How to get Office 365 for dirt cheap as a student

Free alternatives may exist for Microsoft Office components, but sometimes they can’t stand in for the original. As a student, the standard cost of $70 per year for an Office 365 Personal account may seem too expensive, but don’t worry—you might not to pay a thing to use the software.

Depending on where you go to school, you may qualify for a free or heavily discounted Office 365 subscription. The student version gives you the same access to Office apps (including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage, video editing software, and more.

For many students, your school email address will be enough to check your eligibility—and you may not even need to go through that process.

How to get Office 365 for free as a student

If you’re lucky, you can get Office 365 without paying a dime—but your institution has to have an agreement with Microsoft. Your school’s website and/or your student portal will typically mention the free software available to students. Just search for your school’s name and office 365 to speed up the hunt. If you don’t see any mention of Office 365, contact your IT department and ask.

How to get Office 365 for cheap as a student

Students attending US colleges and universities with Title IV accreditation qualify for a student discount on the Office 365 Personal plan, which discounts the price down to just $3 per month.

You must sign up through the Microsoft Office 365 student website, which will ask you to verify your student status. If you qualify, you’ll be charged once a month at the student rate until you lose your eligibility. Your rate will then go up to the standard Personal plan price at that time. 

When that happens—or should you no longer need your account—you can cancel your account whenever you wish.