Educators teach SolidWorks because it is a very powerful 3D mechanical design package that gives students in-demand skills that help them progress towards a rewarding career in design and engineering fields.
While offering SolidWorks in the classroom is extremely beneficial to your students, giving them access to continue learning at home, and providing them with a path to certification can really help your students stand out – whether they are applying for a job or to a college or university. What many educators don’t realize is that with the purchase of SolidWorks Education Edition, you also receive a 12 month subscription that includes these additional benefits for you, the educator, and your students.
To fully understand these benefits, it first it helps to understand how SolidWorks licensing works:
When you purchase SolidWorks, you receive a network license for your school. Your SolidWorks Network License is a floating license. This means that you can actually install SolidWorks on as many computers as you’d like, but only a certain number of them can be open at one time. Licenses are available in various sizes to fit your school, school district, college, or university’s needs.
The version of SolidWorks you purchase will never expire. You can always use what you purchased without paying an annual fee. You own the license, you are not renting it. In addition to the license, you also receive 12 months of subscription. With this subscription come many additional subscription benefits:
- A downloadable copy of SolidWorks for your students home computer (for up to the number of network licenses you own. So if you have a 60 seat license, 60 students can download a copy at home as well)
- Free access to MySolidWorks online training for all students
- Free CSWA Certification Exams (Again, for up to the number of seats you own)
- All software updates released during your subscription period
By offering your students access to SolidWorks in the classroom and at home, in addition to self-paced online training and industry recognized certification, you can be confident that you are giving your students everything they need to take the next step in their careers.
To ensure students have access to everything they need for years to come, many educators purchase additional years of subscription service up front with the license. It can also be renewed on an annual basis. If you choose not to renew, you will never lose access to your network license but you will lose the above subscription benefits.
How do I take advantage of these benefits?
First, you need your license codes. When you purchase a new copy of SolidWorks, you receive two license codes (also referred to as a serial number). Your reseller will provide you with these codes:
- SolidWorks Network License Code (Serial Number) – Your network license serial number is what you will use to install the software on the computers at your school or on your campus.
- Student Access License Code – This code allows your students to install a copy of the software at home as well as activate their MySolidWorks account.
Your students will need the Student Access License Code. Your IT department will need your SolidWorks Network License Code.
Now that you have and understand these codes, you’ll want to make sure your students can take advantage of the downloadable version, the MySolidWorks subscription, and the free CSWA exam:
To download SolidWorks at home:
Here is the process:
- Go to: solidworks.com/SEK
- Fill out the form using the SEK-ID: This code will be provided by your reseller
- After the download completes, have your students install the software using the Student Access License Code when it prompts you for the serial number
Free access to MySolidWorks
Every student can take advantage of MySolidWorks. Here is how they sign up:
- Go here: http://my.solidworks.com/account/student-access
- Click the “Create Account” button
- Follow the 3 steps very closely on the next page. Make sure you select “I am not a SolidWorks customer or I do not have a SolidWorks Serial #” when signing up. Do not input the Student Access code until after the account has been created.
- After you have created the account, log in and enter the student access code.
Free access to the CSWA certification exam
- Go to solidworks.com/cswa
- On the right hand side, click “SolidWorks Academic Certification Provider Application”
- Fill out the application and submit it.
- You will be emailed all of the information needed to administer the CSWA exam for your students
