Adobe offers free AI creative tools to students across India: Photoshop, Acrobat, Firefly
Adobe is giving higher-education students in India free access to its flagship tools - Photoshop, Acrobat, and the AI-powered Firefly studio. Announced at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, the move backs India's "Create in India" vision and supports the Union Budget 2026 focus on two million AVGC jobs by 2030.
Beyond software, Adobe is rolling out curriculum, training, and credentials so students graduate with job-ready creative and AI skills. The offer is aimed at accelerating AI-driven creativity and workforce readiness across the country.
What students get
- Free access to Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat, and the Firefly AI creative studio
- Curriculum, training, and credentials recognized by industry
- AI content that's safe for commercial use inside Adobe's apps
- Choice to work with partner models (Google, OpenAI, Runway) directly in the workflow
Who's eligible and how it rolls out
In partnership with the Government, Adobe will make its AI-first offer and industry-endorsed curriculum free for 15,000 schools and 500 colleges that will host Content Creator Labs. Institutions can bring these tools and courses to campus so students can build portfolios and earn credentials before they graduate.
This effort strengthens India's creative economy agenda and supports growth in animation, VFX, gaming, and comics - plus adjacent fields like marketing, media, e-commerce, education, and technology.
Firefly in the stack
Firefly is Adobe's all-in-one creative AI studio. It combines leading creative models and integrates partner models such as Google, OpenAI, and Runway, giving students flexibility in style and workflow. Paired with Photoshop and Acrobat, it creates a clean pipeline from concept to assets to polished deliverables.
Skills you can build right now
- Graphic design: fast concepting, style variations, and brand-safe assets
- Video and VFX: storyboard frames, plates, background extension, and quick comps
- Animation and gaming: character ideas, environment studies, texture passes
- Marketing and media: ad mockups, campaign visuals, thumbnail and banner sets
- E-commerce: product shots, lifestyle variants, UGC templates
- Education and tech: course visuals, documentation, tutorials, and demos
How to make the most of this offer
- Check whether your institution is part of the Content Creator Labs rollout and request access through your admin or IT desk.
- Set a weekly practice cadence: ship one mini project per week (poster, reel, product hero, or short scene).
- Build a living portfolio: show prompts, iterations, and final assets with clear notes on process and rights.
- Use Acrobat to standardize proposals, brand kits, and handoffs; keep portfolio PDFs lightweight and scannable.
- Learn prompt thinking: write, iterate, and version prompts like design briefs; track what actually works.
- Collaborate: pair designers, editors, and writers to speed up concepts and keep quality high.
Ecosystem moves to watch
As an extension of Adobe Digital Academy, Adobe India has partnered with NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime (in collaboration with MeitY) to offer free, industry-relevant courses and certificates to learners across India. At the Summit, Adobe also showcased "KathΔvatΔr," a series of five short AI films based on Indian folklore, created with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
What Adobe leadership says
"Adobe is expanding the opportunity for creativity for millions of students across India, empowering them with AI skills, further accelerating Prime Minister Modi's vision," said Shantanu Narayen, Chair and CEO, Adobe. "I look forward to seeing what the students of India create with Adobe's industry-leading tools, and in doing so accelerating Viksit Bharat."
Learn more
- Adobe Firefly - explore the AI creative studio at the center of this rollout
- NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime - find free courses and certificates under the partnership
- AI for Creatives - tutorials, workflows, and training paths for creative pros
Your membership also unlocks:
