Office 365 University

Pros

• Full access to Office 365 for a discounted rate
• Comes with extra cloud storage and Skype calling
• Available to both students and faculty

Cons

• License only lasts for four years
• Support for a limited number of devices

Office 365 University provides a rich toolkit of essential tools for the office and classroom at a cost that's tailored to the budgets of students and instructors. And since it's a subscription-based service, students and faculty will always be up-to-date with the latest changes and updates to the Office 365 ecosystem. But whether or not it's a sensible replacement for the free Google Workspace depends on the demands of the individual.

What's refreshing here is that Microsoft hasn't cut any corners for the sake of delivering a more budget-oriented experience. Word and PowerPoint offer industry-leading solutions for writing papers and giving presentations respectively, while Excel offers the recognized standard for working with spreadsheets. Students and faculty will also get access to Outlook for reading their email and 20 GB of additional SkyDrive storage. All told, students will have 27 GB of cloud storage available to them.

The last few years have seen Microsoft taking aggressive moves to stay competitive with Google Workspace, and users are reaping the benefits. While users can install the traditional version of Microsoft's software on up to two computers and two mobile devices, the real convenience here comes from the cloud-based format of Office 365. As long as you have internet access and a device with a browser, you can edit, save, and share any files you've created. As an added bonus, students will be given 60 free minutes of Skype international calls, and that's an especially valuable resource for students engaged in remote learning.

Office 365 University is virtually identical to the traditional version of Office 365, but it's available at a much more generous rate. Whereas the standard cost for Office 365 is $100 a month, Office 365 University can promise you a four year subscription for a four year period. That's enough to get most students through their higher education, but it can also be a valuable resource for administrators and instructors looking for a robust toolkit for managing their classes.

If there's a downside to the generous cost of Office 365 University, it's that the software is limited to students and school faculty. You'll need to be able to prove your enrollment before you'll be eligible for the package at a discounted rate. And once you're done with your four years, it can be difficult to continue at the discounted subscription cost. Just be sure to back up all of your additional cloud storage before your subscription expires. Fortunately, you'll still have access to up to 15 GB of storage, even if you don't continue to pay for the package.

If you're a student or a professor and you need an office suite, Office 365 University is a no-brainer. While it may not offer the promising price tag of free, it's easily one of the best deals on software available today.

Pros

• Full access to Office 365 for a discounted rate
• Comes with extra cloud storage and Skype calling
• Available to both students and faculty

Cons

• License only lasts for four years
• Support for a limited number of devices