OpenAI launches Study mode in ChatGPT with step-by-step guidance and interactive prompts to help students learn

ChatGPT Study Mode

OpenAI has launched a new Study mode in ChatGPT aimed at helping students move beyond quick answers and focus on meaningful learning. The feature introduces a more interactive and structured way to engage with academic content, providing step-by-step explanations, guiding questions, and feedback tailored to each user’s skill level. Study mode is now available to all logged-in users across Free, Plus, Pro, and Team plans, with ChatGPT Edu integration expected soon.

Study mode transforms ChatGPT into a more interactive learning assistant. Instead of simply solving a problem or answering a question, it engages students with Socratic-style prompts, scaffolded responses, and periodic knowledge checks. This helps users break down complex material, build connections between topics, and retain concepts more effectively. The system is designed to reduce cognitive overload and encourage reflection, curiosity, and active participation.

Personalisation is another key element. Study mode can assess the user’s level and adjust its responses accordingly. It also remembers what the user has studied in earlier chats, allowing for continuity and a more adaptive learning experience.

OpenAI collaborated with educators, scientists, and pedagogy experts to design Study mode. The goal was to reflect key learning science principles, including promoting metacognition, managing information flow, and encouraging critical thinking. According to OpenAI, this approach is informed by decades of educational research and was tested extensively with college students.

Students can use Study mode for a range of learning needs—solving homework problems, preparing for exams, or exploring new subjects. During early testing, many users described it as a virtual tutor available 24/7. From Game Theory to Discrete Mathematics, feedback from users indicated that the mode helped break down difficult concepts into digestible parts and encouraged repeated engagement without fatigue.

OpenAI plans to improve Study mode further based on student feedback. Future updates may include visual aids, progress tracking, and deeper personalisation. The company is also working with researchers from Stanford’s SCALE Initiative to study how AI tools affect learning outcomes, with plans to publish findings as the product evolves.

To try Study mode, users can open ChatGPT, click on the “Study and learn” tool, and ask a question. The experience is intended to support learning through guidance, not shortcuts.