License & Subscription Issues

How to Determine Which Faculty Need Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 Licenses

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

An educational institution needs to identify which faculty members require Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 licenses rather than the basic Office 365 A1 license.

Product: Microsoft 365 Education
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Administrators must audit faculty needs and assign appropriate educational licenses based on required features and services.
Observed behavior: The institution currently mixes A1 and A3 licenses and must properly identify users needing advanced features like desktop apps, security, and compliance.

Before you start

Gather a list of your current faculty members and review their daily workflow requirements, specifically noting if they need offline desktop applications or advanced security tools.

Solution 1Recommended

Assess Faculty Feature Requirements to Assign A3 or A5 Licenses

Determine license needs by comparing user workflows against the specific capabilities provided by A1, A3, and A5 tiers.

Office 365 A1 provides basic web-based applications, OneDrive, and Teams. Microsoft 365 A3 and A5 add capabilities such as full desktop Office applications, advanced security, compliance, and administration.

Identify Desktop App Requirements

Survey your faculty to find out who requires offline access or full desktop versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which are only included in A3 and A5.

Assess Security and Compliance Needs

Determine which users handle sensitive student data or require advanced administrative features, as these typically necessitate an A5 license.

Review Official Entitlements

Compare your findings with the official Microsoft 365 Education and Office 365 Education service descriptions to confirm exact licensing differences.

Assign Appropriate Licenses

Log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, navigate to 'Billing' and then 'Licenses', and assign the identified A3 or A5 licenses to the corresponding faculty members.

Service Descriptions: Always consult the latest Microsoft 365 Education service descriptions, as exact entitlements and administrative features can change over time.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Equip Faculty with Desktop Apps Using WPS Office

If your institution needs fully-featured desktop office applications without the high cost of upgrading every user to Microsoft 365 A3 or A5 licenses, consider WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free suite for your faculty members.
2. Install on Faculty Devices: Run the lightweight installer on the computers of faculty who need offline access.
3. Open Existing Documents: Launch WPS Office to easily open, edit, and save existing Microsoft Office files.

Free desktop applications for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint tasksHighly compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Lightweight installation suitable for diverse educational hardwareFamiliar user interface ensuring seamless migration for faculty

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Office 365 A1 and Microsoft 365 A3?

A1 is primarily web-based and includes online versions of Office apps, while A3 includes fully installable desktop applications along with advanced security and management tools.

Do all faculty members need an A5 license for compliance?

No, A5 licenses are typically reserved for administrators or faculty who handle highly sensitive data and require the most advanced security, analytics, and voice capabilities.

Can I mix A1, A3, and A5 licenses in my educational institution?

Yes, Microsoft allows institutions to mix different license tiers, meaning you can assign A1 to general staff and A3/A5 to those who specifically need the advanced features.

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