Accessing Microsoft Office 365 as a UCLA Student: A Comprehensive Guide

Microsoft 365 applications are an important tool for UCLA students, especially during the job or internship search. Many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by employers rely on AI technology to screen candidates and may not be compatible with Google Docs, potentially rejecting resumes and cover letters not created in Microsoft Word. The business community also defaults to Microsoft for security reasons. Therefore, the UCLA Career Center recommends that all students understand and are comfortable using Microsoft applications. Fortunately, UCLA students have free access to Microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365 Availability for UCLA Students

As part of the UC Microsoft Consolidated Campus Agreement (MCCA), UCLA students are eligible to download and use Microsoft Office applications on their personal devices. Per the terms of the agreement, students may download and use Microsoft Office applications on up to 5 personal computing devices.

How to Access Microsoft 365

To access Microsoft 365, follow these steps:

Log in to your UCLA account.
Once logged in, you should see a screen with a row of Office apps, including Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, you should see a drop-down menu that says “Install Office Apps”.
Click this drop-down and select “Office 2016” from the list.
You will be prompted to download the installer. An orange window with a link to installation instructions will appear. If you need help installing from this installer, click the link at the bottom of the orange window.

Additional Software Available to UCLA Students and Staff

Besides Microsoft 365, UCLA offers access to a range of other software for academic and research purposes. Here's a breakdown of some commonly used software:

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud provides access to various applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat. To obtain a license, visit My Services on the UCLA Identity and Accounts Manager site if you do not know your BOL account information. Note that this license does not include features like Adobe Fonts, Adobe Firefly, Adobe Express, custom signatures, or cloud storage, as it is not an approved storage platform. The license can be purchased from DGIT's Computer Hardware/Software Order form as a paid annual subscription.

Read also: Launch Your Career with Microsoft

Atlassian Cloud

Atlassian Cloud is a suite of tools that helps teams collaborate, share information, and track project progress. Purchasing is not required for this software.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an AI-powered tool that can help generate text, summarize information, brainstorm ideas, and assist with writing and research tasks. This is available for faculty and staff only and can be purchased from the UCLA campus ServiceNow Catalog as a paid license. For step-by-step instructions to order, visit the UCLA ChatGPT Purchase Guide. While this product has been vetted for security and privacy concerns, excluding the use of Protected Health Information (PHI) data, please consult the responsible use guidelines from both UCLA and UCOP before engaging in active use.

DocuSign

DocuSign is a cloud-based software system that makes it easy and efficient to collect electronic signatures. DocuSign is allocated by UCLA Health IT.

GraphPad

GraphPad is a software used for statistical analysis and data visualization. It can be purchased directly from GraphPad as a paid license. Note that GraphPad no longer accepts POs. For GraphPad only, Corporate Finance has authorized the purchase of this software via PCard. Your fund managers or department/division purchasers can purchase licenses by visiting GraphPad’s site - www.graphpad.com. They will need to select Pricing, then Academic, then select the number of licenses you need. Please note, with either purchase method, a 2-seat minimum is required. It is available for use by all UCLA Faculty, Researchers, and Students on UCLA-owned or leased and personal equipment for teaching and/or research only.

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft 365 Copilot, an add-on paid license, is an AI-powered productivity tool that integrates with your Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more. Microsoft 365 Copilot provides real-time intelligent assistance to enhance creativity, productivity, and skills. Department Authorizers must submit a request on behalf of Mednet users. Although there is no recharge at this time, FAU is required on the request form. UCLA Health IT is currently funding Copilot for Microsoft 365 licenses for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Parallels

Parallels Desktop enables you to run Windows and other OSs on Mac. It can be purchased from DGIT's Computer Hardware/Software Order form as a paid license.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) Client

The VPN provides an alternative to using the proxy server for remote access to campus resources as well as a secure method to authenticate to the campus wireless network.

FrontDoor Software

FrontDoorSoftware is a tool approved by the UCLA Police Department for deterring laptop theft and assisting in the recovery of lost and stolen computers. It is available for free to registered UCLA students (UCLA staff and faculty are currently not eligible).

Important Considerations

Technical Support: The IT Support Center does not provide technical support for Office software. For support issues or questions about the Microsoft 365 program or associated products, direct your inquiries to Microsoft Customer Support.
Calendly: Calendly is not approved for use at UCLA Health. Please use Microsoft Bookings instead.
Software Purchases: DGIT offers a guide to purchasing software to simplify the process.
Eligibility for UCOP Employees: This right to use is granted to all current UCOP employees. Contractors or other per-diem employees are not eligible for this program. Subject to the annual renewal of the current MCCA terms and conditions, employees may continue to use the downloaded software for personal or business reasons, for as long as they are employed by UCOP. Find the latest supported software.

tags: #microsoft #office #ucla #availability