Understanding Microsoft Education Licenses: A1 and A3

Microsoft offers a range of licensing options for educational institutions designed to provide access to various software and services to enhance learning and administration. Among these options are the A1, and A3 licenses. Understanding the differences between these licenses can help users understand what services they will or will not have access to, for their corresponding account.

Microsoft A3 Students Use License (Students and Student Employees)

The A3 license builds on the A1 license, providing additional features to enhance the educational experience. Key differences and additional benefits include:

Advanced Collaboration: Enhanced features in Microsoft Teams, including more sophisticated meeting options and integration capabilities.

Expanded Email Services: Increased mailbox size and more advanced email features.

Enhanced Security: More robust security and compliance tools compared to the A1 license.

Storage: 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user

Office 365 Apps: Access to web-based and desktop-based versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

The A3 for Students use license is free for academic use as the additional features can significantly enhance the functionality and security of the tools available to educators and students.

Microsoft A3 for Faculty License (Faculty, Staff, Graduate Assistant, Emeritus)

The A3 license for faculty is a more comprehensive offering, designed for institutions that require advanced tools and capabilities. The A3 license includes everything in A1, plus additional benefits such as:

Desktop Apps: Full access to downloadable versions of Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Publisher) on up to 5 PCs or Macs per user.

Enhanced Security and Compliance: Advanced threat protection, information protection, and compliance tools.

Analytics and Insights: Tools like Power BI Pro for advanced data analytics and insights. (Power BI standard is included, Pro has an extra cost and is a separate license)

Voice and Meeting Enhancements: Advanced features in Microsoft Teams, including dial-in capabilities to Teams meetings, and enhanced meeting options.

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Microsoft A1 License (Non-Employee Affiliates, Retirees) 

The A1 license is a basic, entry-level option designed to provide essential tools for education. Here’s what it typically includes:

Office 365 Online Apps: Access to web-based versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Email and Calendar: Outlook with a 50 GB mailbox.

Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams for online meetings and collaboration.

Classroom Management: Tools like Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook

Storage: 100GB of OneDrive storage per user.

Security and Compliance: Basic security and compliance features.