Can You Upgrade a Maya Student Version to a Full Commercial Edition?

The Maya 3D software from Autodesk has long-been a staple tool for the production of the highest level of Visual Effects and animation for Oscar-winning blockbuster movies, TV shows and video games.

Students who are looking to secure themselves commercial work upon graduation these days typically need to show some familiarity with this software…ideally the more the better, since most companies these days use Maya as their main software package, and many have it deeply integrated into their own proprietary pipelines and tools – meaning that the situation is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.

Students who take the opportunity currently afforded them of purchasing a copy of the Maya Student Edition do well since they are able to improve their skillset on the full Unlimited version of the software, and do so at a huge discount (the student edition typically retails for around $350).

However, a number of students wonder if they also qualify for a discount later on if they wish to upgrade to a full commercial edition of the Maya software. Jumping from graduation to commercial work can be a challenge, so any way to alleviate the expense of setting yourself up as a freelancer is more than welcome…but can it actually be done?

Upgrade Maya Student Edition To Commercial License?

Yes, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a program available where current owners of a Maya student license are able to upgrade to the full commercial license at a massive discount of around 60%…in other words, a full commercial license of Maya would typically cost around $3,900, but student license holders are able to upgrade their current license to a full commercial one for just $1,300.

This is huge, and can be a real lifesaver for folks who want to go it alone and start their own freelance business but are wary of the huge costs involved.

In fact, if you’re smart about it and don’t mind a little negotiation, the license could even be purchased with a down-payment from your first client before you even begin working on their project.

Such a huge discount on the student to commercial upgrade is a great incentive for students, especially at this economic time, and it also makes purchasing the Maya student edition in the first place a sensible option, since you get access to these kinds of discounted upgrades.