Software & Services


KU Information Technology works with campus partners to provide access to the software, services and systems that students, faculty and staff need to successfully achieve their academic, research and work goals. Our focus is on making these resources available as widely as possible within the campus community, while balancing licensing and other costs associated with campuswide availability. In some cases, access to specific software applications and services is limited to groups that have a defined need.

KU IT leverages the university's purchasing power to make some software and services available to students, faculty and staff for both work and personal use. Microsoft Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud are examples. All current students, faculty and staff can download Office 365 applications (e.g., Word, Excel, etc.) to personal devices, and all faculty and staff can download Adobe Creative Cloud applications (e.g., Photoshop) for home use.

KU IT also partners with some vendors so that smaller Kansas Board of Regent's universities can purchase software and services at KU's discounted rate.


Access to Software

Students faculty and staff can access software in several ways, including in campus computer labs, through Windows Virtual Desktop and direct download from the KU Software Webstore.

Campus Computer Labs

Campus computer labs located in KU Libraries and in some academic buildings provide access to both general software and software applications specific to the school or department where the computer lab is located. Some computer labs in academic buildings may be restricted to use by students of that school.

Virtual Lab

Virtual Lab uses Microsoft's Windows Virtual Desktop to make select software available online from anywhere there is an internet connection. In addition, Virtual Lab makes software applications available and convenient on mobile devices. Access to specific applications in Virtual Lab will vary depending on eligibility as a student, faculty or staff. Not all software applications are available to all KU groups.

KU Software Webstore

KU students, faculty and staff can download free and discounted software through the KU Software Web Store. Log in to see what software is available based on eligibility.

Faculty & Staff Workstations

KU-managed workstations for faculty and staff should have all necessary software installed. Faculty and staff members who need specialized software should work with their departmental IT Support Staff to install the needed application.


Software & Services Catalog

Search the Software & Services catalog or browse by category to find software and services available to students, faculty, staff and visitors at the University of Kansas.