Students, Faculty, and Staff Access to Microsoft Office for Free

Bates provides access to many software titles in support of teaching, learning, research, and the administration of the college. While our licenses for most applications are limited to use on Bates-owned machines, a few licenses allow installation on personal machines for faculty, staff, and students.

• Microsoft Office for Students
  • As a Bates Student, you have access to Microsoft Office 365 for Education Suite (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint, as well as access to Microsoft's Cloud Apps).
  • To access and sign in to your account, please use the following link https://www.office.com/. 
    • When signing in to this site, use your Bates username, appended by: @bcis.bates.edu (username@bcis.bates.edu), and use your network password. 
• Microsoft Office 365 for Education for Staff

• Q1:  Can I use another email address when I sign up for the service?
  • A1:  No, you must use your Bates username, appended by: @bcis.bates.edu and your Bates password.
• Q2:  What happens if I leave Bates?
  • A2: If you leave Bates and no longer have a Bates email address, then you must purchase a license from Microsoft to continue using the products or uninstall Microsoft Office.
• Q3:  What happens if I don’t purchase a license?
  • A3:  Any software you’ve installed enters what’s called “Reduced Functionality Mode.”  You can view and print your files but cannot edit existing files or create new ones.