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Office 365 Education free for students: Word, Excel, PowerPoint with an education email

By AiCoN | Published 20 October 2026 | Sources checked 20 October 2026

Students and educators with an eligible education email address can get Office 365 A1 for free - web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook, plus PC-only Publisher and Access. Microsoft lists the A1 plan as "Free - Donated by Microsoft" on its India education page, and there is no deadline: it is an ongoing donated plan, not a limited offer.

Good to knowYou need an eligible education email address (for example one issued by your college or school). Microsoft can re-verify your eligibility at any time, and the plan works while you are enrolled in or working at a qualified educational organisation. A1 gives the web versions of the apps - desktop app installs need the paid A3 plan (₹210 per user/month on the student tab, GST extra). If you are not eligible, you can still use Word, Excel and PowerPoint free through Microsoft 365 for the web.

Who can apply

Students and educators with an eligible education email address
A Microsoft account (free to create during signup)
Works while you are enrolled in or working at a qualified educational organisation - eligibility may be re-verified

What you get (checked 20 October 2026)

Office 365 A1: Free, "Donated by Microsoft"
Web-based versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote
PC-only versions of Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Access
Teams for Education is part of the Office 365 Education experience described on the page
Paid upgrades if you ever need them: A3 at ₹210 and A5 at ₹500 per user/month (student licenses tab, GST extra)
Related on Microsoft's students page: 50% off Microsoft 365 with a college email, and 10% off select devices - separate paid offers

How to apply: step by step

Microsoft Office 365 Education page with the Get started for students button — Step 1 - Open microsoft.com/en-in/education/products/office and tap "Get started for students".

Keep your college or school email address ready. It must be an eligible education email - personal Gmail or Outlook addresses will not qualify.

Student licenses tab showing Office 365 A1 Free, donated by Microsoft, with a Get started button — Step 2 - On the same page's pricing section, the Student licenses tab shows Office 365 A1 as Free, "Donated by Microsoft". Tap "Get started" on the A1 card (the FAQ's "get Office 365 A1 for free" link goes to the same signup).

Enter your education email on Microsoft's signup page and complete the verification with your Microsoft account. Approval is often instant through automated verification; where the institution itself needs verification, Microsoft says it can take up to a month.

Office 365 Education apps grid showing Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Teams for Education — Step 3 - The apps covered: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Teams for Education, listed on the official page.

Once approved, sign in at office.com with your education account and start using Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote on the web. Publisher and Access work on PC.

FAQ answer: Educators and students with an eligible education email address can get Office 365 A1 for free — Step 4 - The official FAQ confirms eligibility: "Educators and students with an eligible education email address can get Office 365 A1 for free."

If your plan ever expires, re-verify your student status to extend it, or move to a personal plan. Expired plans drop to view-only mode.

Watch: apply step by step

English: How to Get Office 365 Free for Students - Kevin Stratvert, 2019. A clear walkthrough of the same school-email signup by a well-known former Microsoft creator; the flow matches what the official page shows today.
Malayalam: we could not find a reliable Malayalam video covering this signup. The official pages below are the source of truth.

This video is by an independent creator, not Microsoft - always cross-check details on the official pages linked below. Offer details above are from Microsoft's Office 365 Education page (India) and the Microsoft education students page, checked 20 October 2026.

Sources: Microsoft Office 365 Education, Microsoft Education - Students. Checked 20 October 2026. This is an AiCoN explainer, not affiliated with Microsoft.