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The following FREE software and apps are available for students and staff at the University of Cumbria to use on their own computers/devices. Unless stated otherwise, any issues with downloading or installing these products should be directed to the IT Service Desk.

Please note: Offers of free software may be withdrawn by the manufacturer and your licence to use the software will usually expire when you leave the University of Cumbria.

ServiceDescription
dl_office, orange cartoon of microsoft word icon FREE Microsoft Office Office 365 Pro is available to all students and staff to download and install on up to 5 personally owned devices. See below for details and instructions.
remote_desktop, remote_desktop icon Remote Desktop The new Student Remote Desktop Service allows you to access a specially created university computer via your web browser. We have installed a range of software on this computer including SPSS, Nvivo, AtlasTi, Office365, Refworks, MS Visio and more. You will need to follow some instructions to get your access setup to use.
bug-50, Sophos Security Many of us are using our own computers for our studies and university work. To help you stay secure, all Sophos customers (the University of Cumbria is a customer) can protect their employees' (and students) personal PCs and Macs for free with the Sophos Home Commercial Edition software. See below for details and instructions.  Sophos is being retired by UoC in September 2024. If you are running Windows, Defender would be sufficient for personal Windows devices.
dl_mobile, orange cartoon of 2 mobile phones Mobile Apps

There are a range of mobile apps available to support your studies. These include Microsoft Office tools, Student Hub, Blackboard, Linkedin Learning and more... Download these free apps to your mobile devices (and login using your university email and password) to study more efficiently across all of your devices.

data-sheet spss,  

SPSS

Nvivo

Atlas Ti

ARC GIS

A range of specialist software is available to download and use on your own computer/laptop. This includes SPSS (statistical analysis), Nvivo (qualatitive data analysis), Please note that Nvivo can only be used out of the UK for a maximum of 3 months that includes accessing on the Remote Desktop Service, Atlas Ti (qualatitive data analysis) and ARC GIS (mapping and geographical data analysis).

Please contact the IT Servicedesk (using your student email address) in the first instance who will send you the necessary information.

Phone: 01228 888888
Email: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk
Online: https://servicedesk.cumbria.ac.uk/RSDPortal/

dl_images_icon,

Free Images

On our Copyright and Images page we have collated a list of sites and resources where you can get free images to use in your work. These will still need referencing, but are licensed for you to use for almost any purpose.

 

  • Microsoft Office

    FREE Office 365

    Microsoft’s Student Advantage gives students and staff the ability to install Office 365 Pro on up to 5 personally owned (not university issued) PCs and Macs.

    Office 365 Professional Plus is provided on a subscription basis - you can use the latest version of Office while you are registered with the university and have an active network login account.

    How do I install Office 365 Professional Plus?

    Office Professional Plus is provided as a download. You will require a good internet connection and will need to stay on-line until it is installed.

    1. On the device you want to install Microsoft Office, login to the Student Hub at https://hub.cumbria.ac.uk/

    2. Select Email:

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    3. With your university email account open, select Your Profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen (this may be your initials or your picture) followed by View account:

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    4. Your screen will now change and you can choose Office apps in the left-hand menu:

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    5. You are now on the Office apps download/installation page. The system will detect your operating system and offer you the best version for your device:

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    Click on the Install Office button and wait for the download to complete. Follow any additonal on-screen instruction.

    On this page you can also see where you have already installed Office, from the university, by clicking on the Devices drop-down link. 

    6. You can also install the main Microsoft Office app on your mobile device from this page:

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    Note: We do provide direct links to the individual Office apps on our Mobile Apps page. 

     

    Microsoft Office Support and Guidance

    We have produced a wide range of guides to help you get started with your new Microsoft Office

    FREE Microsoft Office FAQs

    What happens when I leave the University of Cumbria?

    The software is deactivated when your user account is removed after you leave the university. If you wish to continue to use the software you can purchase a subscription.

    I have a previous version of Office - can I keep this?

    Office 365 Professional Plus will install alongside your current Office installation. When you leave the university, your device will roll back to your previous version if it remains a valid copy. You can also purchase a new subscription from Microsoft.

    I get an error message that says I am running Windows S Mode?

    Windows S Mode will restrict your ability to install software from anywhere except the official Microsoft App Store. See how to easily Switch out of S Mode - you can then complete your installation of Microsoft Office.

    What happens if I have problems installing the software?

    This offer is from Microsoft, not from the university.  As a result if you have any problems installing the software on your device, you will need to contact Microsoft for support.

    Does it work on all devices?

    Not quite. Microsoft Office 365 Pro is supported on Windows 11, 10 & 8.1 and will run on the latest three version of Mac OS. Please see the full Office Compatibility Specification list for further details. 

  • Sophos Security

    FREE Sophos Security

    FREE Personal PC and Mac protection for all Sophos customers

    Many of us are using our own computers for our studies and university work. To help you stay secure, all Sophos customers (the University of Cumbria is a customer) can protect their employees' (and students) personal PCs and Macs for free with Sophos Home Commercial Edition software. This offer was made available due to remote working during COVID lockdowns and remains available for you to use. See below for details of how to get your free copy.

    How to get it:

    1. Visit https://home.sophos.com/employee

    2. Enter your university email address to verify your eligibility and receive your unique coupon code.  NOTE: You will need to use a personal email address during the installation and registration process. During registration, please ensure the accuracy of your personal email as coupon codes are single-use.

    3. Follow a few simple steps to register for and download the product, extending the power of Sophos security to your own computer.

    More information

    For more information about the product and get some answers to questions you may have, please visit https://home.sophos.com/en-us/landing/commercial-use.aspx

    Offer expiration

    We do not currently have an end date for this extremely generous offer from Sophos, but if the free offer ends you will have two choices:

    1. You may want to remove the software from your device and choose security software from another provider.

    2. You may wish to pay for a subscription to continue protecting your device.

    You are in control and will not be committing to any future use or charges by accepting the free offer.

    The university uses Sophos and trusts it as security software on all staff and student computers/laptops.

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