Future-ready education: Evolving Microsoft 365 Education

In our conversations with education leaders, we consistently hear the need to improve learning outcomes, strengthen security and privacy, and equip students and educators for an AI-powered future. Institutions are also looking for solutions to better meet the distinct needs of faculty, staff, and students. Microsoft is committed to helping schools and universities protect their communities, support learning, and advance what’s possible.

More value for the evolving needs of education

Today, we are evolving the Microsoft 365 Education portfolio to give institutions more flexibility and choice while expanding what they need for a secure, AI-powered future.

The Microsoft 365 Education portfolio brings five key updates:

1. Faculty and student editions—with or without Teams—starting with a no-cost student option.
2. Microsoft 365 Education A7 offering our most advanced security, governance, and device management and AI capabilities
3. Expanded faculty value with security and device capabilities added at no additional cost to help institutions protect faculty and institutional data. These capabilities simplify IT administration and support secure teaching, collaboration, and productivity across campus.
4. Storage that scales with faculty and student populations, helping institutions plan for storage needs.
5. Microsoft Classroom provides a dedicated teaching and learning experience for institutions, while Teams for Education remains available.

Future-ready capabilities, built for today

The updated portfolio lets institutions match connected learning, productivity, security, device management, and AI capabilities to different users and needs. Student offerings include Microsoft 365 Education A0, a no-cost offer for devices running Windows. Paid student and faculty offerings are available from Microsoft 365 Education A2-A7.

Connected learning, built in: New Microsoft 365 Education offerings provide connected learning, productivity, and protection for students and faculty. They combine productivity apps, Microsoft Classroom, and AI-powered learning tools with identity protection and device management.

Your classroom, connected: Microsoft Classroom brings learning science-backed tools and AI-powered experiences into one customizable environment for K-12 or higher education. Educators can organize classwork, manage assignments and grades, with the Teach module available in Microsoft Classroom. And, similarly students can access the Study and Learn Agent through Microsoft Classroom. Personalized homepages, School Data Sync, Education Insights, Learning Accelerators, and Class Notebook support the experience. Classroom complements Teams communication capabilities. Microsoft Classroom will be available across Microsoft 365 Education A2-A7.

Powerful AI and protection: Microsoft 365 Education A7 brings together our most advanced AI, security, governance, and device management capabilities—including Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Agent 365, and Microsoft Entra Suite. It helps institutions expand AI across teaching, learning, research, and administration while safeguarding sensitive information, managing access, and securing devices.

Greater faculty value: We are expanding the capabilities in Microsoft 365 Education A3 and A5 faculty editions. Defender for Office 365 P1 strengthens Microsoft 365 Education A3 Faculty protection against threats across email and collaboration tools, while Intune Suite adds advanced endpoint management capabilities to Microsoft 365 Education A5 Faculty.

Storage that scales with your institution: At an institution’s first contract renewal or extension, storage will continue as a single tenant-wide pool, with capacity based on paid faculty and student licenses. Paid student licenses will contribute to storage for the first time, and faculty contributions will increase across paid suites.

Different needs, flexible choices

Institutions can tailor Microsoft 365 Education to faculty, staff, and student needs with free and paid student options, mixed licensing across user types, and offers with or without Teams across the portfolio. Institutions can use Microsoft Classroom and other learning features alongside their preferred collaboration platform or learning management system while benefiting from the broader Microsoft 365 Education experience.

Microsoft 365 Education A2-A5 offerings provide discounts of more than 80% compared with commercial pricing. Microsoft 365 Education A7 offers discounts of up to 60%.

Transition with confidence

Institutions will have meaningful time to plan. Changes will take effect in stages over multiple years, with most institutions not experiencing impacts until a future contract renewal or extension date:

• Initial changes include standardizing our pricing approach for Online Services purchased through volume licensing programs take effect at an institution’s first contract renewal or extension on or after May 1, 2027.
• Most portfolio changes, including retirement of Office 365 A1 (OA1), the Student Use Benefit program, and free Exchange Online for Alumni, take effect at an institution’s first contract renewal or extension date on or after January 1, 2028, giving institutions time to plan.

Existing agreements, pricing, licenses, and entitlements remain in effect until the applicable renewal or extension. The extent of these changes will vary by use of current benefits, faculty and student licensing needs, storage requirements, and renewal timing.

Prepare for what’s next

• Confirm your next renewal or contract extension date.
• Review your current licenses, benefits, faculty-to-student mix, Teams configuration, and storage needs.
• Assess your institution’s AI, security, governance, device management, teaching, and learning priorities.
• Work with your Microsoft account team or partner to identify your needs and appropriate replacement licenses and develop a transition plan before renewal.

Throughout the renewal process, we will provide resources, guidance, and support to help institutions evaluate their options and plan with confidence.

Your future, our commitment

Microsoft’s commitment to education extends beyond any product or portfolio update. For decades, we have partnered with schools and universities to expand opportunities, improve learning outcomes, strengthen security, and prepare students for success in a changing world. As institutions navigate the AI era, we remain committed to technology designed for education and guided by principles that prioritize safety, privacy, security, transparency, educator empowerment, student success, stronger education systems, and AI readiness for every learner.

These changes are intended to provide meaningful choice, predictable value, and a confident path forward—and to reinforce Microsoft’s role as a trusted long-term partner to the global education community.

Contact your account team or Microsoft Partner. For those without a Microsoft representative, find a partner.