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Like many tech giants, Microsoft wants to make a difference in the world, so it’s offering some products and services at discounted prices for select categories of people. This article discusses five current Microsoft student deals, how and where to access them, and who is eligible to receive them.
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1. Free Office 365 for Schools and Students
Office 365 Education comprises several applications and productivity services offered at discounted prices for students, teachers, and schools. The package is offered to proven accredited academic institutions that apply by signing up on the Office 365 Education site using a valid school email.
If your school is eligible, you’ll receive a verification code and gain access to a set of products and services, depending on the pricing option your school has chosen. Without your school’s eligibility, you would have to purchase a plan for personal use.
In this context, the A1 license is free for students and includes multiple applications and services known and used by students everywhere, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. More advanced versions, such as Office 365 A3 and A5, have discounted prices for students: $2.50/month and $6/month.
How to Get the Discount
- On your browser, open the Office 365 Education webpage (linked above).
- Enter your school’s email address and click “Get Started.”
- If your school is eligible, a form will appear for you to fill in your details.
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2. Free Microsoft 365 Education
Microsoft 365 Education provides free access and licenses for desktop apps, Windows, advanced security, management, and analytical tools to students through their schools. The school pays for this package with its students as beneficiaries and offers free Office 365 but with additional licenses, depending on the school’s pricing option.
When schools (K-12 or higher) purchase Microsoft 365 (any of the three packages) for teachers, faculty, or staff, it works on all devices and comes at no cost to the students.
Not all academic institutions will be eligible for Microsoft 365 Ed ucation subscriptions. However, students enrolled in Title IV accredited U.S. colleges and universities can still get Microsoft 365 Personal at a 50% discount, paying just $2.99 monthly. Microsoft must verify your enrollment with details that include your school email and student ID before granting you this discount.
How to Get the Discount
Microsoft Office 365 Education doesn’t offer a self-service signup for students, so to become recipients of this discount, students should confirm their school’s eligibility from the school’s IT administrator or department and ask for free access to the package.
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3. Microsoft Student and Military Discount
The Student and Military discount grants eligible students, parents, teachers, and military personnel (active, former, or retired) discounts on specific products and application packages in the Microsoft store. This includes:
- Free Office 365
- 5% off Surface Go devices
- Up to 10% off selected computers, devices, and accessories
This particular discount cannot be combined with other discounts, but when products are on sale, students with this discount will be charged the lower amount of the two prices.
In addition to the items listed above, eligible individuals can get access to free virtual workshops to enhance study skills, free shipping, and 60-day returns. Microsoft extends a promise to students who purchase a product or application package with a price that was discounted within 30 days of purchase. The difference will be refunded.
How to Get the Discount
- Sign in with your personal Microsoft account to confirm your eligibility.
- Click “Sign in to check for eligibility.” If you’re eligible at the end of the process, you’ll see a message on your screen that says, “Congratulations! You’re eligible for special pricing.”
- Click “Okay” and begin shopping for incredible deals at the Microsoft Store.
4. Office Home & Student 2021
Office Home & Student 2021 is available to students whose schools are ineligible for the free Office 365 or whose schools haven’t acquired any Microsoft Education packages. This one-time purchase of $149.99 offers 2021 versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on only one PC or Mac.
This package doesn’t include OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, or other services that come with a Microsoft 365 subscription, like 1TB of OneDrive storage and 60 Skype minutes per month. It is also not upgradable, so you can only obtain upgraded versions of applications by repurchasing the package at full price.
How to Get the Discount
- Visit the discount webpage (linked above).
- Click “Buy Now,” and the site will load the checkout page.
- If you’re signed out of your account, you’ll need to sign in.
- Follow the prompts provided to add a payment method and place an order.
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5. Device Discounts for Students
Students, parents, and teachers are eligible for discounts up to 45% on select Microsoft devices, including:
- Stain-resistant keyboards
- 127-watt power supplies
- 10.5”-13” touchscreen surface tablets
- Surface laptops
- Surface noise-cancellation headphones
- Earbuds and touch pens
Tip: Chrome users who just purchased a new device may want to install one of these extensions for students to help with completing schoolwork.
How to Get the Discount
- Visit the Microsoft Store page.
- Click “Show Now” that is just beneath “Up to 10% off for students and parents.”
- At this point you should have an array of discounted products on your screen. Note that deals have a yellow tag plastered on them that display the amount you’ll be saving if you purchase the product.
- Select your preferred device and follow the payment prompts until you’ve completed the order.
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Other Microsoft Student Discounts
1. PC Deals
Although Microsoft PC deals aren’t specifically for students, they don’t leave out students with other brand preferences and give up to 32% off. The online store sells PCs manufactured by brands like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Samsung and gaming laptops by BuyPower, Razer Blade, Corsair desktops, and more.
2. Surface Deals
For other Surface devices that don’t make it to the student deal list, the Surface deals section offers nice discounts on devices, such as the new Surface Pro 8 and other Surface accessories under $50.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my student Office 365 plan with others?
No. If you have a classmate needing Office 365, they must log in and go through verification to get their license from Microsoft. If your friend goes to another school, they must verify their eligibility and get information on which plans are available for their school.
Can I return purchased devices?
Yes. Most devices on the Microsoft store are returnable, but you must check whether they are eligible. To request a return, sign in to the account the device was purchased on, proceed to “Order History,” then select “Request a Return.” If the “Request a Return” option isn’t available, the device may not be eligible, such as single items in a bundle deal. Microsoft Store will generate a unique shipping label for the return.
Will I get a student discount code from Microsoft?
Microsoft student offers don’t come with discount codes. The only codes currently in use are redeemable for gift cards. Student discounts are automatically updated, so after you sign in to your Microsoft account, Microsoft presents you with the best deals and discounts. If you find that you’re ineligible for Microsoft’s discounts, or the discounted products and packages don’t check your boxes, read up on other strategies to find great deals and save money.
Image credit: Surface via Unsplash
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