Microsoft Campus Agreement Requirements and Rules of Usage
Can students take the software home for personal use? Can faculty and staff?
Each student may take home ONE (1) copy of all licensed software for use on a personally-owned computer, whether home is on or off campus. Each student who has more than one computer -- say, a desktop computer in their home and a laptop they carry around campus with them -- may install the software on only one machine1.
Commercial use of University property, including products licensed under the Microsoft Campus Agreement is strictly prohibited by State of Texas law and by University policy.
Faculty, Staff and Faculty Emeriti may use the products on a personally-owned computer at home for their own personal use as covered under the Microsoft Campus Agreement.
1 The Microsoft Office Suite is licensed to run on one desktop computer and on a second portable computer for your exclusive use only.
How many times may I install the software?
Please see How many times may I install this software for more information.
Do faculty and staff employees have to run the same version of Windows at the office and at home?
Faculty/Staff work-at-home use rights allow for the most recent version of Windows desktop OS upgrades for use at home, regardless of the version of Windows running on the computer at work.
If I owned an illegal copy of the software prior to the signing of the contract, is my software now considered a legal copy?
If someone installed Microsoft software without being licensed before the MSCA agreement was in place, it is considered to be an illegal copy (anticipating a pending agreement is not an exception).
NOTE: There is a difference between a commercial copy of the Microsoft Software and the Microsoft Select Software.
- Students - Students are required to purchase their own copy of the Microsoft Student media. In order to be legally licensed for the products available in the MSCA, they must sign the EULA (End User License Agreement) where the products are being sold. If they have borrowed the media from a friend, they are not considered to be licensed.
- Faculty/Staff - On UT-owned machines can use media which was purchased by their department through UT's Microsoft Select re-seller, Dell Computer Corp., or they can purchase their own copy of the media through the Computer Store (or any other comparable established distribution point) on their campus.
- If Microsoft Select media (purchased by the department through Dell Computer Corp.) was used for installation, it is now a legally licensed under the MSCA.
- If Microsoft Select media was not used, the software is considered illegal and unlicensed. To correct this, Microsoft Select media (purchased through the proper channels) must be used to re-install the software.
- For personally owned machines, faculty and staff may purchase up to one media copy of Student Media or may receive their software update via the network if locally performed (on campus) by an administrator using select media.
- If Microsoft Select media (purchased by the department through Dell Computer Corp.) was used for installation, it is now a legally licensed under the MSCA.
Do departments have to purchase an individual copy of the media for each machine?
No. Departments may use volume installation media (also referred to as "Select" media) from their campus distribution point or from Dell Computer Corp for installation of covered products on any University-owned computers. Volume installation media is not individually-keyed, so one CD can be used to install software on any University-owned computer.
Does this contract mean we can omit buying Operating Systems for new hardware the university buys (or we as individuals buy) in the future?
No. Desktop operating system licenses available under Microsoft Volume Licensing programs - including the Microsoft Campus Agreement (MSCA) - are upgrade licenses only. This means that in order to install Windows, you would need to already have a full license for an earlier release of Windows. Essentially, you can not omit the OS from any machine you purchase, nor receive credit from Microsoft or its distributors as a result of the MSCA. You can, however, upgrade any copy of an older OS under the new MSCA.
This rule does not hold true, however, for the applications covered by the MSCA.
Does this contract mean we can omit buying the Applications (Office Suite) for new hardware the university buys (or we as individuals buy) in the future?
Yes. Desktop applications such as Office Suite do not carry any upgrade requirements. There is no need to purchase these products separately. When purchasing new computer hardware, you should make sure that you are not paying again for products already covered under this program. This is true for both institutional and personal purchases.
Should I register my MSCA product(s) with Microsoft?
Registration is optional but recommended.
Note, registration is not the same as activation. Activation is required in order to use some Microsoft products.
May I resell or give the media I obtained under the MSCA to someone else?
No. Neither the media nor any licenses may be resold. The licenses are not transferable to another person. Nor should any individual have the media without having signed the official paperwork; so, media can only be obtained through each UT institution's official mechanisms. UT and /or Microsoft will actively pursue through legal and/or UT judiciary channels any violations.
May students install their MSCA software on more than one computer?
Each student can take home one (1) copy of all licensed software for use on one personally-owned computer, whether home is on or off campus. Each student who has more than one computer -- say, a desktop computer in their home and a laptop they carry around campus with them -- may install the software on only one machine.
The one exception to this is for the Microsoft Office Suite. Office 2008 and 2007 are licensed to run on one desktop computer and on a second portable computer for your exclusive use only.
Please remember also that Windows Desktop Operating System licenses are upgrade licenses only. You must have a fully licensed version of a Microsoft operating system in order to install the upgrade media.
May I use covered Microsoft products on my laptop while traveling overseas?
You may use software licensed under the UT System Microsoft Campus Agreement (MSCA) outside of the United States for a limited period of time subject to Export Administration Regulations. If you are planning to be out of the country for more than 9-12 months, we may have to seek special permission from Microsoft.
In order to comply with the product use rights you may only install the software on a laptop for your own personal use and you may not allow anyone else to use your laptop.
