Adobe Education Licensing for UK Schools
SAM UK supplies new Adobe education licensing and handles Adobe renewal requirements for UK schools, academies and colleges.
The right licence depends on how the software will be used. A member of staff who needs Adobe applications across their own devices has a different requirement from a computer lab where many students use the same machines.
SAM UK can review the institution type, users, shared devices, existing Adobe agreement and renewal date before preparing a current quotation.
Named-user or shared-device licensing?
| Option | How it is assigned | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Named-user licensing | The licence is associated with an individual user | Staff or students need licensed Adobe applications across devices assigned to them |
| Shared Device Licensing | The licence is associated with an institution-managed computer | Multiple authorised users use the same classroom or computer-lab machines |
Adobe Shared Device Licensing | Deployment guide is designed for shared environments such as classrooms and labs. The licence is assigned to the machine rather than to one individual.
Users still sign in when launching Adobe applications on a shared device. The institution’s identity and access configuration determines which users can access those applications.
VIP Marketplace or ETLA?
| Buying route | General structure | Typical requirement |
|---|---|---|
| VIP Marketplace | Subscription purchasing route supporting named-user and shared-device licensing | Institutions that need licensing for selected users, departments, classrooms or labs |
| Enterprise Term License Agreement (ETLA) | Customised three-year institutional agreement | Larger institutions with broader, planned licensing requirements |
Adobe’s current Adobe education buying programmes include VIP Marketplace and ETLA.
The appropriate route depends on the size of the requirement, deployment model and current Adobe commercial terms. Primary and secondary schools should also review Adobe’s VIP Marketplace primary and secondary school offerings, because available offers and eligibility are set by Adobe rather than by the reseller.
What can an Adobe education requirement include?
Depending on the current Adobe offer and purchasing route, an institutional requirement can involve products such as Creative Cloud and Acrobat and can be designed around named users or shared classroom and lab devices.
Because Adobe’s education offers change, the exact applications available under a given route are confirmed when the quotation is prepared rather than listed here.
What SAM UK needs for an Adobe quote
Send whatever you have — not every field is needed to start an enquiry.
- School, academy/trust, college or other institution type
- Approximate number of staff users
- Approximate number of student users where relevant
- Number of shared classroom or lab devices
- Whether users need access on individually assigned or shared machines
- Adobe products required, if known
- Current Adobe agreement or deployment model, if known
- Whether the requirement is new licensing, expansion or renewal
- Renewal date or renewal quarter where known
New Adobe requirement or renewal?
New requirement
Tell SAM UK which Adobe products are required, who will use them and whether the software will be installed on individually assigned or shared devices.
Existing Adobe customer
Provide the current agreement or licence type, approximate quantities and renewal date where available.
Changing the deployment
If a school is moving from individually assigned licences to shared labs, or the other way around, provide the current and intended deployment so the available current route can be checked.
Adobe education licensing questions
What is the difference between Adobe named-user and Shared Device Licensing?
Named-user licensing associates the licence with an individual. Shared Device Licensing associates the Adobe licence with an institution-managed computer used by multiple authorised users, although users still sign in to access the applications.
Can Adobe be licensed for a school computer lab?
Yes. Adobe provides Shared Device Licensing for managed shared-device environments such as classrooms and computer labs. SAM UK will confirm the current purchasing route and number of devices required.
What is the difference between VIP Marketplace and ETLA?
VIP Marketplace is Adobe's subscription purchasing route for requirements that can range from selected users and labs to wider institutional use. ETLA is a customised three-year agreement intended for larger institutional requirements.
Can SAM UK renew an existing Adobe education agreement?
Yes. Send the current Adobe agreement or licence information, quantities and renewal date where known so the current renewal route can be checked.
Does SAM UK publish a fixed Adobe education discount?
No. Adobe purchasing terms can depend on the programme, quantities and current commercial terms. SAM UK confirms current pricing when preparing the quotation.
Sources and review
Adobe programmes, offers and deployment options change. This page was reviewed against current official Adobe sources and Adobe confirms eligibility, availability and pricing when a quotation is prepared.
- Adobe — Education | Adobe Buying Programs
- Adobe Help — VIP Marketplace primary and secondary school offerings
- Adobe Help — Shared Device Licensing | Deployment guide
Last reviewed: 20 August 2026. Next review due: February 2027.
See also school software licensing and our wider software licensing guidance.
Request an Adobe education licensing quote
Tell us whether the requirement is for named users or shared devices, approximate quantities, the products required and your renewal date if known. You can also review Microsoft licensing for UK schools.