Who doesn’t enjoy a good bargain? If you’re a college student, you may be eligible for some big discounts on academic software from Microsoft and other software firms. These software companies offer special discounts to students through agreements with many colleges and universities. Let’s take a look at some of the great software discounts and some of the top online academic software websites:

OnTheHub

OnTheHub offers 50% to 90% discounts on Microsoft, Adobe, Quark, VMware and more. Use its search portal to learn if your college or university has a WebStore with OnTheHub. If you’re looking for discounts on academic software from publishers such as SPSS, Minitab, SAS, JMP, SYSTAT, iGrafx, National Instruments and other software firms, visit the OnTheHub eStore. At the eStore, involvement from your college is not required and you can also rent software.

Microsoft DreamSpark

Microsoft DreamSpark gives students Microsoft professional tools for free. Just sign in, get verified, and download what you want. They’ve got numerous developer tools, several servers, applications training, and certification and designer tools.

Windows 7 Professional Upgrade

Currently, Microsoft is offering a big discount on the regular student price. While you’re there, watch some Windows 7 Features & Tutorials and learn some new things.

Microsoft Certification Exams

If you plan on getting a job in the IT field after you graduate, Microsoft Certification will enhance your resume. Microsoft is currently offering up to 55% savings on Microsoft Certification student series exams (“72″ prefix) for students enrolled in degree or diploma programs.

Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010

Microsoft is currently offering a great price on this suite of software. For Mac users, students are also eligible for a great deal on Microsoft Office for Mac Academic 2011.

StudentDiscounts.com

Most of the software products advertised at this website are academic versions. Eligible students get a 20 to 80 percent discount off of the commercial prices. The website features a large list of software manufacturers.

If you’re a college student, you’d be crazy to pay full price for software without looking for student discounts. They are everywhere! Spend some time browsing the Internet to get the best deal.

=== About the Author ===

Len Dreifort writes articles that offer tips for college students, especially when it comes to landing that first job. As a staff writer for Work Coach Cafe, he writes about careers for computer technicians.