Start using Office 365

  1. Login to Office 365
  2. Your username is your College username followed by e.g:
  3. Your password is your College password

You will need to login and be connected to the internet at least once a month to keep your subscriptions active.

Getting started with Office 365

Get to know the basics of Office 365
Download our helpful O365 leaflet [pdf, 230 KB]Latest news and updates on Office 365

Office 365 is the brand name Microsoft uses for a group of subscriptions that provide Office software. The College subscription to Office 365 allows staff and students to use Microsoft Office apps on a variety of devices, provides storage space on OneDrive for Business and gives you access to Skype for Business.

In addition to the usual Microsoft Office apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote etc. Office 365 also offers additional collaboration and communication tools such as Groups and Teams and Yammer an enterprise social networking platform.

Office 365 allows users to always work with the latest version of the Microsoft Office suite anywhere, anytime and in real time. This is possible because Office 365 is a cloud based service.

Finally, Office 365 allows you to install Office on up to 5 personal devices, meaning you can access your work or studies anywhere at anytime and in a way that suits you.

Who is it for?

Free Office 365 software is available to:

You can use this Office 365 subscription for as long as you remain a College member.

Understanding the Cloud

The majority of you will already be using multiple cloud based services every day. For example, if you use any kind of social media or online data drive, you’re already using the cloud.

The cloud is not a physical thing, it is a network of servers. Some servers provide an online service, like Office 365 online apps, and others allow you to store and access data, like Instagram or OneDrive (similar concept to Dropbox/Google Drive).

Benefits of working on the cloud?

Working on the cloud allows organisations to be nimble, efficient and cost effective. Where in the past, people would run applications or programs from software downloaded on a physical computer or server in their building, cloud computing allows people to access the same kinds of applications through the internet. In this instance, instead of using the traditional Office apps on your desktop you can use them online, on the cloud, without intsalling them to your device.

Office 365 Security

What is the difference between Office 365 and Office 2016?

Office 2016 is the new version of the desktop Office suite that has traditionally been installed by Imperial ICT and other enterprises directly to your desktop, laptop or other devices. It is possible to purchase Office 2016 on its own as a single licence, however when the next version of Office is released (Office 2019) you would have to pay again to access it.

Office 365 differs in that it is a cloud based service that is offered to customers through a subscription, in this case Imperial College has a business subscription with Microsoft which enables staff and students to access Office 365 (which includes the latest version of the Office suite (2016), additional communication and collaboration tools and Skype for Business).

The major benefit of moving to Office 365 is that you will automatically get new features and security updates as they are released, including the latest versions of the Office suite. In addition, in the long term this will also mean that ICT won’t have to revisit your system every three or so years to upgrade your version of Office as it will be updated automatically.  

Is Office 365 Secure?

ICT has studied and tested Office 365 to ensure the same or enhanced security levels in line with current data storage (H drive, Box etc.).  Imperial has contracted with Microsoft for secure storage of data within the European Union, subject to EU laws and regulations. The 365 contract was developed by Microsoft and Jisc, UK higher and further education organisation for digital services and solutions, to address specific needs of HE institutions. Microsoft have achieved a number of security qualifications for Office 365 and supply cloud-based services to the Cabinet Office and NHS. For more on Data Security and Compliance see Microsoft Office 365 Compliance

All College members should adhere to College's Information Security Policy. For more information to help protect information, see ICT's Be Secure Web Section -Protect College and personal information.