Existing Live@edu domains will be converted to Office 365 domains during the transition.

"Any domain that is currently enrolled in Live@edu cannot be enrolled directly in Office 365: it must go through the upgrade process. You can't combine domains from separate Office 365 subscriptions, so all domains that you want in Office 365 should be set up as accepted domains in your Live@edu subscription prior to upgrade," reads the Microsoft transition Web page.

At the end-user level, the upgrade will leave them each with two accounts: an Office 365 account used to access all Office 365 services, including email, and a personal Windows Live account for accessing SkyDrive files and other Windows Live services such as Windows Live Instant Messenger, according to the company.

The Office 365 for Education Plan A2 includes the online version of Office 2010, called Office Web Apps, instant messaging and conferencing via Lync Online, collaboration capabilities via SharePoint Online, email and calendar via Exchange Online, antivirus and anti-spam protection and individual storage.

Plan A3 costs US$2.50 per student per month, and $4.50 per faculty/staff per month, and includes everything in Plan A2 plus additional components, including the full-featured desktop version of Office 2010 Professional Plus and voicemail service. Plan A4, at $3 per month per student and $6 per month per faculty/staff, adds voice communications.