Difference Between Office 365 Education E3 and A3 Explained
Question details
The user wants to understand the differences between Office 365 Education E3 and Education A3 subscription plans.
- Product
- Office 365 Education
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Comparing educational subscription tiers and understanding Microsoft's naming conventions for school plans.
- Observed behavior
- Confusion arises due to overlapping services and older references using E-series names instead of the current A-series names.
Have your Microsoft 365 Admin Center credentials ready, or contact your school's IT department to verify which license is currently assigned to your account.
Understand the Naming Transition from E-Series to A-Series
Microsoft updated its naming convention for educational plans, changing the E-series identifiers to A-series (Academic) to better differentiate them from Enterprise plans.
Historically, Microsoft used the 'E' (Enterprise) prefix for its higher-tier education plans. Today, Microsoft strictly uses 'A' (Academic) to classify education-specific plans (A1, A3, and A5).
Note that current Microsoft education plans are identified as A1 (free web-based), A3 (includes desktop apps), and A5 (includes advanced security and voice capabilities).
If you see references to 'Office 365 Education E3', understand that this is largely a legacy term for what is now known as Office 365 A3. Both tiers include desktop client applications and overlapping services like Insights by MyAnalytics.
Compare Plan Features via Microsoft Licensing Documentation
To see the exact technical and service differences, you should review the official Microsoft Office 365 Education service description.
Looking for a Cost-Effective Educational Suite? Try WPS Office
If navigating complex Microsoft 365 licensing tiers like A3 or E3 is becoming a hassle, WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. It provides essential word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation tools that students and educators can use without confusing subscription models.
- 1. Download the Software: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux, or mobile).
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen prompts to complete the setup.
- 3. Open Your School Files: Launch WPS Office and open your existing Microsoft Office assignments or presentations directly. All formatting will be preserved seamlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Office 365 Education A3 exactly the same as E3?
While they share many core features, A3 is specifically tailored and priced for academic institutions (Academic), whereas E3 is historically an enterprise designation. Microsoft now strictly uses A1, A3, and A5 for its education sector.
How can I check if my school account has an A3 or E3 license?
Log into portal.office.com with your school credentials. Click on your profile picture in the top right, select 'View account', and navigate to the 'Subscriptions' tab to view your assigned licenses.
Do students get the desktop apps with an Office 365 A3 license?
Yes. Unlike the free A1 tier which only includes web and mobile versions of Office apps, the A3 tier provides full access to the desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.
