In little over a month, Windows 7 will officially launch starting at $120 and $200 for their respective Upgrade and Full versions. If you're a college or university student, however, Microsoft has a much sweeter deal in store. Starting today through January 3 next year, anyone with a valid .edu email address can purchase the upgrade version of either Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for just $29.99.

Read the whole story

sweet deal.. thanks microsoft!

How do these upgrade versions work? Right now I'm using Windows 7 RC, which I know I can't use to upgrade from, but I have an old computer with a Windows XP license sticker on the back, could I use that code to activate an upgrade edition of Windows 7?

The article is actually quite misleading in itself until you have a read through it...
From my understanding from reading, its pretty much just buying a new copy for 30 bucks if you're a student with a .edu email o.o
From the topic i actually thought that it was an upgrade you pay for 30 if you just got a machine with vista or something... D:
Still, i don't see why microsoft can't have the key work for both the 32 and 64 bit versions.

Man this is good news, I wanted to get 7, but didn't jump on any of the preorder stuff for $50 or whatever it was. Now I can get it even cheaper!

But you know, I can't seem to find how to order the professional version of Windows 7 on the website. I can only get Home Premium. Any ideas on how to get Professional like it says in the article?

great news !!!! its pretty cheap

well $30 is not £30, ive seen alot of UK tech based websites reporing this story, and putting it at £30, $30 is £18 (Figure correct when I converted using the currect rate), I would happily pay £2 shipping to get it £10 cheaper!

I tried to order also and there is no option for the PRO version only HOME PREMIUM whats the deal Techspot????

A very good buisness idea from Microsoft.Why? Because Mircosoft knows that it is mostly students who goes to P2P or Torrents to get copies of their products. I'm sure no student will hoop off for such copies when a geniune copy is there for just $29.99.

The article states that the offer will be available on October 22. Seeing as that date is still more than a month away, perhaps the website will be updating by that time.

Hmm.. interesting. Now I am debating canceling my $50 preorder to get this $30 version instead, but then again, I may need a second copy for my laptop anyway. If they are truly planning on offering the pro version, this is a no-brainer. I don't think they will though.

The article says "anyone with a valid .edu email address". Really? How does anyone prove to be a student when the professors and other such entities at universities all have .edu e-mail addresses. This is undue favoritism.

You must first apply for eligibility here... I assume afterwards you'll get the option of pre-ordering either the Home Premium or Professional version:

Read more here.

There's also a FAQ at https://windows7.digitalriver.com/se...&SiteID=mswpus with all the details regarding the promotion.

Ah ha! I found the Professional link. Once you get the confirmation email and click the link, you should see a yellow strip in the middle of your page that says "Need to join your school's network domain? Click here." If you click that link, it will pop up the page with Windows 7 Professional for $29.99.

This decision by Microsoft to lower it’s introductory price for Windows 7 is the best and most progressive thinking I have heard from Microsoft Corp for a very long time.

I wish them well with their market approach with this new software release. Let us also hope that the gremlins that plagued Vista are nowhere around when it comes to the use of this product.

I just wish I was a Student again, then I could get a bargain too.


Signed Carl Barron Chairman of agpcuk

I'm willing to be it has a lot to do with the Snow Leopard pricing. Still, I think it's a win for everyone.

Traditionally thats how it works, sometimes things are reported as "student" discount, but almost always they are "educational" discounts. Same thing works with educational discount on apple hardware, anyone with an edu.

So this offer if not available to EU/UK people??
great :(

This is not as sweet as it seems. Microsoft has always provided a reduced rate for students for every operating system. I have been a student for 7 years and I am in graduate school. To show you what I mean here is how much I paid for each operating system:

XP Pro: $7
Vista Business: $15
Vista Ultimage: $15
and now!
Windows 7: $30

And the next windows for students will be $45 or $60 probably?