Ohio State will return to covering the cost of Adobe Creative Cloud licenses for students, faculty and staff starting Jan. 31. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
The university returned to covering the cost of Adobe Creative Cloud licenses for students, faculty and staff Jan. 31.
This change — which comes months after Ohio State rolled back access to the creative suite Aug. 1, 2024 — will apply to individuals who require the software for professional or academic purposes for the next fiscal year. The university will also pause the Outlook and OneDrive storage limit changes it announced in December 2024.
Katharine Keune, chief communication officer at the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation, said in an email the university “collaborated to reinstate free access to Adobe Creative Cloud after listening to feedback from students, faculty, and staff who emphasized its value as a critical academic and professional tool.”
In response to this feedback, Keune said the university started taking steps to ensure continued access to the software for those who depend on it.
“Recognizing its importance for teaching, learning, and work, leadership worked to secure centralized funding, ensuring that those who rely on this software can access it seamlessly,” Keune said.
If students, faculty and staff want to obtain an Adobe Creative Cloud license through the university, they must order the software through Ohio State’s IT Service Desk website, where they will be required to select the usage type.
Keune said access through the university’s Creative Cloud license remains unchanged and continues to provide the full Creative Cloud suite of apps.
Chris Kabourek, senior vice president of Administration and Planning, said in an email halting previous changes to Adobe access for students, faculty, staff and researchers “allows university leaders to engage in discussions, better understand the issues, and collaborate on solutions.
If students, faculty and staff do not have a professional reason for using Adobe Creative Cloud but would like it for personal use, it is still available to purchase at a discounted per-license rate, Keune said.
The university is offering the Adobe Creative Cloud suite at a rate of $36 dollars per year for personal use, compared to the price of $59.99 per month when purchased outside of the university, according to the Adobe Creative Cloud website.
