Microsoft 365 features that help users manage their subscriptions, account settings, and billing information.
For Microsoft benefits there are two separate paths, and the institute must fit one of them based on how it is legally registered and recognized: nonprofit or academic (education).
- Nonprofit path (Microsoft for Nonprofits)
- Nonprofit eligibility is based on being a legally recognized nonprofit organization.
- Schools, colleges, and universities (including nonprofit schools and academic museums) are explicitly listed as not eligible for Microsoft for Nonprofits offers, even if they operate on a nonprofit basis.
- Only one validated nonprofit grant tenant is allowed per organization.
Because the institute is an educational institution, it falls into the “schools, colleges, and universities” category and therefore is not eligible under the nonprofit program, even if it is nonprofit in practice.
- Education (academic) path
Since the institute has an official academic-style domain (for example,
*.edu.country) and is licensed as a private education institute, the correct route is the education/academic path, not the nonprofit path.
To proceed:
- Use the academic domain to sign up for Microsoft 365 Education offers.
- Verify domain ownership and become the admin for the school:
- In the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to Setup and choose the option to Become an admin for the school.
- Follow the prompts to add a TXT DNS record at the DNS host for the domain. This proves ownership of the academic domain.
- Return to the Microsoft 365 portal and confirm the TXT record so Microsoft 365 can validate the domain.
- Once the domain is verified and the school is recognized as an academic institution, students and educators can be enrolled under the education offers (for example, Office 365 A1/A1 Plus) using their school email accounts.
If the school is not recognized as a Microsoft Qualified Academic Institution after verification, academic offers may not be available. In that case:
- Commercial offers can still be purchased from the Marketplace in the admin center.
- If the organization is a nonprofit but also an educational institution, it still does not qualify for the nonprofit program because schools are excluded from nonprofit eligibility.
- Questions about academic eligibility decisions can be raised with Microsoft support.
Summary for this scenario
- Do not apply through Microsoft for Nonprofits; schools and educational institutes are excluded from that program.
- Use the education/academic route with the existing
.edu.countrydomain, verify domain ownership, and then enroll students and volunteer educators under Microsoft 365 Education offers. - If Microsoft later decides the school is not a Qualified Academic Institution, only commercial subscriptions will be available, and that decision can be discussed with support.
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