Microsoft Office for Students: Which Version to Choose in 2026?
As a student, Microsoft Office is all but unavoidable: papers in Word, analysis in Excel, presentations in PowerPoint, group work in Teams. But Microsoft’s official prices are steep on a student budget. Thankfully, there are solutions to suit every wallet.
This guide reviews all the options for students in 2026, with their real pros and cons.
Contents
- 1. All the options for students
- 2. Free Office through your university
- 3. Office Home and Student
- 4. Office Pro Plus: the best value for money
- 5. Comparison of the student options
- 6. Frequently asked questions
1. All the options for students
Here’s an overview of all the possibilities, from free to premium:
| Option | Price | Applications | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Office through university | 0€ | All (if eligible) | Duration of studies |
| Office Online (web) | 0€ | Word, Excel, PPT (basic) | Unlimited |
| Free alternatives | 0€ | Varies | Unlimited |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | 9,99€/year | All + 1 TB OneDrive | 1 year (renewable) |
| Office 2024 Home and Student | see price | Word, Excel, PPT | Lifetime |
| Office 2024 Pro Plus | see price | All (Word, Excel, PPT, Outlook, Access) | Lifetime |
2. Free Office through your university
This is the first thing to check. Many universities and colleges have Microsoft 365 Education agreements that give free access to:
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (full versions)
- Microsoft Teams for collaborative work
- 1 TB of OneDrive storage
- Access on 5 devices simultaneously
How to check
- Go to education.microsoft.com
- Enter your university email address
- If your institution is eligible, you get Microsoft 365 for free
⚠️ Heads up
This license is valid only while you’re enrolled. As soon as you leave the university, you lose access. It’s perfect during your studies, but plan a solution for afterwards (a perpetual Office 2024 license, for example).
3. Office 2024 Home and Student
This is Microsoft’s official version aimed at students and families:
- Applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint (no Outlook, no Access)
- Perpetual license: a single purchase, no subscription
- 1 PC or Mac
- euroshopkey.com price: see price
💡 Our take
It’s a good option if all you need is Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But honestly, look at the price of the Pro Plus version below – you might be surprised.
4. Office 2024 Pro Plus: the best-kept secret
Here’s the option most students overlook: Office 2024 Professional Plus at see price at euroshopkey.com. That’s cheaper than the Home and Student version, with more applications.
| Criterion | Home and Student | Professional Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Word, Excel, PowerPoint | ✅ | ✅ |
| Outlook | ❌ | ✅ |
| Access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Publisher | ❌ | ✅ |
| Copilot AI | ✅ | ✅ |
| euroshopkey.com price | see price | see price |
Yes, you read that right: Office Pro Plus costs 50€ less and includes 3 more applications. It’s the best deal for students, by far. To discover everything new in this version, read our full article on Office 2024.
5. Comparison of the student options
| Criterion | Free university Office | M365 Personal | Office 2024 Pro Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 0€ | 9,99€/year | see price (one-time) |
| Applications | All | All | All |
| Duration | Studies only | 1 year | Lifetime |
| OneDrive | 1 TB | 1 TB | ❌ |
| Teams | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Offline | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| After graduation | ❌ Expires | Renew | ✅ Still active |
| Cost over 5 years | 0€ (studies) then ? | 49,95€ | see price |
🎯 Our recommendation for students
The optimal strategy: first check whether your university offers Microsoft 365 for free. If so, use it during your studies. Before you leave, buy Office 2024 Pro Plus at see price to have a lifetime license that will follow you into your professional life.
6. Frequently asked questions
Does the free university Office offer work outside France?
Yes, most public universities and colleges are eligible. Check with your student email address at education.microsoft.com. Smaller institutions and some private schools aren’t always included.
Can I keep my files if my university access expires?
Yes, your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) belong to you. Download them from OneDrive before they expire. Files stored locally on your PC are unaffected.
Is Office 2024 Pro Plus really cheaper than the Student version?
Yes, at euroshopkey.com: Pro Plus at see price versus Home and Student at see price. It’s a difference in distribution channel. The Pro Plus version we sell is a refurbished volume license, perfectly legal and genuine.
Does a student need Outlook and Access?
Outlook is useful for managing your emails professionally (and it’s a plus on your CV). Access is less common but used in certain fields (management, data, computing). Either way, at see price for the complete suite, you may as well have everything.
Can I install Office on my computer AND my tablet?
A perpetual license covers 1 PC. For a second device, you need a second license or a Microsoft 365 subscription (which covers 5 devices). The Office mobile apps are free for screens under 10 inches.
📌 Further reading
- Microsoft 365 vs Office 2024
- How to Install Office 2024
- Free Alternatives to Microsoft Office
- The Best Windows + Office Bundles
🚀 Complete Office for students — see price
Office 2024 Pro Plus — see price | Microsoft 365 — 9,99€/year
🔒 Lifetime license • 🚚 Delivery in 5 minutes • 📞 Support included
