Verified college students get 12 months of Microsoft 365 Premium free — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive (up to 6 TB), Outlook, and Copilot in desktop apps. After 12 months it auto-renews at the regular monthly price unless you cancel.
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How to claim it
- Open the offer. Go to
microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/college-student-pricing - Sign in personally. Sign in with a **personal** Microsoft account (create one if needed) — not a school-issued Microsoft account
- Add a payment method. Review the offer details and add a payment method (required up front, not charged during the 12 free months)
- Verify your status. Enter your **college or university email address** on the order details page — verification is automatic when Microsoft recognizes your institution
- Complete the order. Check that student email for a confirmation link and complete the order
- Leave any Family plan. If you are currently in a Microsoft 365 Family plan, ask the organizer to remove you before trying to claim
- Set a cancel reminder. Set a calendar reminder 11 months out to decide whether to continue or cancel before the first $19.99/month charge
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Who's eligible
Who can get the Microsoft 365 for College Students - 12 Months Free student discount?
Currently enrolled higher-education (college or university) students who can verify status with a recognized institutional email. Available to new Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers only — existing Microsoft 365 Personal/Family subscribers may be able to upgrade instead. You must use a personal Microsoft account (not a school account) to claim the offer. If you are in a family group, the organizer must remove you first.
How long does Microsoft 365 for College Students - 12 Months Free student access last?
The 12-month free period applies once. After that the subscription auto-renews monthly at the then-current regular price. Microsoft periodically re-verifies eligibility — if you are no longer a student, pricing reverts to the full monthly rate.
Is the Microsoft 365 for College Students - 12 Months Free student discount available worldwide?
Available in multiple countries; the offer page serves regional Microsoft Stores. Verification requires an email domain that Microsoft recognizes from your institution — most accredited colleges and universities are supported, but check with your school's IT department if your domain is not recognized.
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What's included
Microsoft offers verified college and university students 12 months of Microsoft 365 Premium free — the full suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, up to 6 TB of OneDrive cloud storage, and Microsoft Copilot inside the desktop apps. Verification is automatic when you enter a recognized institutional email at checkout. A payment method is required up front; after the 12 free months the subscription auto-renews at the regular monthly price unless you cancel.
- 12 Months Free Microsoft 365 PremiumFull Premium tier free for a year — same plan as the $19.99/month consumer product, not a stripped-down student version.
- Full Office Suite + Copilot in AppsWord, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Teams — all with Microsoft Copilot integrated into desktop apps for AI-assisted writing, analysis, and presentation work.
- Up to 6 TB OneDrive StorageStore assignments, projects, thesis drafts, media files, and research data in the cloud with full Office integration and sharing.
- Runs on Every Device You UseInstall on PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Android. Sign in on your phone and laptop with the same account and keep everything in sync.
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Fine print & gotchas
- Auto-renews at $19.99/month after the 12 free months unless you cancel or disable recurring billing.
- Payment method required up front, even though you aren't charged during the free year.
- New Premium subscribers only. Must use a personal Microsoft account (not a school account); family-group members must be removed first.
- Microsoft periodically re-verifies eligibility — if you're no longer a student, pricing reverts to the full rate.
- Only on recognized institutional email domains — check with your school IT if yours isn't recognized.
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Common questions
What exactly do I get for free?
12 months of Microsoft 365 Premium — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Teams, up to 6 TB of OneDrive cloud storage, and Microsoft Copilot inside the desktop apps. Same plan as the $19.99/month consumer product.
Do I need a credit card?
Yes — a payment method is required to start, even though the first 12 months are free. Microsoft charges the first month at the end of the free period unless you cancel or disable recurring billing.
What happens after the 12 free months?
Your subscription auto-renews monthly at the then-current regular price ($19.99/month for Premium). You can cancel anytime from your Microsoft account before the free period ends to avoid any charge. Microsoft also periodically re-verifies eligibility — if you graduate or otherwise become ineligible, pricing reverts to the full rate.
What if Microsoft does not recognize my school email?
Contact your institution's IT department to confirm your school participates and that your email domain is properly configured with Microsoft. Microsoft also accepts alternate proofs of enrollment — dated student ID, current progress report, dated class schedule, acceptance letter, or international student identity card.
Can I claim this if I already have Microsoft 365 Personal or Family?
The offer is for new Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers. Existing Personal and Family subscribers may have an upgrade path — check the offer page with your logged-in Microsoft account to see what is available.
Do I need a school-issued Microsoft account?
No — the opposite. You must use a **personal** Microsoft account to purchase the student offer. Your school email is only used to verify eligibility, not as the sign-in account.
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