Microsoft subscription programmes are designed to allow schools to budget for their licensing. For an annual fee you receive an annual license to run the software you want cover for. You gain the right to upgrade to new releases of those products within the time of your subscription at no additional charge

As a subscription programme is, simply put, the option to rent your licenses, at the end of each subscription period you can either renew, pay to convert your licences to perpetual ones, or stop using the software. The recommended subscription scheme for education from 1st March 2011 is Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES), although the School Agreements and Campus Agreements are still available.

Reasons why you would choose a Subscription Programme:

• There is no up-front cost, just an annual fee.
• You are automatically entitled to upgrades and new versions.
• Under the Enrolment for Education Solutions, the costs are based on FTE staff under EES, making it easy to budget and administer.
• You can select a one or three year contract, fixing the price in advance.
• Can be extended to cover computers exclusively dedicated to one student, and students’ own computers

Reasons why you might not choose a Subscription Programme:

• You must pay your subscription fee each year.
• If you decide to end your subscription, you must either stop using the software or pay a fee for the perpetual licence.

 The types of subscription programmes that NCI are authorised to sell are Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES) and School Agreements.

 For further information please email us or call us on 01326 379 497