License & Subscription Issues

How to Upgrade Defender for Office 365 P1 Education to P2

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

An educational organization wants to upgrade their Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P1 licenses to P2 without losing their eligibility for Student Use Benefits.

Product: Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Planning a security license upgrade for an educational institution using Microsoft 365.
Observed behavior: Seeking the correct licensing pathway because purchasing standalone P2 licenses does not automatically grant the corresponding student use benefits.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center with Billing Administrator or Global Administrator privileges to review and purchase organizational licenses.

Solution 1Recommended

Upgrade via Office 365 A5 License

To receive Defender for Office 365 P2 for students through the Student Use Benefit, you must upgrade your faculty and staff to the Office 365 A5 suite.

A standalone Defender for Office 365 P2 license is not included in the Microsoft student benefit program. The only official pathway to extend P2 capabilities to students at no extra cost is by purchasing the comprehensive Office 365 A5 license for your organization's faculty and staff.

Log in to Admin Center

Navigate to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and sign in with your administrator credentials.

Access Purchase Services

On the left sidebar, click on 'Billing' and then select 'Purchase services'.

Find Office 365 A5

Search for 'Office 365 A5 for Education' in the catalog. Review the pricing and features, ensuring it aligns with your institution's budget.

Purchase and Assign Licenses

Complete the purchase for the required number of faculty/staff. Once assigned to users, the corresponding Student Use Benefit licenses (which include Defender P2) will become available to assign to your student accounts.

Check Microsoft Service Descriptions: Licensing terms can change. Always refer to the latest Microsoft Product Terms and Microsoft 365 Education service descriptions for the most up-to-date eligibility rules.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a cost-effective office suite for your school?

While Microsoft 365 provides enterprise-grade security solutions like Defender P2, educational institutions often need a lightweight, cost-effective office suite for daily document creation. WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative that offers comprehensive tools for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS website and click 'Download' to get the installer for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded file and follow the quick on-screen instructions to install the lightweight suite.
3. Open Your Documents: Launch WPS Office and instantly open any existing Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files without losing formatting.

Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Free and lightweight, ideal for students on older or low-spec devicesAll-in-one suite with integrated PDF editing capabilitiesFamiliar user interface that requires zero learning curve for seamless migration

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy Defender for Office 365 P2 as a standalone license for students?

No, a standalone Defender for Office 365 P2 license is not included in the student use benefit program. To provide P2 features to students, the institution must purchase Office 365 A5 licenses.

What happens to our current P1 student benefits if we buy standalone P2 for staff?

If you purchase standalone P2 licenses for faculty and staff, it does not trigger a P2 upgrade for students. Students will remain on their existing P1 security tier unless the organization upgrades to the full Office 365 A5 suite.

Where can I verify the current student use benefit terms?

You can verify the exact licensing entitlements and ratios in the official Microsoft Product Terms website and the Microsoft 365 Education service descriptions located in the Microsoft licensing portal.

Login & Account Issues