Office 365 A1 for Faculty OneDrive Space: Changes and Benefits

With the introduction of Office 365 A1 for Faculty, the OneDrive space has undergone some significant changes. Faculty members now have 1 TB of OneDrive storage space, which is a substantial increase from the previous 25 GB.

This change is particularly beneficial for faculty members who need to store and share large files, such as research papers, presentations, and multimedia content.

The increased storage space also allows faculty to better organize and manage their files, making it easier to collaborate with colleagues and students.

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Starting in August 2024, education customers with Microsoft 365 or Office 365 will receive 100TB of free pooled storage across OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange.

This change will also affect users of Office 365 A1, who will be limited to a maximum of 100GB of OneDrive storage per user within the school tenant's 100TB of pooled storage, starting in February 2024.

To help manage this transition, Microsoft is offering a set of free tools to visualize current storage allocation and usage, and to more easily manage stored data and end-of-life files.

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Storage changes are coming to Microsoft 365 for Education, and it's all about making storage more manageable and sustainable for schools. Beginning at your next contract renewal, but no sooner than August 1, 2024, all school tenants will receive 100TB of free pooled storage across OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange.

With this change, schools will have more flexibility to manage their information and set thoughtful policies for data governance. Most schools are well below their storage allotment, so this is a welcome relief.

In addition to the free pooled storage, schools with A3 and A5 subscriptions will receive additional storage per paid user. For A3 subscriptions, this is 50GB per user, and for A5 subscriptions, it's 100GB per user. To calculate your total pooled storage, use this formula: 100TB + (#A3 paid users x 50GB) + (#A5 paid users x 100 GB) + (additional storage purchased) = capacity/limit.

You can also purchase additional pooled storage in 10TB increments for $300 USD (estimated retail) monthly, if needed. To give you a better idea of your storage options, here's a table summarizing the changes:

Effective February 1, 2024, users of Office 365 A1 will be limited to a maximum of 100GB of OneDrive storage within the school tenant's 100TB of pooled storage. Schools will have the option to purchase additional incremental storage based on their needs.

The licensing requirements for certain professions are being updated to better align with industry standards.

Some professions will require additional education or training to qualify for a license, such as a new requirement for 20 hours of continuing education for mental health professionals.

The cost of obtaining a license may also increase, with some professions seeing a 30% hike in fees.

However, the new licensing process will be more streamlined, allowing for faster application and approval times.

This change will benefit professionals who need to obtain a license quickly, such as those who have recently moved to a new state.

If you're a faculty member at an accredited academic institution, you can get Office 365 A1 for free. This includes web versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook, along with the desktop version of OneNote and email with a 50 GB mailbox.

Microsoft Office 365 A1 for Faculty also includes HD video conferencing and Microsoft Teams, a digital hub that integrates conversations, content, and apps to boost collaboration and engagement. You'll get access to an enterprise video service for creating, managing, and sharing videos securely across your organization.

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Here are some key features of Office 365 A1 for Faculty:

You'll also get benefits like no cost for qualifying educational organizations, organizing in one place, helping educators and students engage in new ways, supporting individualized learning, and promoting collaboration.

Office 365 A1 is available for free to qualifying faculty members.

This free version of Office 365 A1 includes online versions of Microsoft Office, which can be accessed from anywhere.

The service also includes class and staff notebooks, which can be used to organize and share files.

File storage is unlimited with OneDrive storage, so you can store as many files as you need.

An email with a 50 GB mailbox is also included, which is perfect for sending and receiving large files.

Additionally, HD videoconferencing is available, allowing you to hold virtual meetings with colleagues and students.

Microsoft Teams is also included, which is a digital hub that integrates conversations, content, and apps to make collaboration easier.

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Here are some of the key features of Office 365 A1 for Faculty:

Qualifying educational organizations can get Office 365 A1 for free, which is a great perk for faculty members.

This free version of Office 365 A1 helps educators and students engage in new ways, supports individualized learning, and promotes collaboration.

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To get Office 365 A1 for free, you must be a student or teacher at an eligible school. This means your school must be a part of the Microsoft Education program.

Eligible schools are those that have a valid Microsoft Education license. This license is usually obtained through the school's IT department.

You must also be a student or teacher at an eligible school to qualify for the free Office 365 A1 plan. This includes online students and teachers.

To check if your school is eligible, you can search for it on the Microsoft Education website. This will tell you if your school has a valid license and is part of the program.

Once you've confirmed your school's eligibility, you can sign up for the free Office 365 A1 plan. This will give you access to Microsoft Office applications and other tools.

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