\
It’s not a secret that students frequently can’t afford a lot. That’s why Microsoft introduced discounts and even free additions of tools needed for the education system, as in Office. The suite is something almost every student and teacher finds a necessity for daily life.
\
The plan is called “Student Advantage” and today the company announces planned enhancements to the program. Previously it was up to the schools to initiate the program, but now Microsoft will allow a bit more leeway within the system.
\
Students will now be able to sign up on their own, but there are some minor requirements. One is age — you must be 13 or older. They will also need a valid school email address, which many institutions provide to faculty and students.
\
Those eligible will get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access and Publisher. Sign-ups for this new way of doing things open today, and Microsoft hopes to expand it worldwide in the near future.
\
On top of that, Microsoft is offering the Office 365 ProPlus benefit for faculty and staff starting December 1, 2014.
\
“We have even more great news to share – we’re also announcing that faculty and staff will soon be able to access the same Office 365 ProPlus benefit as their students. This means that any organization purchasing Office for all of their faculty and staff can now include an Office 365 ProPlus subscription at no extra cost for all students, faculty and staff,” Microsoft explained.
\
Office 365 ProPlus allows teachers to install Office on up to five PCs or Macs, and even unlock the editing capabilities of Office apps on iPad. This allows teachers and students to have access to all Office documents regardless of where they are at. Plus, teachers have access to Office Mix to record and publish class lectures.
\
Teachers in the US can sign up for Office 365 ProPlus in October and the offer will be expanded worldwide later this year. Microsoft has also released a video showing students how they can get Office for free, which you can view below.
\
\
