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School VPN: Best VPN for School WiFi

Browsing the internet on your school or college networks is often quite a drag. The reason why is because such institutions commonly set up firewalls that prevent their students from gaining access to popular websites and streaming platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Netflix.

Fortunately, there’s a way to bypass the online restrictions that your school has implemented. All you need to do is make use of a VPN service. However, not just any provider will do. To access the internet with complete freedom in school, you’ll need a very capable virtual private network.

Today we’re going to talk about three great VPN solutions for school networks. On top of that, I’ll also discuss all the reasons to use a VPN in school. Last but not least, I’m gonna teach you how to utilize your VPN for school once you finally have one.

 

What Are The Best VPNs for School Wifi In 2022?

1. NordVPN

NordVPN screenshot

Credit: nordvpn.com

Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: NordVPN is a great VPN to use in school primarily because most of its 5600+ servers can easily circumvent geoblocks. In fact, they can even consistently get around the Great Firewall of China censorship, which is very impressive, to say the least.

I’ve discovered through testing that many of NordVPN’s servers are blazingly fast. They seldom caused noticeable drops in my internet connection speeds. Furthermore, a lot of them were successfully able to let me escape the bandwidth throttling caused by my current ISP.

Because they’re so fast, the servers of NordVPN are suitable for downloading torrents, online gaming, and content streaming. While connected to them, it’s almost certain that you won’t encounter common issues that are brought about by having a poor online connection.

Privacy & Security: NordVPN prides itself on being one of the safest VPNs around. Recently, it has upgraded its network to one that’s 100% RAM-based. That means that its zero-logging policy is no longer the provider’s only guarantee that it won’t compromise your data.

Experts have widely praised NordVPN for its adherence to robust standards of encryption. The provider makes use of AES-256 technology to encrypt all your web traffic. Together with that, it lets you employ a broad range of VPN protocols. Among them is NordLynx - a proprietary VPN protocol that’s based on WireGuard.

NordVPN’s applications deliver a very satisfactory experience. Practically all of them have very user-friendly interfaces. Besides that, they’ve got settings that are highly configurable. More importantly, every one of NordVPN’s apps is built with a load of useful security features.

One last thing to know about NordVPN’s security is that it operates a global bug bounty program that’s very successful. It established this program to avoid becoming hacked again.

You see, a few years ago, one of the VPN’s rented servers got infiltrated by a lone hacker who managed to obtain information necessary to establish a fake server. Fortunately though, he immediately got caught, and thus, was not able to steal any private user information.

Pricing: NordVPN has very affordable subscription plans. You can get it for a low monthly price of $11.95. However, that rate can become even lower if you opt for a longer-term subscription plan or take advantage of NordVPN’s many coupon discount promotions.

 

2. Surfshark

Surfshark screenshot

Credit: surfshark.com

Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: You’re sure to have zero regrets after buying Surfshark with the intent to make it your go-to VPN for school. After all, the provider doesn’t have any problems with bypassing any of the geo-restrictions that you’ll throw at it. This is evident in the fact that it’s capable of overcoming China’s Great Firewall with excellent consistency.

It should also be mentioned that many of Surfshark’s more than 3000 servers possess superb speed capabilities. They never caused my connection to drop significantly. In many instances, they even managed to free me from my internet service provider’s bandwidth allocation limits.

Using NordVPN, it’ll definitely be possible to download torrents safely in school. Aside from that, you’ll also be able to play your favorite online games without suffering from lag. However, if streaming content is your thing, then you’ll also be able to do that without any hitches.

Privacy & Security: Surfshark is a great VPN to have if you value your privacy and security. It has a zero-logs policy that’s backed by a server network that’s 100% RAM-based. Also, you should know that the VPN provider has itself independently audited on a regular basis.

Being a premium VPN, it shouldn’t surprise you to know that Surfshark uses military-grade AES technology to encrypt data. Moreover, it supports OpenVPN, IPSec/LT2P, IPSec/IKEv2, and the famous WireGuard protocol.

Anyone can learn how to get around Surfshark’s apps in no time. That’s because they have got simple interfaces that are also aesthetically pleasing. However, what makes them shine the most is the fact that they’re equipped with lots of security features such as a kill switch.

The most unique thing about Surfshark is its support for unlimited simultaneous connections per account. Yes, that’s right. With a single subscription to the VPN, it’ll be possible to safeguard the digital lives of every person you know on all of their electronic devices.

Pricing: Surfshark is a VPN that offers tremendous value for money. A basic monthly plan will cost you a mere $12.95, which is an absolute steal. Payments to the VPN service can be made using a variety of methods. Also, all Surfshark purchases come with a 30-day refund guarantee.

 

3. ExpressVPN

Expressvpn-screenshot-new

Credit: expressvpn.com

Unblocking & Speed Capabilities: Any conversation about the best VPNs for school would be incomplete if ExpressVPN were not to be mentioned. Like other providers of its caliber, it’s great at overcoming geo-restrictions to grant you access to otherwise unavailable content on the web.

ExpressVPN is a commonly-used VPN in China since it consistently defeats the country’s Great Firewall. In fact, our testers in the country have almost never reported failure with the provider.

The vast majority of ExpressVPN’s 3000+ servers are impressively quick. While they’re not the fastest VPN servers around, they’ll certainly be able to meet your needs. Using them, it’ll be a no-brainer for you to play online games, download torrents, and stream your favorite content.

It’s not guaranteed that ExpressVPN will get you off ISP-imposed bandwidth throttling. As such, you shouldn’t get the provider with the expectation that it’ll make your internet connection speeds much faster. Otherwise, you might just end up becoming disappointed.

Privacy & Security: Online privacy and security are two things that you’ll definitely have when you are connected to ExpressVPN’s network. For starters, this network is RAM-based in its entirety. In addition, there’s a no-logging policy that further guarantees your data’s safety.

ExpressVPN utilizes AES-256 encryption and supports many protocols. However, it has chosen to drop WireGuard support in favor of Lightway. For those unaware, Lightway is a proprietary VPN created by ExpressVPN as a WireGuard alternative. It’s heavily based on WolfSSL.

Now if you’re wondering, ExpressVPN’s apps are some of the best in the VPN industry. They’re a breeze to use and configure, making them perfect for first-time VPN users or non-tech-savvy individuals. Sadly though, the apps of ExpressVPN lack many features. For example, they do not have a built-in ad and malware blocker that would improve your web surfing experience.

Pricing: Although it’s one of the best VPNs that money can buy, ExpressVPN isn’t an expensive provider. To get it by the month, you’ll only need to spend $12.95, which is the same amount of money that Surfshark (ExpressVPN’s closest rival) charges for its 1-month subscription plan.

 

Why Use A VPN For School Wifi?

  • Unblock Restricted Content

VPNs, as well as proxies, can circumvent school network firewalls and grant you free access to the internet. Even so, we only recommend VPNs for unblocking restricted online content. How come? Proxies aren't reliable and are unable to provide you with edge-to-edge online security.

  • Fortify Your Digital Security

Most top-tier VPNs nowadays use military-grade AES-256 encryption to encrypt your data. In addition to that, they’ve also got RAM-based servers that can’t be used to compromise any of your private information.

Another way that VPNs fortify your digital security is by changing your IP address. By doing so, they prevent malicious third parties from finding out your real-world location.

The protection a capable VPN service can provide is especially vital to have when you’re in school. After all, most school wifi networks are easily exploitable by determined hackers.

  • Increase Web Connection Speeds

Some VPN services are capable of increasing your internet speeds. They achieve this feat by getting rid of any bandwidth limits that your ISP may have established. You see, unknown to many, it is common practice for ISPs subscriber bandwidth to avoid network overloading.

 

How To Use A VPN For School

Don’t know how to use a VPN for school? Follow the instructions below:

  • Get Yourself A VPN

Start off by getting a VPN for school. Make sure to procure the best option that you can buy as the last thing you’d want is to have an inferior provider. Avoid super cheap and free services under any circumstance. That is because they’re unlikely to meet your personal needs.

To make sure that you get a capable VPN, select any of the three providers that we talked about earlier. Each one is guaranteed not to leave you disappointed. Why? They have all got superb unblocking, speed, and security capabilities needed to be a good VPN service for school.

  • Install It

Your next course of action should be to install your VPN’s app on your school’s computer. If that is not possible, you may go for a browser extension instead. Either way, you’re guaranteed to have zero problems with the setup procedure as VPN installation is very easy nowadays.

To install a VPN app or browser extension, simply head over to your provider’s website or your device’s app store. Hit the download button then initiate the installation procedure. Following that, everything should go forwarded automatically without the need for any sort of input.

  • Pair With A Server

Open up your VPN’s app or extension and then select a server. The server you choose should be in the country that’s host to the online content that you wish to unblock. Also, it would be a good idea to settle on a nearby server as it’ll be less likely to hamper your connection speeds.

  • Activate Your VPN’s Kill Switch

After pairing to a server, don’t start browsing the internet just yet. Before doing so, head over to the settings menu of your VPN and activate the kill switch feature. Never skip this step if you don’t want to become open to hackers, government monitors, and other similar entities.

For those who don’t know, a kill switch is a security feature that many VPNs have. It keeps you protected from accidental online exposure. How does it work? By disconnecting your device from the internet in the event that its connection to your VPN gets cut for any reason.

  • Start Browsing The Internet

It’s finally possible to start surfing the web freely while you’re in school. Remember that during your browsing session, it’s essential to remain connected to your VPN. Disconnection might instantly lead to you getting blocked. It will also surely leave you open to malicious parties.

 

How We Ranked These VPNs for School

Our rankings weren’t hurriedly created. We took our time to make sure that you get the best VPN for school that’s currently available.

First of all, we conducted lots of research. It was essential for us to do this in order to narrow down our options. Now speaking of options, there are hundreds that are available for you to choose from. Some are decent whereas others are not even worth taking a second look at.

Once we had our candidates, members of our team tested them out. Through these tests, they were able to assess their speed, unblocking, and security capabilities.

The last thing that we did was compare the rates of our top picks. Why? Because we wanted to know which among them was the most affordable. More importantly, we also wanted to know  how much value for money they provide in comparison to one another.

By: Erwin Caniba
Eric is the co-founder of VPNOnline. He has been an avid user of VPNs since 2012. He has tested all of the major VPN providers and shares his findings on this website. Follow Eric on Facebook.