ChatGPT Feature Matrix divided into two sections. The top section, Core, lists features always included in the base experience. Fully included features are: Instant (default model), Search (access to the web), GPTs (task automation), Data Analysis (analyze documents and data), Canvas (interactive writing and coding), and Study Mode (personalized, Socratic learning). Rate-limited core features include ImageGen (custom mockups and visuals, 3 per day included) and Deep Research (research and report generation, 5 per day included). The bottom section, Advanced, lists features where every interaction consumes credits, with credits applying after any included daily amount for rate-limited features. Advanced features are: Reasoning, the flagship reasoning model, at 10 credits per message; Pro for multi-step reasoning at 50 credits per message; Voice for brainstorming and planning at 5 credits per minute; ChatGPT Agent for going from chat to action at 30 credits per message; ImageGen for custom mockups and visuals at 5 credits per message; and Deep Research for research and report generation at 50 credits per task.

NOTE: Feature availability, included usage, and credit rates may change. See the OpenAI Enterprise/Edu rate card for the latest information.

Work & Codex credit usage

Credit usage for ChatGPT Work and Codex is based on input tokens, cached input tokens, and output tokens.

Current models & rate information Models & Rates

OpenAI updates model availability and pricing as models are introduced or retired. For the latest supported models and credit rates, refer to the official OpenAI rate card. DIT works to make newly supported models available to the UMD community as soon as practical after release, subject to workspace availability and administrative review.

View current OpenAI rate card

The examples below are illustrative and may not reflect current model availability or rates:

Illustrative calculation 1 Codex

If a GPT 5.5 Codex run uses 20,000 input tokens, 80,000 cached input tokens, and 5,000 output tokens, the run would consume about 7.25 credits:

  • Input: (20,000 ÷ 1,000,000) × 125 = 2.5 credits
  • Cached input: (80,000 ÷ 1,000,000) × 12.5 = 1.0 credit
  • Output: (5,000 ÷ 1,000,000) × 750 = 3.75 credits
  • Total: 2.5 + 1.0 + 3.75 = 7.25 credits
Illustrative calculation 2 ChatGPT

After your daily free limits are used, an afternoon session with 2 extra image generations, 1 extra Deep Research task, and 4 GPT 5.5 Thinking messages would consume 100 credits:

  • Image Gen: 2 over the 3/day free limit, 2 × 5 = 10 credits
  • Deep Research: 1 over the 5/day free limit, 1 × 50 = 50 credits
  • GPT 5.5 Thinking: 4 messages, 4 × 10 = 40 credits
  • Total: 10 + 50 + 40 = 100 credits
Speed note: Faster execution modes may consume credits at a higher rate than Standard. Availability, speed improvements, and credit rates vary by model. See the OpenAI speed guidance for current details.

Notes & links

Rollout notes and official references.

Division of Information Technology

Division of Information Technology

University of Maryland

301-405-1500 itsupport@umd.edu
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