How can an educational institution obtain Office licenses for students?

Parker Louise 0 Reputation points
2026-08-14T01:42:28.05+00:00

I would like to know how an educational institution can obtain Microsoft Office licenses for its students. 

Specifically, what licensing options are available to provide students with access to the full Office suite, and what are the requirements or steps needed for the institution to become eligible and manage these licenses?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For education | Windows
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  1. Stefan Blom 354.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-08-14T06:15:34.4233333+00:00

    The IT support or network admin in your organization will have to order an Education subscription for staff and students. See https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/microsoft-365/compare-microsoft-365-education-plans .

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  2. Jade Ng 15,945 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-14T03:15:10.36+00:00

    Dear Parker Louise,

    Educational institutions cannot normally purchase student Office licenses in the same way that individual consumers buy Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscriptions. Instead, schools, colleges, and universities can enroll in Microsoft 365 Education and obtain education licenses that are specifically designed for academic organizations.

    To become eligible, the institution must first complete Microsoft's academic verification process and have its educational status approved. Once approved, the institution can acquire Microsoft 365 Education licenses and assign them to students through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

    Available options include:

    • Office 365 A1 (free): Provides students with web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams through a browser.
    • Microsoft 365 Education A3: Provides the full desktop Office applications and additional management and security features.
    • Microsoft 365 Education A5: Includes everything in A3, plus advanced security, compliance, and analytics capabilities.

    After the licenses are assigned, students sign in with their school account and can access the services included with their assigned license.

    For additional information, please refer to the Microsoft articles:

    I hope I have helped clarify your questions. Please let me know if you need any additional information or assistance.

    Thank you for your valuable time and cooperation.  


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