Otis students, staff, and faculty are eligible to access free and trial versions of popular software titles from the following companies. Please note that software requests for instruction are coordinated through the department chairs; for more information, please contact them directly.

Link to Minimum Computer Specifications Page
 

 

 Adobe Creative Cloud   ( Free for BFA/MFA students at OTIS )

 

Students

If you're a new student, your access will begin a week before the semester begins.

If you're graduating (or non-continuing), access ends two weeks after the semester you are enrolled in ends. Be sure to export and save your projects to your own personal locations if they are stored in the Adobe Cloud.  https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/?locale=en

If you are and remain registered for classes in the Fall, your access will continue through the Fall semester. The license will extend until the end of Summer, after which your academic license is automatically renewed.

Please try to log in and let IT ( [email protected] ) know if you need additional assistance.

 

Staff and Faculty

You lose access to Adobe CC immediately after your employment stops.

 

 Adobe Mixamo 

Adobe Mixamo does not support login using AICC (enterprise or school) accounts. Users attempting to sign in with company or school accounts may receive error messages like "Company or School Accounts are not supported" or "Account type not supported." To access Mixamo, users must create a personal Adobe ID.

Mixamo is available for free with a personal Adobe ID and does not require a Creative Cloud subscription.

 

 Adobe Creative Cloud   ( Not enrolled for BFA/MFA programs at OTIS, but taking classes at a Community College )

 

If you're enrolled in courses at Santa Monica College or any other California Community College, there's a cost-effective opportunity to access Adobe for just $49.99 for six months.

 

How to Download the Creative Cloud desktop app

 

 AI Tools   - ( AI tools Page )

 

 Autodesk  - (Free educational license)

Autodesk is not provided by the College for home use, but students and educators can get free one-year educational access to Autodesk products and services, which can be renewed if you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. 
 

How to get free access

 

1. Sign up for an Autodesk Education account: Go to the Autodesk Education Community website to get started.
2. Create an account: Sign up and create your Autodesk account, which may require verification via email.
3. Access the software: Once your account is verified and you are logged in, you can access all software available through the Education Community.

 

Info for submitting additional documentation

 

 

 Autodesk  Flow Production Tracking ( Shotgrid )  - (Free educational license)

Autodesk Flow Production Tracking is a cloud-based project management and review platform, formerly known as ShotGrid, for media and entertainment studios. It serves as a central hub for all project data, enabling teams to unify production management, creative processes, and pipelines, thereby working more efficiently. Key features include real-time production tracking, AI-powered scheduling, resource planning, and creative review tools.

 

ShotGrid, also known as Autodesk Flow Production Tracking, now supports Single Sign-On (SSO) for Otis College users. This means you can sign in using your Otis credentials, no need for a separate Autodesk account password.

 

How to Access ShotGrid

1. Request access by submitting a Help Desk ticket:

   • Go to helpdesk.otis.edu ( or send an email to [email protected] )

   • Include your full name, department/course, and purpose for access

2. After you’ve been added to ShotGrid:

   • Go to autodesk.com and sign in with your Otis credentials

   • If you don’t already have an Autodesk account, it will be automatically created the first time you sign in

 

 

Figma  – Students and teachers get to use the premium version of Figma for free

https://www.figma.com/education/

 

 Houdini 
https://www.sidefx.com/education/education-programs/students/#free_software

 

 KeyShot - (Educational Version) 
https://www.keyshot.com/education/#edu-buy

 

 Marvelous Designer 

CLO Virtual Fashion provides a special student license for a one-time payment of $99.00 for academic users enrolled at a qualified institution. For more details, visit: Marvelous Designer License Information.

 

 Maxon One - Cinema 4D, Red Giant, Redshift, Universe, and ZBrush  

The Maxon One Educational License is available directly from Maxon for a small administrative fee. This license provides access to Maxon’s suite of tools, including Cinema 4D*, Red Giant, Forger, ZBrush, and Redshift.

Click here for instructions.

 

 Microsoft Office 365  -  ( Free for BFA/MFA students )

1. Go to www.office.com, and if you are not already signed in, select Sign in ( Sign in with your OTIS email )
2. From the Microsoft 365 home page, select Install Office
3. Select Office 365 apps to begin the download
4. Follow the  on-screen instructions to complete the installation

 

 Microsoft Teams 
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app

 

 Quixel Suite 
https://quixel.com/pricing

 

 Rhino 8 for Mac & Windows  
Rhino 8 is installed on all PC and Mac labs. Additionally, a limited number of Rhino 8 licenses are available for students and faculty to use on personal devices. To request access, please submit a Helpdesk ticket.

You can also purchase your own license for $138.00 from the link below

Novedge

 

 SolidWorks  – 60 Licenses available only for students and faculty

Serial Number (License Key) is required to download and activate the software. Please reach out to the Product Design department to obtain your key.

 

 ToonBoom StoryBoard & Harmony - 50 StoryBoard and 70 Harmony home-use licenses are available for selected students in the Animation programs.

These licenses are owned and administered by the Animation departments.

A license must be requested by sending an email to Ronald Bernard @ [email protected]

 

Toon Boom Personal Licenses for Students

Toon Boom Animation Inc. offers special pricing for Teachers and students.

To buy your own seat of Harmony Premium or storyboard go to http://shop.toonboom.com/en/students

 

 

Unreal Engine 
Unreal Engine is free for students and educators. Epic Games offers Unreal Engine at no cost for educational use, including access to all features, source code, and learning resources.

Unreal Engine Main Page

Unreal Engine for Education

 

 V-Ray  
https://store.chaosgroup.com/educational/product/1-year-term-vray-edu-collection

 

Visual Studio Code
Download for free [ here]