19 March 2024 - Software and ApplicationsMicrosoft 365 for Students Now Free of Charge
Effective immediately, all students can use a wide range of Microsoft 365 Office products, apps and online services for their studies free of charge via the university's Microsoft license portal.
The university framework agreement applies to Heidelberg University, and it allows products and services to be obtained in accordance with the Microsoft 365 Education A3 license. Microsoft 365 is a cloud service from Microsoft. To be able to use the apps and products, students first need to have their Uni ID activated via the linked Microsoft license portal of the university.
New for students: Microsoft 365 apps and online services for free
Enrolled students have access to the Microsoft 365 apps and Microsoft 365 online services. This allows you for data to be stored in the "Microsoft Cloud", shared with other users and edited simultaneously. Most of the apps and services can easily be accessed using any web browser. The Microsoft 365 apps are available for local installation. This includes, for example:
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Microsoft 365 apps:
- Office products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access and Publisher, which can be installed on Windows and MacOS computers.
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Microsoft 365 online services:
- The collaboration tool Teams, project and task organization like Planner
- In the linked Service Catalogue, you can find information about the A3 Education License and other available services.
Use Microsoft Products: How It Works
On the linked Microsoft license portal, you can log in with your Uni ID and the corresponding password and select the products you want to use. This will automatically activate your account and you will be sent further information via email. This will enable you to install the software products and use the online services.
Previously, students could use Microsoft products for a small fee via the Education 365 web portal and the Microsoft partner DrVis. As this is no longer necessary, it is no longer possible. Registration is now only possible through the university Microsoft license portal.
For further information, do not hesitate to contact the IT Service.
For questions regarding installation, please contact Microsoft Support directly.
Period of Use and Alternative Office Packets and Data Storage
The right to use this license is valid as long as students are enrolled at Heidelberg University, but also no longer than the term of the Microsoft university framework agreement (currently 30 April 2025). Thereafter, you will not be able to use Microsoft products and online services for free or access your stored data with your account. You should therefore ensure that your data is backed up and, if necessary, stored in an alternative location.
Please note: Users are individually responsible for their own backups and data in the "Microsoft Cloud".
heiBOX: Cost-free and secure data storage
One alternative for students is heiBOX, a secure service with 10 GB of data storage space that can be used free of charge and is hosted locally on heiCLOUD . You can simply log with your Uni ID via the web portal; registration is not required.
Free, open-source office software such as LibreOffice is frequently used at the university and can be downloaded from the software's respective website.