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University life can get expensive fast; textbooks, stationery, devices and software all add up. The good news? As a Curtin student, you’ve already got free access to a bunch of useful software tools that can make study and assignments easier without draining your bank account. Here are five you should know about.
1. Microsoft 365 (Yes, that means Word, Excel, PowerPoint …)
Let’s start with the big one. Curtin students get free access to Microsoft 365, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and 1TB of OneDrive storage. You can install it on up to five devices, so whether you’re on a laptop at the library, a tablet in class or your home PC, you’re covered. No need to panic about formatting issues or expired trials when submitting assignments—this one’s a must-have.
2. Adobe Express (Quick, polished design—no experience needed)
You don’t need to be a design student to benefit from Adobe tools. Curtin students have free access to Adobe Express, an easy-to-use graphic design app that runs in your browser. It’s perfect for creating posters, social media graphics, videos, and presentations—without needing Photoshop-level skills.
Whether you’re putting together a class presentation, promoting a club event or just want your résumé to stand out, Adobe Express gives you professional-looking results with drag-and-drop simplicity. You get access to premium templates, fonts, icons and stock photos too.
3. EndNote (Reference management made less painful)
Referencing is a chore, but EndNote can make it less painful. It’s a reference management tool that helps you store, organise and insert citations directly into your Word documents. It’s especially useful for research-heavy assignments and longer reports. Once you’ve got the hang of it, it saves a lot of time and stress.
4. MATLAB (For engineering, maths, and science students)
If you’re in STEM, you’ll probably run into MATLAB. It’s used for data analysis, simulations, mathematical modelling and more. Normally, this software comes with a hefty price tag, but Curtin gives you access for free as part of your course resources.
Bonus: Curtin’s license includes access to online tutorials and training tools—use them.
5. Grammarly Premium (Yes, the full version)
Grammarly’s free version is fine, but Grammarly Premium helps with clarity, tone and advanced grammar checks. Curtin gives you free access to Premium through the Library’s subscription. Whether you’re polishing an essay or writing a group report, it’s great for catching issues before your lecturer does.
Don’t leave these tools sitting unused, they’re part of what your student fees cover. Installing them now can save you time, money and stress later. There’s no need to struggle with outdated software when you’ve already got access to the good stuff.
For more information about all the software available to you as a student, visit our website.
