Microsoft 365 Education: what changes for schools and when

Microsoft announced changes to Microsoft 365 Education on November 5, 2026. The new lineup includes a no-cost student offer, MA0, but it excludes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Teams. Storage contributions vary by license tier, and most portfolio changes affect an institution when it reaches a qualifying renewal or extension. Microsoft’s portfolio terms spell out the conditions and dates.

What MA0 covers for students

Microsoft 365 Education A0 (MA0) is a no-cost, student-only offer for eligible institutions that provide full paid faculty coverage on MA2 or higher. It applies to students actively using Windows devices for educational purposes. The offer includes Office desktop and web apps, Minecraft Education, Microsoft Entra ID Free and Learning Zone. It does not include Exchange Online, SharePoint Online or Teams.

Match MA0 to the services students need: its no-cost license does not include email, SharePoint or Teams.

How the paid tiers differ

Schools can mix student and faculty editions, with options with or without Teams. MA2 provides the foundation for productivity, collaboration, learning, AI, identity and device management. Its listed capabilities include Microsoft Classroom, Copilot Chat, Power Platform tools, Microsoft Entra ID P1, School Data Sync, mobile device management, standard auditing and email protection.

MA3 builds on MA2 with Windows 11 Education and Microsoft Intune for Education. The updated MA3 Faculty edition adds Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1. MA5 adds advanced identity, security, compliance, management and analytics; its faculty edition adds Microsoft Intune Suite. MA7 builds on MA5 with advanced AI, identity, security, governance and agent-management capabilities.

Microsoft Classroom is included with MA2 through MA7. Its teaching tools include Assignments, Gradebook, Classwork, Learning Accelerators, Class Notebook, a Teach module, and the Study and Learn Agent. Microsoft says institutions can keep using Teams Assignments and other Teams education experiences: Classroom complements Teams rather than replacing it. Institutions can customize Classroom for K–5, grades 6–12 or higher education.

How much storage each license contributes

The new model keeps storage in a tenant-wide pool. These figures are additions to that pool per license, not individual storage quotas.

MA0 contributes 0 GB per student license and has no faculty edition. Under the new model, Microsoft removes the existing 100 TB base allocation when an institution reaches its first renewal or extension on or after January 1, 2028. The resulting pool depends on the institution’s licensed users and tiers.

When offers and contract changes take effect

Offer availability and the date an institution’s agreement changes are separate milestones. Microsoft lists the following schedule in its portfolio terms:

Existing agreements and their prices, licenses and entitlements continue through the applicable current term. An active Enrollment that began before the retirement date may continue through that term; Office 365 A1 and Student Use Benefit cannot be renewed when the Enrollment renews or ends. The free Exchange Online for Alumni offer cannot be renewed or extended. Microsoft identifies a new paid Exchange Online for Alumni offer for continued service.

What Microsoft says about pricing

Microsoft says discounts for MA2–MA5 exceed 80% compared with commercial pricing, while MA7 discounts are up to 60%. It directs institutions to request an offer-specific quote through a Microsoft account team or authorized partner. The Academic Volume Licensing change sets one consistent Online Services price across Price Levels at the institution’s first renewal or extension on or after May 1, 2027; current agreement pricing remains in effect through the term.