Microsoft Office 365: Six-Month Trial Now Available

Microsoft says students can try the online edition of Office 365 free of charge for up to six months. It's also offering a one month trial to people who aren't students.

The student offer is for a three-month subscription to Office 365 University that allows students to install copies of Office software on two different computers (including PCs or Macs).

The University edition includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. The subscription also means you can use online editions of this software on any computer with an Internet connection.

Although the standard period for the offer is three months, any student who promotes the deal on his or her Facebook page will receive access to the software for an additional three months. (Source: cnet.com)

Office 365 Includes Free Updates

If the student then decides to purchase a subscription, the fee is $79.99 for four years' access. Unlike traditional retail versions of Office, the Office 365 subscription gives users access to updates for the included applications.

The Office 365 University package also includes 20GB of online storage via Microsoft's SkyDrive service. It also comes with 60 minutes of free phone calls each month to any landline in the world via Skype.

To qualify for the deal students will need to prove their academic credentials. In most cases, this means supplying and validating a .edu email address. (Source: microsoft.com)

Non-Students Eligible For One Month Trial

Non-students can access a one month trial of Office 365 Home Premium via the Microsoft Office website. The Home Premium package allows users to install the Office 365 software on up to five different devices. A full subscription to Office 365 Home Premium costs $99.99.

As with the University edition, Home Premium includes access to 20GB of SkyDrive storage and 60 minutes in free Skype calls each month.

Microsoft will be promoting the Office 365 University package in upcoming advertisements featuring "Parks and Recreation" actor Aubrey Plaza.