Best VPNs for School Students
As a student, you need a good VPN to access blocked content while in school or college. This review shows you 5 of the best VPNs for school.
Last Update: October 22, 2021
As a student, you need a good VPN to access blocked content while in school or college. This review shows you 5 of the best VPNs for school.
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In the past, all you needed for school was writing materials. Today, things have changed. Students now require VPNs for school. Some school authorities block their students from accessing websites like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube while on the school premises.
They believe access to these websites might not allow students to concentrate on their studies. In some cases, streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO may potentially be affected by these blocks.
While these blocks might be necessary because it sometimes helps students concentrate. At the same time, browsing these websites from school grounds doesn't imply you're lazy. Sometimes, one needs to unwind, especially during break sessions.
Finding out that you cannot use these websites at those crucial moments can be frustrating. If you have been finding it hard to use your phone during leisure, there is a solution.
The easiest way to get around restrictions with your school network and the websites you want to access is to get a VPN. VPNs are applications that you install on your phone or computer, and it gives an impression that you are browsing from another location. While you are right there on campus, you can appear far away and access all the websites blocked by your school.
Unfortunately, there are so many VPNs out there today, and not all of them offer the same value. Therefore, we have gathered some of the best VPNs to help you unlock content while in school.
When it comes to school VPNs, you likely won’t get anything better than NordVPN. It gives the fastest internet speed amongst other VPN software that is available in the market today.
Aside from the speed, the app takes its no-log policy seriously. It does not store any of its users’ data, including traffic logs and session logs.
While you use NordVPN, you can rest assured that you will not have any privacy issues. The software encrypts all of your web traffic using 256-bit AES encryption and 2,048-bit DH keys. That way, no one can see what you are doing even if you use the school’s Wi-Fi.
NordVPN gives you access to over 5,500 servers that are available in 59 countries. In those countries, there are many locations that you can choose for your work. The beauty of it all is that every one of these servers supports torrenting.
Therefore, you can use your torrents as much as you want. More so, all the servers have an optimization that makes them suitable for video streaming. You can also bank on NordVPN for anti-DDos for your games.
Overall, NordVPN does well to overcome the Netflix ban and allows users access to geo-blocked content from BBC iPlayer and Hulu.
Over 5200 servers in 60 countries
24/7 Live chat
If you are looking for an affordable yet effective VPN in school, you should consider using Surfshark. Even though it is one of the cheapest VPNs, Surfshark offers its users over 3,200 servers spread across 65 countries worldwide.
The tool is highly user-friendly. It allows you to bypass almost any type of online blocking from Netflix to BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and many more. When it comes to security, Surfshark provides you with military-grade 256-bit AES encryption.
This feature is coupled with an optional kill switch that turns your data connection off if the VPN stops working. That way, you do not risk losing your exposure. Surfshark also offers protection against Ipv6, WebRTC, and DNS leaks.
The most crucial part is that Surfshark allows you to connect as many devices as you like with only one subscription account. It is something to talk about since most other VPN providers rarely allow more than seven simultaneous connections.
Surfshark keeps a zero-log data policy. The VPN provider will not save any of your information while you use the tool.
3200+ servers in 65 countries
24/7 customer support available
Surfshark VPN has the following price plans:
The third on our list is ExpressVPN, with its neat and user-friendly interface. Thanks to its fantastic speed, you can use ExpressVPN for torrenting on any server. It also works well to unblock Netflix, Hulu, etc.
ExpressVPN takes encryption seriously as the software uses the best 256-bit AES-CBC encryption using the OpenVPN encryption setting. The app has a no-log policy which means they won’t collect any of your information except those that have to do with technical issues.
With ExpressVPN, you should have no trouble finding a suitable connection with over 3,000 servers distributed in 94 countries. There's also an internet kill switch - dubbed a "network lock" by ExpressVPN - that will momentarily block online activity if the connection fails.
As a result, your data will be safe and secure.
160 server locations available in 94 countries
24/7 Live chat
The ExpressVPN prices are as follows:
ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee covers all plans.
Cyberghost is one of the best user-friendly VPNs out there that anyone can use. The tool is registered in Romania. Therefore, you can trust them to respect user privacy. The app keeps a zero-log policy and does well to protect its users.
In addition to that, the company ensures to use only the best of encryption standards. As of now, Cyberghost uses 256-bit AES encryption on the OpenVPN protocol. At the moment, this is considered the most challenging encryption protocol to crack.
Cyberghost ensures that an excellent strong connection is not a problem with them. With Cyberghost, you have access to about 5,700 servers spread across 90 countries. With many servers in different countries, you have all the freedom you need to choose and make the best decisions you want.
The beauty of this software is that it supports most devices. You can use it with Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and so on. The software allows you to connect up to 7 devices with just one account for those with multiple devices.
7,300 servers available in 91 countries
24/7 Live chat available
Private Internet Access might not have the best user interface, but it does its best to give a good job especially considering its low price. Like others on this list, the VPN provider is not based in any Five Eye countries. Therefore, it is not compelled by law to keep its customer data or any other logs.
Besides, it uses the best available encryption standards available. As a user, you can use the OpenVPN protocol with 256-bit AES encryption, 4,096-bit RSA keys, or SHA 256 authentication.
Private Internet Access has over 3,307 servers spread across 32 countries. That way, you should have smooth internet access almost all of the time. The only issue you might have while using private internet access is that it does not support Netflix. However, all its servers work well with torrents.
Private Internet access is available on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. If you want, you can connect as many as five devices to a single subscription.
Over 12945+ servers spread across the world
Community Forums Available
You might want to consider using Cyberghost if your school’s Wi-Fi is an open network. Cyberghost is popular amongst school students because it offers IP and DNS leak protection. It has a strict no-log policy and offers military-grade 256-AES encryption.
It comes with an automatic kill switch that will kill your internet if something suddenly goes wrong with the VPN connection. So, you do not risk exposing yourself even by accident. You can customize most of the features of the app to suit your needs.
Cost should not be a big problem with CyberGhost as you can connect one subscription account with up to 7 devices simultaneously. If you are unsure if this is the perfect tool for you, you can test the VPN as they have a 45-day money-back guarantee.
If you find out it's not what you want, you can opt out and find a better one.
There are different reasons why you should get a VPN that works in your college or school. First, you can never be sure how secure the network in your school is.
There are usually many people using the network in school, and many of these people carry around several types of malicious applications that are waiting to infect others.
If some of this nasty stuff enters your device, a lot of your information may be lost, or you could even permanently lose access to your device.
Therefore, you need a decent VPN to ensure that you stay protected while you use the network in your school.
Asides from the security of your devices which is very important, schools generally limit the content and services available to their students. While it is a good thing as they do so to ensure their students are focused, it can also be frustrating as students need to wind out sometimes.
With a VPN, you will be able to bypass any of such restrictions placed by your school. The software helps you mask your location, so it appears you are accessing your school’s network from a location far from the school.
Therefore, the sites previously blocked in your school will think you are accessing them from a different location where the server is now located. Since there is no such thing as server restriction, you will have access to check all the content you want even in school.
You will agree that most VPNs in the market are similar. As a result, picking one can be difficult, especially if you do not know what to look out for. However, when you look closely, you will see that they are all different in speed, security, server networks, encryption, and many more.
As a student looking for the best, you must know that your choice of VPN is determined by your preferences and what you consider to be the most important. That is because there is no single tool on the internet that offers you all of your needs.
However, when a tool ticks all the boxes in areas you feel are most important, it becomes ideal for you. The following are some of those crucial boxes that an ideal VPN service should tick.
Since you are a student, there is a high chance that you don’t have all the money to pay for some expensive plan. Therefore, the price should be on top of your priority list when selecting a VPN service. While you look for affordable VPN services, be wary of free VPN providers.
Some of these VPN services lure unsuspecting users with a promise of free services and only end up selling their data online for money. Some others offer free services, but they are limited and cannot offer you enough protection as you need.
However, there are a few affordable and reliable VPN services out there that you can use. Most of them will even offer you good discounts provided you can use the service for an extended period.
One of the main reasons why you need a VPN to start with is privacy and security. It is the second most vital factor to consider after cost.
Although these two alone won’t help you bypass the block, you need to be sure that you are protected enough, especially since your school’s network is a public one. Without proper protection, you are at risk of cybercrime.
An ideal VPN service should also keep your activities away from the prying eyes of your school authorities. The admin will have no idea what you are doing.
It should also have a kill switch feature that will cut off your connection if the VPN fails. The kill switch means that no matter what happens, your sensitive information and your activities will not be accidentally leaked to the school authorities even if the VPN stops working.
Most VPN services work well with the most popular operating systems. Therefore, you should not have any problem in this regard if your device runs with a popular OS. In any case, ensure you check the list of devices before you opt in to use a VPN service.
Besides, try to look for VPNs that allow you to use their service across platforms. That is, VPNs that you can install on your mobile and desktop. Therefore, you can use many devices, and the VPN supports you to enjoy maximum benefits on all your devices.
Ensure that the VPN you are using is user-friendly. This feature is essential if you are new to VPNs. While experienced users might not have issues using some apps, beginners might find it challenging to use complicated apps. Whichever group you are in, try to find something that suits you.
Most schools and colleges configure their networks to block traffic coming from all ports except port 448 and port 80. You need a VPN that offers you an SSTP protocol to bypass the problem.
Although the SSTP protocol works on port 443, most firewalls cannot block it. Another alternative is to use OpenVPN Protocol through port forwarding. However, this method works well only with Windows Computers.
You also need to consider if the VPN provider offers you obfuscated servers. Beyond giving you several servers, your VPN provider should be able to offer you obfuscation. Unfortunately, not all VPN providers have this level of sophistication.
With obfuscation, you will obfuscate your internet traffic, so it looks like regular HTTPS traffic. The technology is an amazing one, and it allows you to bypass even the strictest firewall protocols at ease.
With good obfuscation, you will find yourself viewing almost any type of blocked content right from the school premises.
Another alternative to VPN for accessing blocked content in school is to use a Proxy. Like VPN, a proxy helps change your location online by masking your IP address. However, you should note that proxies are not as effective as VPNs.
They cannot guarantee the level of safety that a VPN can give you. Even though it might seem your location is masked, with a Proxy, an excellent computer-savvy person can still find you.
You are also at risk of getting malicious content, and hackers can quickly get you when you use your school’s network.
Free VPN services sound catchy from afar, but they are not the best. The reason is that most of them do not offer as much quality compared with paid VPN services. Many of them come with considerable risks regarding privacy violation, malware, and many more issues.
As a student looking for VPN services to use, you might be tempted to use any of these services. However, you must know that VPN providers are not charity organizations. Most of these companies are registered businesses that need money to run.
Therefore, many so-called free VPN services offer their “free service” in exchange for your information. Some of them insert cookies in your browser to get data from you that they sell to third-party advertisers.
When you use their services, you get to watch several adverts in return. There is also a considerable risk of malware infection as they could sell these sensitive details to dangerous people. At the same time, there are still a few out there that offer genuine free services.
Using a VPN in school is not illegal in the US, provided you are not doing anything illegal with the VPN. Many people, business owners, government officials, and firms worldwide use VPNs every day to keep their data safe.
However, it might get you into serious trouble with the school authorities if it is against the rules of your school. You might want to discuss with the authorities in your school before you start using a VPN to ensure you are not breaking any rule.
NordVPN provides three different VPN subscriptions, of which the longest is its two-year plan. The VPN service does not provide any lifetime subscription at the time of writing. However, users can get a two-year plan at a discount of 69% off the regular monthly price.
VPNs for school can stop working for many reasons. Sometimes, the authorities of your school might block access to VPNs. However, if you feel the VPN won't connect for whatever reason, try these steps to fix it:
1. Clear your browsing cache and history.
2. Try to uninstall the VPN and reinstall the app again.
3. Restart your device.
4. Disconnect from the present server and connect to a different one.
5. Disable all location or GPS services.
6. Contact the customer service of your VPN provider.
Free VPN services sound catchy from afar, but they are not the best. The reason is that most of them do not offer as much quality compared with paid VPN services. Many of them come with considerable risks regarding privacy violation, malware, and many more issues.
As a student looking for VPN services to use, you might be tempted to use any of these services. However, you must know that VPN providers are not charity organizations. Most of these companies are registered businesses that need money to run.
Therefore, many so-called free VPN services offer their “free service” in exchange for your information. Some of them insert cookies in your browser to get data from you that they sell to third-party advertisers.
When you use their services, you get to watch several adverts in return. There is also a considerable risk of malware infection as they could sell these sensitive details to dangerous people. At the same time, there are still a few out there that offer genuine free services.
