Short answer: A Project 10Million hotspot is a free portable Wi-Fi device from T-Mobile for K-12 students in low-income households. If you qualify, you get the hotspot plus 200GB of data per year for 5 years — with no monthly bill, no activation fee, and no yearly re-certification. You apply online in about five minutes by uploading proof that your family takes part in one qualifying program (like free school lunch, SNAP/EBT, or Medicaid). You do not have to be a T-Mobile customer.
The rest of this guide walks you through exactly who qualifies, how to apply step by step, which hotspot you’ll receive, how to set it up, and the real-world limits to know before you rely on it.
Is the Project 10Million hotspot still available in 2026?
Yes. T-Mobile launched Project 10Million in 2020 as part of a multi-year commitment to close the “homework gap,” and it is still open for applications in 2026. T-Mobile says it has already connected more than 6.7 million students through the program.
This matters because a lot of pandemic-era internet help has ended — most notably the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which stopped in 2024. Project 10Million is not part of ACP and was not affected by its shutdown. It is funded and run by T-Mobile directly, so it continues independently.
If you’ve been searching because you heard “free student internet ended,” that was ACP. Project 10Million is a separate, still-active program.
What you get with a Project 10Million hotspot
| What you get | The details |
| Free hotspot device | One portable T-Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot per household, shipped to you for free |
| Free data | 200GB of high-speed data every year |
| How long | 5 years — your data resets to a fresh 200GB each year on your activation anniversary |
| Cost | $0. No monthly bill, no activation fee, and no annual re-certification |
| If you run out of data | An optional 10GB / 30-day data pass for $10 |
| Parental controls | Free Web Guard content filtering is built in |
| Who can apply | New or existing T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, or Assurance Wireless customers — or customers of any other carrier |
The data allowance doubled from 100GB to 200GB per year for K-12 families starting September 26, 2024, and that increase is automatic.
One important detail people miss: it’s one hotspot and one data line per household, no matter how many students you have. Everyone in the home shares that single hotspot’s Wi-Fi and the 200GB pool.
Who qualifies for a Project 10Million hotspot?
To get a Project 10Million hotspot, two things need to be true:
- You have a K-12 student in your household, and
- The parent or guardian can show proof of participation in ONE qualifying program, dated within the past year.
The five programs T-Mobile accepts as proof are:
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP) — free or reduced-price school lunch
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP / EBT)
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
- Medicaid
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
On its main program page, T-Mobile also notes that NSLP eligibility itself can come through other assistance programs — including TANF, Head Start, and foster, migrant, homeless, or runaway youth status. So if your family is in one of those, you may still qualify through the National School Lunch Program path. When in doubt, apply — the worst case is a request to upload a different document.
If your household already receives benefits like SNAP or Medicaid, you may also qualify for other help worth checking, such as free internet service with food stamps and free home internet for low-income families.
Do you have to be a T-Mobile customer? (No.)
You can be brand new to T-Mobile, an existing T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, or Assurance Wireless customer, or with a completely different carrier. It doesn’t affect eligibility.
Where it’s available
The program is open to residents of the United States and Puerto Rico. It is not available in Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and devices cannot be shipped to PO boxes. Because this is mobile data, it’s also worth checking T-Mobile’s coverage at your address before you apply (more on that in the limitations section below).
How to apply for a Project 10Million hotspot (step by step)
The application takes about five minutes. You can apply online, or get in-person help at a T-Mobile store.
- Gather your documents first. You’ll need (a) proof of one qualifying program dated within the past year, and (b) a valid parent/guardian photo ID whose name exactly matches the name you’ll put on the application. Have your student’s school name and district handy too.
- Start the application. Go to T-Mobile’s Project 10Million page and select Apply Now, or visit a T-Mobile retail store for help enrolling.
- Enter your details and pick your qualifying program from the list, matching it to the document you’re about to upload.
- Upload your proof. You can upload up to three files (PNG, JPG, JPEG, or PDF), each 9MB or less. Make sure names, dates, and the program or school name are all clearly visible.
- Sign the service agreement.
- Verify your email — this is the step that ships your device. Within 7 days, open the email titled “Get free internet from T-Mobile” (check your spam/junk folder), and complete the verification form. If a document gets rejected, you have up to three upload attempts inside that 7-day window.
- Get your hotspot. Once you’re approved and verified, T-Mobile ships the device free, and it typically arrives in about 3–5 business days. You’ll get a tracking email when it’s on the way.
Tip: If you miss the 7-day verification window, your application closes and you’ll need to start a new one — so watch your inbox right after you apply.
What proof of eligibility do you need?
T-Mobile checks documents carefully, and small mistakes are the most common reason applications get delayed. Here’s what’s accepted for each program:
| Qualifying program | Accepted proof (dated within the past year) |
| NSLP (free/reduced lunch) | NSLP eligibility letter — paper copy, email, or portal screenshot |
| SNAP / EBT | SNAP eligibility letter, or your EBT card (front and back) |
| CEP | School eligibility letter or report card from the current school year |
| Medicaid | Medicaid eligibility letter, or a state Medicaid card |
| FDPIR | FDPIR eligibility letter — paper copy, email, or portal confirmation |
In addition, you’ll upload a valid parent or guardian photo ID (driver’s license or state ID) with a first and last name that matches the application.
Upload tips that prevent a denial
- Documents must be from the current school year, issued within the past year, or not expired.
- Don’t crop out names, dates, or school/program names.
- Photos must be well-lit, in focus, and easy to read — blurry images are rejected.
- Student ID cards are not accepted as proof of a program.
- Screenshots or PDFs from school or benefits portals are accepted.
- On an iPhone, set your camera to “Most Compatible” (Settings → Camera → Formats) before taking the photo.
- If the parent/guardian name doesn’t appear on the school or benefits document, you must include a matching photo ID.
Which hotspot device will you get?
You don’t get to choose the exact model — T-Mobile ships whatever current device is in stock, and all of them deliver the same 200GB service. As of 2026, the models in rotation (newest to oldest) are:
| Hotspot model | Approx. size (inches) |
| ANS Hotspot (newest) | 4.61 × 3.23 × 0.61 |
| Wingtech Hotspot | 4 × 2.79 × 0.73 |
| Franklin T10 Hotspot | 3.7 × 2.6 × 0.52 |
| Franklin T9 Hotspot | 4.13 × 2.63 × 0.51 |
| Alcatel Link Zone 2 (oldest) | 4.13 × 2.6 × 0.75 |
Each is a pocket-sized battery-powered device that creates a Wi-Fi network your laptop, tablet, or phone can join.
Remember, a hotspot gives you internet, not a computer. If your student also needs a device, see our guides on getting a free iPad for students, low-cost computers through PCs for People, or free government smartphones with internet.
How to set up and activate your Project 10Million hotspot
Setup is designed to be simple — there’s no separate activation phone call.
- Charge and power on the hotspot.
- It connects to the T-Mobile network and activates automatically once it’s on and in a coverage area.
- On the device you want online, open Wi-Fi settings, select your hotspot’s network name, and enter the Wi-Fi password printed on the card inside the box.
- To manage your data and settings, create a T-Mobile ID at t-mo.co/P10MWelcome using your name, your hotspot’s phone number (in your welcome email), and the 4-digit PIN you created during the application.
- If it won’t connect, turn it off and back on. Still stuck? Call 1-877-PRJ-10MN (1-877-775-1066).
If you’re comfortable with network settings and ever need to troubleshoot connectivity on the T-Mobile network, our T-Mobile APN settings guide can help.
How to check your application or order status
- Application status (approved/denied/needs more info): All updates come to the email tied to your application — including messages from SheerID, the service T-Mobile uses to verify documents. Check your inbox and spam folder.
- Order and shipping status: After you verify your email, you’ll get a shipping email with tracking, and devices typically arrive in 3–5 business days. If you haven’t received shipment details within 7 days, call 1-877-PRJ-10MN (1-877-775-1066).
- “Shipping address error” when applying? That means a hotspot has already been issued to your address — the program allows only one per household.
(For a similar student-internet program with its own status portal, see our Cox Connect2Compete application status check.)
What happens when you run out of data?
Your line comes with 200GB per year. If you use it all before your yearly reset, you have two choices:
- Wait for your annual reset. Your data automatically refills to a fresh 200GB on the anniversary of the day you activated the hotspot.
- Buy a data pass. A 10GB / 30-day pass costs $10. To buy one: sign in at t-mo.co/P10MWelcome → Shop → Purchase Data Pass → Data → choose your pass → Set Order Date → add to cart and check out.
To put 200GB in perspective, that’s roughly 16–17GB per month — plenty for homework, research, Google Classroom, email, and video calls, but it can go quickly if the hotspot is used for a lot of streaming.
What if your application is denied?
Denials are usually fixable, and they’re almost always about the paperwork rather than your eligibility. If you’re turned down:
- Read the email for the exact reason (often a name mismatch, an expired or blurry document, or the wrong program selected).
- Resubmit within 7 days. A SheerID email will tell you what’s needed; you get up to three upload attempts in that window.
- If you miss the window, simply reapply with a new application.
The most common fixes: make sure the name on your photo ID exactly matches the application, use a document from the past year that isn’t expired, don’t crop out any details, and never use a student ID card as your proof.
The honest catch: limitations worth knowing
It’s genuinely free with no hidden fees — but it’s a mobile hotspot, not home fiber or cable, and it helps to go in with the right expectations:
- Speeds depend on T-Mobile coverage at your home. If T-Mobile’s signal is weak where you live, the hotspot will be too. Check the coverage map before you apply.
- Video streams in SD (up to about 2.5 Mbps). That’s fine for schoolwork, browsing, and video calls, but not ideal for HD streaming or large downloads.
- During network congestion, Project 10Million lines may be slowed compared to other customers (this is called data prioritization).
- One hotspot and one data line per household — even with several students. They all share the same Wi-Fi and 200GB.
- Not available in Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and it can’t ship to a PO box.
- Roaming isn’t available, and the plan is intended for student connectivity.
My recommendation
If you have a K-12 student, live in a T-Mobile coverage area, and mainly need reliable internet for homework, research, Classroom, and video calls, Project 10Million is one of the best deals out there — and there’s genuinely no catch. If you qualify, apply; a fully free hotspot with 200GB a year for five years is hard to beat.
A few tips to get the most out of it:
- Pair it with a device. The hotspot supplies internet, not a computer, so line up hardware too (see the free-device links above).
- Apply early in the school year and keep your proof documents current to sail through verification.
- If T-Mobile coverage is weak at your address, or you need whole-home internet for a large family, look at wired low-income options instead — start with free home internet for low-income families, free WiFi with food stamps, or a free government hotspot device with unlimited data.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Project 10Million hotspot still available in 2026?
Yes. The program launched in 2020 and is still accepting applications. It was not affected by the end of the federal ACP, which was a separate program.
Is the hotspot really free?
Yes — free device, free shipping, and 200GB of data per year for five years, with no monthly bill or activation fee. The only optional cost is a $10 pass for 10GB extra if you run out early.
Do I have to be a T-Mobile customer?
No. New and existing T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, and Assurance Wireless customers all qualify — and so do customers of any other carrier.
How much data do you get?
200GB per year, which resets automatically each year on your activation anniversary, for five years.
How many hotspots can one family get?
One hotspot and one data line per household, regardless of how many students you have.
How long does the hotspot take to arrive?
Usually about 3–5 business days after you verify your email, with tracking sent by email.
Which hotspot device will I get?
One of T-Mobile’s current models — the ANS, Wingtech, Franklin T10, Franklin T9, or Alcatel Link Zone 2. You can’t choose the model, but they all provide the same 200GB service.
Can I get a free phone or tablet instead of a hotspot?
No — the Project 10Million benefit is the hotspot and data. You supply the laptop, tablet, or phone that connects to it.
What happens if I use all my data?
Your service pauses until your annual reset, or you can buy a 10GB / 30-day pass for $10.
Can I use it for streaming and gaming?
It’s meant for student connectivity. Video streams in SD and speeds may be reduced during congestion, so it’s best for schoolwork, browsing, and video calls rather than heavy streaming or gaming.
Do I have to reapply or re-certify every year?
No. There’s no annual re-certification for the full five years.
Why was my application denied?
Almost always a document issue — an expired or blurry file, a name that doesn’t match your ID, a cropped-out detail, or the wrong program selected. Check the email for the reason and resubmit within seven days.