Microsoft EES Licensing for UK Schools
Microsoft EES provides organisation-wide subscription licensing for eligible education institutions, but it is not the right route for every school. Institution size, required products, agreement term and procurement route all affect whether EES, OVS-ES, CSP or the Chest agreement is the most appropriate option.
SAM UK can review your current agreement, Education Qualified User count and renewal requirements before preparing a current education licensing quote.
What is Microsoft EES licensing?
EES stands for Enrollment for Education Solutions. It is a Microsoft subscription licensing programme designed for eligible education institutions that want to license selected products across the whole organisation on an annual basis.
EES uses an annual count of Education Qualified Users rather than a count of PCs or devices, and it supports organisation-wide licensing of selected Education Platform Products. Standalone EES is acquired through Microsoft's education volume-licensing channel using the relevant contractual documents.
Because EES is an organisation-wide commitment, a school comparing options should still weigh EES against OVS-ES, CSP and any framework route available to it before deciding.
Does your school qualify for EES?
Two things need to line up: your institution must be accepted by Microsoft as an eligible education customer, and — for standalone EES — you normally need to meet the organisation-wide user-count threshold. Being eligible for Microsoft education pricing is not the same as being eligible for standalone EES; smaller eligible schools may still access education pricing through OVS-ES, CSP or a framework route.
- Accredited or otherwise recognised education status
- Current Microsoft education verification for the institution
- Organisation-wide relevant user count
- Products being licensed and required entitlements
- Distinction between eligibility for education pricing and eligibility for standalone EES
Review checklist
A school reviewing EES should normally establish:
- Institution type
- Accreditation or education eligibility
- Total relevant user count
- Student and staff numbers
- Current Microsoft products
- Current agreement
- Renewal date
- Whether a framework route (for example Jisc/Chest) is already used
EES, OVS-ES or CSP: which route fits your school?
A summary of the main Microsoft education licensing routes a UK school is likely to consider. Availability and terms are set by Microsoft and confirmed at quotation.
- Intended institution
- Generally more than 1,000 users
- Measurement basis
- Annual Education Qualified User count
- Typical agreement structure
- Organisation-wide subscription commitment for selected Education Platform Products
- Renewal and quantity considerations
- Annual true-up and defined enrolment/renewal timetable; quantities reviewed at renewal
- Procurement route
- Microsoft education volume-licensing channel via an approved reseller
- Best fit
- Larger institutions wanting organisation-wide standardisation
- Price
- Quote required
- Intended institution
- Generally smaller eligible institutions (typically 5–999 users)
- Measurement basis
- Academic full-time-equivalent (FTE)
- Typical agreement structure
- Subscription agreement; exact product availability must be confirmed
- Renewal and quantity considerations
- Annual order and renewal cycle within the agreement term
- Procurement route
- Microsoft volume-licensing channel via an approved reseller
- Best fit
- Smaller schools that still want a subscription-style agreement
- Price
- Quote required
- Intended institution
- Microsoft-verified education customers of any size
- Measurement basis
- Per-seat subscription within the specific CSP offer
- Typical agreement structure
- Term, billing frequency, commitment and cancellation rights vary by offer
- Renewal and quantity considerations
- Depends on the specific CSP offer; quantity changes are not universally immediate
- Procurement route
- Microsoft partner purchasing channel (CSP partner)
- Best fit
- Schools wanting Microsoft partner-managed cloud subscriptions
- Price
- Quote required
- Intended institution
- Participating UK schools, further education and higher education institutions
- Measurement basis
- EQU-based, aligned with the negotiated agreement
- Typical agreement structure
- Enrolment term and participation arrangements per the current Chest agreement documents
- Renewal and quantity considerations
- Current EES agreement available through Chest runs until 31 December 2026; enrolment term and participation arrangements confirmed at quotation
- Procurement route
- Chest platform and the applicable reseller arrangements
- Best fit
- Schools already using Jisc/Chest procurement or wanting negotiated UK education terms
- Price
- Quote required
The appropriate route depends on your institution, required products and current contract. SAM UK can compare the available options before issuing a quote.
How EES relates to Microsoft 365 A1, A3 and A5
EES, OVS-ES and CSP describe purchasing or agreement routes. Microsoft 365 A1, A3 and A5 are Microsoft 365 Education product plan names. The two are separate decisions: choosing a route does not by itself identify the product plan.
Features and student-use entitlements depend on the products actually licensed and current Microsoft terms. Microsoft uses the A1 name across different education offers, so the exact product details for a given plan need to be checked at the time of quotation rather than assumed.
Using the Jisc Chest agreement for Microsoft EES
Jisc negotiates software agreements on behalf of UK education, and the resulting agreements are made available through the Chest platform. The current Microsoft EES Education Qualified User Agreement is open to UK schools, further education and higher education institutions.
The current Microsoft EES agreement available through Chest runs until 31 December 2026. The enrolment term and participation arrangements should be confirmed against the current Chest agreement documents when the school requests a quote. Schools normally work through the Chest process and the applicable reseller arrangements; agreement terms and prices are checked at the time of quotation.
Last reviewed: 23 July 2026
What happens when an EES agreement approaches renewal?
An EES agreement has a defined enrolment and renewal timetable. At renewal the school should review its Education Qualified User count, the products it actually uses and any changes in requirements — a school should not assume that the previous route remains the best one.
To carry out a useful review, existing quantities, current products and the renewal date are needed. Switching reseller or agreement route may require lead time and current contractual checks, so it is worth starting the conversation well before the renewal date.
What we need for an education licensing quote
Not every field is mandatory — send what you have and we will confirm what else is needed.
- School or institution name
- Institution type
- Approximate staff/faculty count
- Approximate student count
- Current Microsoft products
- Current agreement type, if known
- Existing supplier or reseller, if relevant
- Renewal date
- Required Microsoft 365 plan or capabilities, if known
- Whether a Chest/Jisc or other framework route is currently used
- Any expected changes in numbers
Straightforward licensing and renewal support
A named contact for your school
You deal with a named contact at SAM UK rather than a generic queue, so the person answering your renewal questions already knows your agreement.
Review before recommending a route
We look at your current agreement, EQU count and product use before recommending EES, OVS-ES, CSP or a framework route.
Quotes based on actual requirements
Quotes are prepared from what your school actually needs, rather than assuming EES is the default answer.
Pre-renewal review of existing agreements
Schools can ask SAM UK to review an existing agreement — including one supplied by another reseller — ahead of renewal.
Managing licensing across several academies involves different renewal dates, agreements and procurement responsibilities. See our guidance on software licensing for academies and multi-academy trusts, or ask us to review your current agreements.
Microsoft EES licensing FAQs
What does Microsoft EES stand for?
EES stands for Enrollment for Education Solutions. It is a Microsoft subscription licensing programme for eligible education institutions.
Does every UK school qualify for EES?
No. Standalone EES is generally designed for education institutions with more than 1,000 users, and Microsoft applies its own education eligibility rules. Smaller schools normally compare OVS-ES, CSP or an applicable negotiated agreement route.
What is an Education Qualified User?
An Education Qualified User (EQU) is a person counted under Microsoft's education licensing rules — typically relevant staff, faculty and students. It is not simply the number of students, and the exact counting rules must be confirmed for the institution and products being licensed.
Is EES priced per user or per device?
EES licensing uses an annual count of Education Qualified Users rather than a count of PCs or devices.
What is the difference between EES and OVS-ES?
Standalone EES is Microsoft's organisation-wide education subscription programme, generally designed for education institutions with more than 1,000 users. OVS-ES (Open Value Subscription for Education Solutions) is a subscription route intended for smaller eligible institutions, typically in the 5–999-user range, based on academic full-time-equivalent rather than a desktop minimum.
What is the difference between EES and CSP?
EES is a specific Microsoft education volume-licensing programme. CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) is a Microsoft partner purchasing channel through which education offers can be sold to a Microsoft-verified education customer. Term, billing frequency and quantity-change rules depend on the specific CSP offer.
Can a school with fewer than 1,000 users obtain Microsoft education licensing?
Yes. Smaller schools normally consider OVS-ES, CSP or a Jisc-negotiated framework route rather than standalone EES. The right option depends on the products required and current agreement.
Do we have to buy through Jisc or Chest?
No. The Jisc-negotiated agreement on the Chest platform is one route available to UK education institutions. Schools may also purchase through direct Microsoft volume-licensing routes or through a CSP partner, subject to eligibility.
Is EES always cheaper than CSP?
No. There is no universal answer. The most appropriate route depends on institution size, products required, term and current Microsoft or framework conditions.
What information is needed for an EES renewal quote?
Typically your institution name and type, approximate staff and student numbers, current Microsoft products and agreement type, existing supplier if relevant, renewal date and any expected changes in numbers.
Can a multi-academy trust use this page?
Multi-academy trusts have distinct multi-site procurement needs, with different renewal dates, agreements and procurement responsibilities across academies. See our guidance on software licensing for academies and multi-academy trusts at /academies-mats, or ask us to review your current agreements via the quote form.
Can SAM UK review an agreement supplied by another reseller?
Yes. Send us your current agreement details, quantities and renewal date and we will review the relevant education licensing routes with you before renewal.
Sources and review
Microsoft licensing programmes and Chest agreement terms can change. This page was reviewed against current Microsoft, Jisc and Chest guidance on 23 July 2026. Eligibility, availability and agreement terms are confirmed when a quote is prepared.
Ask SAM UK to review your school’s licensing
Send us your current agreement details, approximate staff and student numbers and renewal date. We will review the relevant education licensing routes and confirm what is needed for a current quote.