License & Subscription Issues

How to Obtain Microsoft 365 A3 Student Use Benefit Licenses

Huma Ashraf Ch Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

Administrators need to learn how to acquire and distribute Microsoft 365 A3 Student Use Benefit licenses to students.

How to Obtain Microsoft 365 A3 Student Use Benefit Licenses

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An educational institution has purchased faculty licenses and needs to activate the corresponding free student licenses.
Observed behavior: The user wants to navigate the Microsoft 365 admin center to find, checkout, and assign the zero-cost student licenses to active users.

Before you start

Ensure you have Global Administrator or Billing Administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center and that your organization is officially verified as an eligible academic institution.

Solution 1Recommended

Acquire and Assign A3 Student Licenses in the Admin Center

Follow these steps in the Microsoft 365 admin center to claim your zero-cost student licenses and assign them to your users.

Before proceeding, ensure your institution has successfully purchased the prerequisite qualifying faculty licenses, which unlocks the Student Use Benefit offer.

Verify Academic Eligibility

Ensure your organization is recognized as an eligible academic institution by checking your tenant's status in the Microsoft 365 portal.

Access Purchase Services

Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center at admin.microsoft.com. In the left navigation menu, go to 'Billing' and select 'Purchase services' or 'Marketplace'.

Checkout Student Use Benefit

Search for 'Microsoft 365 A3 Student Use Benefit'. Click 'Get' to view the offer. The price should display as $0.00. Complete the checkout process to add the licenses to your tenant.

Assign Licenses to Students

Navigate to 'Users' > 'Active users' in the admin center. Select the student accounts, click on 'Licenses and apps', check the box for the A3 Student Use Benefit, and save your changes. Bulk assignment is also available for larger groups.

Acquire and Assign A3 Student Licenses in the Admin Center

Missing Offer?: If the offer is not listed in the Marketplace, your tenant's academic status might need verification. Submit a service request to Microsoft Support or contact your licensing reseller for assistance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I find the A3 Student Use Benefit in the admin center?

This usually happens if your organization's academic eligibility hasn't been verified by Microsoft, or if you haven't yet purchased the required qualifying faculty licenses to unlock the offer.

How much does the Microsoft 365 A3 Student Use Benefit cost?

The Student Use Benefit is available at no additional cost ($0.00) to eligible educational institutions that have purchased the corresponding qualifying faculty licenses.

Can I assign these student licenses in bulk?

Yes. You can assign licenses to multiple users simultaneously through the Microsoft 365 admin center using the bulk assign feature under Active users, or by utilizing PowerShell for very large groups of students.

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