Contracts with Microsoft
What are the contracts with Microsoft?
RWTH Aachen University has concluded several contracts with Microsoft. Depending on the intended use, a license can be obtained via one or the other contract.
- Microsoft Bundesvertrag (Federal Contract)
This contract includes the basic Microsoft licenses for the university's workstations and access to central services for employees and students. These are licensed/rented for the duration of the contract period. The licenses always include the current version of the included products. Older versions can continue to be used via a downgrade right. Through the Microsoft Campus Participation, the institutions participate in the refinancing of the incurred procurement costs.
Microsoft Select Plus
In contrast to the Microsoft Bundesvertrag, permanent licenses of a specific version are acquired via the volume license agreement Microsoft Select Plus. These can usually be acquired with or without Software Assurance (maintenance). The Software Assurance ends on the contract reference date of the respective year. Depending on the date of purchase, it therefore runs between 25 and 36 months. Within its term, the Software Assurance entitles the user, among other things, to use newly released versions of the licensed product.
Due to the conclusion of a new contract with Microsoft in autumn 2024, there was a change of the contract reference date:
- For all licenses that were concluded with Software Assurance via the previous volume licensing agreement Microsoft Select Plus by October 23, 2024, the contract reference date is June 30.
- For all licenses with Software Assurance that were purchased via the Software Shop from October 24, 2024, September 30 applies as the contract reference date.
This must be particularly observed when extending the Assurance in the year 2026. The contract reference date will not be changed by the change of retailer in April 2026.
The institutions of RWTH Aachen University can order these products in the RWTH Software Shop.
- Azure Dev Tools for Teaching
Azure Dev Tools for Teaching was discontinued without replacement in August 2025.
Students are offered Azure for Students as an alternative.
Who can use the products of the Microsoft contracts?
Depending on the product, different groups of people can access it:
RWTH employees, members of FB10, scholarship holders and RWTH students can use the Microsoft 365 products free of charge within the framework of the Microsoft Bundesvertrag.
RWTH employees with the role Order IT can additionally order products from the Microsoft Select Plus contract via the RWTH Software Shop.
RWTH students can additionally obtain Microsoft software via Azure for Students.
How can you use the products of the Microsoft contracts?
Access to the Microsoft 365 products requires registration and login on the corresponding tenant. Detailed instructions can be found under the Service M365.
Additional Microsoft products for official use can be purchased by persons with the role Order IT via the RWTH Software Shop.
The use of Azure for Students takes place exclusively via private Microsoft accounts and not via the accounts of the Students tenant provided and administered by RWTH. Find out more under the article Azure for Students.