As far as I can tell, this is a new thing. The old system involved free access for students whose University was in a Times Readership program and required some kind of access code, and a 50% discount for other students.

They seem to now be offering completely free access for all university students and faculty. If anybody knows different, please comment. Until then, I'm waiting for my confirmation e-mail, and all the mind-shatteringly insightful overly-simplistic tripe Thomas Friedman can churn out.

Now if they'd only get rid of that damned double-click definition pop-up feature.