The Microsoft Campus Agreement is an Enterprise license covering many popular Microsoft software products and online services at Cornell University. This license is paid for with central funding, with no direct internal charges to University departments or individuals. Desktop software products provided by this agreement can be downloaded and installed onto Cornell-owned computers by authorized Cornell Technical Support Providers, and used on those computers by University personnel with authorized access to those computers. The Campus Agreement also covers most Cornell-affiliated institutions that are located on the Ithaca campus.

The Campus Agreement has two components: the Microsoft Desktop Bundle, which covers Windows Desktop OS and Microsoft Office suites, and the Server Agreement, which covers most Microsoft server products.

Benefits for Cornell Departments and Units

• Departments no longer need to track licenses for individual computers to ensure compliance with software licensing.
• The cost of buying new computers is lower, since computers can be purchased with the least expensive version of Windows, then upgraded at no cost.
• Cost is not a limiting factor in a department's ability to upgrade Windows.
• The Windows OS can be installed at no cost on Macintosh computers.
• Departments can set up Microsoft servers with no software cost.
• With ITMC approval, departments can establish a local administrator who can download products directly from Microsoft.

Eligibility

All computers owned by Cornell University at the Ithaca campus and at field locations are covered by both components of the Campus Agreement.

Both components of the Campus Agreement also cover computers owned by all other Ithaca-based, Cornell-affiliated institutions, including the Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the New York State Agricultural Research Station at Geneva, the ROTC Program at Cornell University, and the USDA facility at the Robert W. Holley Center.

The Weill Cornell College of Medicine has its own independent arrangement with Microsoft, and is not covered by either component of the Campus Agreement.  Weill Cornell staff and faculty should check with their local IT providers for information about Microsoft licensing.

Computers that are the personal property of Cornell staff and faculty are not covered by the Campus Agreement. 

Products Available

Microsoft Desktop Bundle

Microsoft Windows Desktop Operating Systems upgrades

• Windows 11 (Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions)
• Windows 10 (Pro, Enterprise, and Education Editions)

Microsoft Office Suites

• Microsoft 365 Online Apps
• Microsoft 365 for Desktop (Windows and Mac)
• Microsoft Office Professional Plus LTSC for Windows
• Microsoft Office Standard LTSC for Macintosh

Client Access Licenses (CALs)

• Windows Server CAL
• Exchange CAL
• System Center Configuration Manager CAL
• SharePoint CAL

Microsoft Server Agreement

• Microsoft Windows Server OS upgrades
  Windows Server 2022 (DataCenter, Standard, and Essentials Editions)
  Windows Server 2019 (DataCenter, Standard, and Essentials Editions)
• SQL Server
• System Center Server and related products
• ForeFront Security Server and related products
• Exchange Server
• SharePoint Server
• Office Communications Server
• Server Management Suite Datacenter
• All CALs for above products

Older Versions
The site license does also cover some older Windows and Office products that are no longer supported at Cornell University. We can release these products upon request to IT administrators that have a specific need for them. Please contact us if you have a specific need for older versions of software. 

Getting Software

Eligible staff, faculty, and affiliates can download products from CIT.  Please see the appropriate product family pages for more information and for download links:

• Microsoft Windows Desktop OS
• Microsoft Office Suites
• Microsoft Server Products