Students and Teachers Get Microsoft Office for Free GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > MS Office

Students and Teachers Get Microsoft Office for Free

Check your school's eligibility for Microsoft 365 Education

By Cindy Grigg Cindy Grigg Writer Cindy Grigg is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a productivity writer who teaches Microsoft Office software to students and pros. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 21, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section What is Included How to Determine Your Eligibility What Admins Need to Do For Non-Eligible Students or Teachers Microsoft features a bunch of Microsoft 365 plans for personal, business, or non-profit use. One such plan may already be in place at your school. Students and teachers easily check their school's eligibility for a free Microsoft 365 subscription, and they should also be able to sign up for the offer themselves rather than going through an administrator. On Microsoft's site, you can check to determine whether you can get a free Microsoft Office account for students and teachers. If you're not eligible, ask your school's administration whether they support Microsoft 365 Education. Leren Lu / Digital Vision / Getty Images

What is Included for Eligible Students and Teachers

The free Microsoft Office account for students and teachers includes the latest available desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, and Publisher (Office 2019 for Windows or Office 2019 for Mac). Plus, you can install these desktop programs on as many as five PCs or Macs as well as up to five mobile devices. These desktop applications integrate with Office Online, the browser-based version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. The important thing about Office Online is that it allows you to collaborate on a document in real time with other students or teachers. If you need to work offline, you can save locally, then sync changes after re-establishing a connection. The offer also includes free storage in OneDrive. You can access the documents you saved to OneDrive across all your mobile and desktop devices. The Microsoft 365 Education plan typically allows educational institutions to offer the Office and OneDrive experience plus sites, free email, instant messaging, and web conferencing. You may need to check with your school for details on these components.

How to Determine Your Eligibility

This program has been in effect for a while, but now it is easier to determine whether your school is a qualifying institution. All you need to check for eligibility is your school email address. Next, visit the Microsoft Office 365 Education website to further investigate the possibilities for your school.

What Administrators of Eligible Institutions Need to Do

Administrators don't need to do much. This is the elegant thing about Microsoft's offer, as described on their Office in Education site: There are no administrative actions your institution needs to take to enroll. You can simply communicate the availability of Microsoft 365 Education for Students to your students using content from our toolkit. Contact your Microsoft representative with specific questions about the steps your school should take.

For Non-Eligible Students or Teachers

Your interest may prompt important conversations on behalf of the other students or teachers at your school. If your school is not eligible, contact your school's administration to request that they reach out to Microsoft regarding failed eligibility. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Microsoft Office May Be Changing Its Name, but It’s Not Going Anywhere What is Amazon Prime Student? Is Microsoft Word Free? Yes, It Can Be The 8 Best Microsoft Office Alternatives of 2022 How to Install Microsoft 365 on Your PC OneNote Not Syncing? How to Get It Back Online How to Get an Apple Student Discount Microsoft Office Online Review How to Use Microsoft's Free PowerPoint Viewers How to Connect Spotify to Hulu How to Run Microsoft Office on a Chromebook 9 Best Free Microsoft Office Alternatives How to Get a Lenovo Student Discount Your Best Year Ever: College Tech Tips How to Get a Tidal Student Discount The 10 Best Sites to Get Free Software for Students Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies