Microsoft has launched a new initiative to help students gain access to laptops and other devices for their education. The program, called the Microsoft Education Fund, allows schools and educators to create crowdfunding campaigns on Microsoft’s website and receive donations from individuals and organizations. Microsoft will also provide Office 365 Education for free to the first 10,000 participants who sign up for the program.
The Microsoft Education Fund aims to address the digital divide that affects many students, especially in rural and low-income areas, who lack the tools and resources needed to learn online. According to a recent UNESCO report, more than 1.5 billion students have been affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of them face challenges accessing quality education remotely.
“Microsoft is committed to empowering every student on the planet to achieve more. We believe that access to technology is essential to learning in the 21st century, and we want to support educators and students who face unprecedented challenges during this time,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president of Worldwide Education at Microsoft.
The Microsoft Education Fund is open to any school or educator who wants to create a crowdfunding campaign for laptops or other devices running Windows 10 or Windows 11. Campaigns can be customized with photos, videos and stories that showcase the impact of the device on student learning outcomes. Donors can choose from a variety of devices offered by Microsoft and its partners, including Surface, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer and Asus.
Microsoft will also offer Office 365 Education for free to the first 10,000 participants who sign up for the program. Office 365 Education includes online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Teams and more. It also comes with 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive and access to Microsoft’s AI-powered learning tools, such as Immersive Reader, Translator and Math Solver.
“We are excited to launch the Microsoft Education Fund as a way to connect donors with schools and educators in need of laptops and devices for their students. We hope this program will help bridge the digital divide and enable more students to learn online with confidence and creativity,” said Salcito.
Microsoft has launched a new initiative called “Chip In” to help students prepare for the upcoming academic year with a Windows laptop of their choice. The program allows students with an .edu e-mail address to create a crowdfunding campaign on Microsoft’s online store and invite their friends and family to contribute toward the purchase of their laptop. Microsoft will also contribute 10 percent of the cost of any eligible device, in addition to providing the free college edition of Office 365 to the first 10,000 students who join the program.
The Chip In promotion runs from today through September 1, covering the entire summer term for higher education students. Students can choose from 15 different Windows PCs from a variety of brands, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and Microsoft. The list of eligible laptops includes some of the most popular and innovative Windows 8 devices, such as Surface Pro and Surface RT, Lenovo Yoga and Asus Taichi. All of these devices are discounted in price thanks to Microsoft’s 10 percent contribution, which you can check out here.
The program is not only open to students, but also to faculty and staff members who have a valid .edu email address. To participate, simply select a laptop, create a profile page using your Facebook account and ask friends and family to contribute to help you reach your funding goal.
