Microsoft 365 Education
Discounted Microsoft 365 for qualifying schools and universities
In this guide
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A1 vs A3 vs A5 at a glance
- A1 is free and web-only. Good for basic email, Teams and web Office.
- A3 is the standard paid plan. It adds the installed Office apps, Windows Enterprise, Intune and stronger compliance.
- A5 adds advanced security, compliance and analytics on top of A3: Entra ID P2, Defender, Teams Phone and Power BI Pro.
A1 vs A3 vs A5
| Feature | A1 (Free) | A3 ($3.25) | A5 ($8) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web & Mobile Office | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Exchange + Teams | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Desktop Office Apps | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Intune + Entra P1 | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Enterprise | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Entra P2 + Defender P2 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Teams Phone | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Power BI Pro | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
💡 A1 is genuinely free for qualifying institutions — web Office apps, Teams, email, and OneDrive at no cost. It’s one of the best free offers in enterprise software.
Office 365 A1/A3/A5 vs Microsoft 365 A3/A5
Many people search for “Office 365 A1” or “Office 365 A3”. The Office 365 Education plans cover the Office apps and online services such as Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams. The Microsoft 365 Education plans (A3 and A5) include all of that, plus Windows Enterprise and device and identity management. A1 is the free Office 365 Education plan.
Student Use Benefit
When an institution licenses its faculty and staff with A3 or A5, enrolled students can get the matching student plan. This includes the installed Office apps on their own devices. The student price and eligibility depend on your agreement, so confirm the details with a Microsoft education partner.
Which plan should you pick?
| If you need… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Email, Teams and web Office at no cost | A1 |
| Installed Office apps, Windows Enterprise and device management | A3 |
| Advanced security, compliance, Teams Phone or Power BI Pro | A5 |
Pricing
Faculty and staff list prices in USD are roughly $3.25 per user per month for A3 and about $8 for A5. A1 is free. Education pricing varies by programme, country and agreement, so confirm the exact figure with a Microsoft education partner or on Microsoft’s education pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can students use Education plans at home?
Yes — A1 is free for students and includes web Office apps. A3/A5 can include student use benefits that allow desktop app installation on personal devices.
2. Is Copilot available for Education?
Microsoft 365 Copilot is an add-on for A3 and A5, not A1. Education pricing for the add-on is set by Microsoft and your reseller.
3. Who qualifies for Education pricing?
Accredited academic institutions — primary/secondary schools, universities, colleges. Must be verified by Microsoft. Not-for-profits and government have separate programmes.
4. How do Education plans compare to Enterprise?
A1 ≈ E1 (web apps). A3 ≈ E3 (desktop apps + security). A5 ≈ E5 (full security + analytics). Same features, massively discounted for education.
5. What is the difference between Microsoft 365 A3 and A5?
A5 adds the advanced security, compliance and analytics tools: Entra ID P2, Defender, Teams Phone, Audio Conferencing, Power BI Pro and eDiscovery Premium. A3 covers desktop Office apps, Intune, Entra ID P1 and Windows Enterprise.
6. What is the difference between A1 and A3?
A1 is free and web-only, with no desktop Office apps. A3 is paid and adds the installed Office apps, Windows Enterprise, Intune and stronger compliance tools.
7. What is the difference between Office 365 A3 and Microsoft 365 A3?
Office 365 A3 covers the Office apps and online services. Microsoft 365 A3 adds Windows Enterprise and device and identity management (Intune, Entra ID P1) on top.
8. What is the Student Use Benefit?
If an institution licenses its faculty and staff with A3 or A5, enrolled students can get the matching student plan. It includes the installed Office apps on personal devices. Eligibility and student pricing depend on your agreement, so confirm with a Microsoft education partner.
9. How much do A3 and A5 cost?
Faculty and staff list prices in USD are roughly $3.25 per user per month for A3 and about $8 for A5. Education pricing varies by programme, country and agreement, so confirm the exact figure with a Microsoft education partner or Microsoft’s pricing page.