General Education Questions
What’s the difference between non-commercial and educational licensing?
Non-commercial licenses are for home use only, so they cannot be used in a commercial environment or in schools for teaching. Once a project is started in non-commercial, it cannot later be transferred to educational or commercial versions due to file encryption. Projects would need to be started from scratch in full commercial versions. Our education licenses provide full, non-limited versions of the software. This means students can easily transfer files between home and school machines and take their work with them into the industry. Education licenses also allow students and graduates to upgrade to a commercial subscription license at 50% off the commercial price.
Can I use my license on commercial work?
You may not use a student, faculty or classroom licenses for commercial work. You are permitted to use a Graduate or upgraded commercial license for commercial projects.
What’s included in the Education Collective?
The Education Collective gives you access to Nuke, NukeX, NukeStudio, Katana, and Mari, all in a single license.
What if I only want a single product, not the full collective? Can I buy them individually?
No, our educational licenses are only available as the full Education Collective bundle.
How can I get updates on upcoming educational events, webinars and so on from Foundry?
Sign up for our Education Newsletter for all the latest news.
How do I access background plates for practicing VFX in Nuke?
We've partnered with ActionVFX.com to give you FREE early access to its Practice Footage Library database—which offers stock footage plates that are perfect for use in the classroom or for student demo reels–plus a 10% discount for the ActionVFX store. To get early access and the 10% discount, use code FOUNDRY10.
Where can I find advice for my VFX career?
Start building your professional network by gaining access to people you might not have met otherwise and get your foot in the door at 30+ award-winning VFX, animation and games studios through our partner ACCESS: VFX. Find out more and sign up for the free mentoring program.
Do you have training material to help me learn?
Yes, we have a wide range of learning materials to help you get to grips with our tools as quickly as possible. Check out our tutorials and learning docs on our Learn page. If you are an instructor looking for additional learning content, please email us at Education@foundry.com so we can best assist you with content requests.
Student Eligibility and Application
What is the student license program and how do I qualify?
The student license program is an opportunity for students to experiment with Foundry products, free of charge. To qualify, you must be enrolled full-time at an eligible school or university. To be considered a full-time student, your program must meet twice a week and run for at least five months. Students enrolled at schools with active Foundry classroom licenses will qualify for a free annual student license. If your program doesn’t have Foundry licenses but you are a student, you’ll be eligible for our discounted student license for $99 / €89 / £79.
If I don’t qualify for a free license, can I purchase a discounted student license instead?
Yes, if your school or university isn’t eligible for free student licenses, and provided you’re a full-time student, you can still apply for a discounted student license for $99 / €89 / £79.
How do I get a student license?
Students can purchase a student license directly from our website. We use a third-party verification application called Proxi.ID to verify your student status. You’ll need to create or log in to your Foundry.com account. Once logged in, you can apply for the student license. For more details on the Proxi.ID verification process, please see our support article.
How do I contact Proxi.ID about my application?
You can submit a support request form with Proxi.ID.
What do I do when my student license expires?
If your student license expires and you’re still in full-time education, you can apply for a new one-year license. You’ll be able to reapply within 30 days of your current student license’s expiry date. Once you graduate, you can either purchase a one-year graduate license or upgrade to a commercial license.
What should I do if I can’t find my school using the search field?
If your school doesn’t appear in the drop-down when using the school search, then you can still verify your academic status by requesting a verification code. To request a verification code, click on the ‘Can’t find your school?’ link below the search field and enter your school email address.
Why do I receive an error when verifying my status using my email address?
If you receive an error stating that your email address is not recognized as coming from an eligible organization, please submit proof of eligibility via Proxi.id or contact the Proxi.id support team.
How do I submit proof of eligibility for a student license?
If you cannot automatically prove your affiliation by using your organization credentials or email domain, you can submit documents to prove your eligibility.
How long is the student license? Is there a monthly or multi-year option?
Currently, there is only a 12-month option for our educational licenses. We do have 30-day trials available if you need a shorter-term license. The trials can be found on the product pages.
I submitted a request for a license and haven't heard back. Do I apply again? How long is the application approval process?
No. Please only submit your request once. If you submit multiple times, it flags your recent request as the newest one and can delay the response time. You can submit a support request form with Proxi.ID if you have questions on your application. Please check your spam folder for responses from Proxi.id.
I completed my order for the student license. How do I get my license now?
After you have completed checkout, your student license will be added to your account online. Please login to your Foundry.com account, navigate to ‘My Account’ then the ‘My Orders” tab on the side bar menu. Click on ‘view order’ and you will find your activation key. To install the education collective license, please use your activation key and follow these instructions: How to install an education collective licenses.
I'm not a student or currently enrolled in a program. What are my options?
If you're not currently a student or are learning on your own, our non-commercial version or 30-day trial (available for Nuke, Mari, and Katana) will be your best options. For
tutorials and learning content, please check out our Learn page.
How do I activate my individual student license?
Please see our detailed tutorial video for a step-by-step guide to activating your individual license.
Licensing and Installation
How do I install a student, graduate or faculty license?
Please visit our support article for install instructions for your student or graduate license.
How do I find my system ID?
To find your system ID, you need to download and run our Foundry License Utility (FLU). The system ID is the 12-digit code displayed along the bottom of the FLU window.
Why is my license giving a 37 day timeout window?
If your log-in license has given you a prompt that it times out in 37 days, this is normal. Log-in licenses require an internet connection for initial activation and refreshing of licenses (max 37 days offline). More details can be found HERE.
How can I update my product version?
As long as you have an active license, you will have access to all the latest versions of the software by downloading the product from the Product Downloads page here.
What if I only want a single product, not the full collective? Can I buy them individually?
No, educational licenses are only available as the full Education Collective bundle.
I need Nuke or NukeX but the Education Collective says it includes Nuke Studio. How do I get Nuke or NukeX?
Nuke and NukeX are part of the license for Nuke Studio. If you want to use Nuke or NukeX, you can use the Nuke Studio license for access to those two products as well.
I have a node-locked license. Can I change it to log-in-based?
Yes, please complete the license migration request here.
Can I request a node-locked license instead of log-in-based?
Yes, please email us at educationsupport@foundry.com to request a node-locked license
I changed from node-locked to log-in-based but received a Katana activation key while the rest of my license is log-in-based. Why?
Katana is not currently available as log-in-based. As it is included in your education collective license, we wanted to ensure you still have access to Katana. We issue a Katana
activation key and Katana render key with your license so you can still access it.
What is the difference between node-locked, floating and log-in-based licenses?
Details on our different license styles can be found here.
I have a nodelocked license and want to change it to a new machine. How do I change it?
Please complete the license transfer form and submit it to educationsupport@foundry.com. If you are changing to log-in-based, please complete the license migration request here.
Can my student, graduate or faculty Education license be used on multiple machines?
The Nuke, NukeX, Nuke Studio, and Mari licenses are set as log-in-based. Log-in-based licenses are tied to a single foundry.com account and can be activated on up to two machines simultaneously. There is no need for license transfers - users can deactivate from one machine if they want to use the license on a different machine. Log-in-based licenses require an internet connection for initial activation and refreshing of licenses (max 37 days offline). The Katana license included with the Education Collective is node- locked and can only be installed on a single machine. If you have a node-locked education collective currently and would like to change to log-in-based to access on a second machine, please complete the license migration request here.
Graduate Eligibility and Application
When am I eligible for a graduate license?
Students are eligible to purchase a graduate license from six months before, until six months after their graduation date. A graduate license gives you the same product access as a
student license and is valid for one year. You can apply for a graduate license online.
I graduated more than six months ago. Can I still purchase a graduate license?
Please email us at educationsupport@foundry.com and we can discuss options with you.
My graduate license expires soon. Can I renew it?
No. The graduate license cannot be renewed. You are eligible for our 'Upgrade to commercial' discounted license.
Faculty and Classroom FAQ
I’m a faculty member interested in teaching your products. Whom do I contact for licenses, training material, and other help?
Please email us at education@foundry.com and the team can help answer all of your questions.
I saw Nuke can be log-in based. Can my faculty Education Collective license be set as login-based?
Yes, please complete the license migration request here. Please note, that Katana is not currently available as log-in-based. If you have a faculty license that you are migrating to
log-in-based, we will issue a Katana node-locked license so you still have access to Katana.
Can the classroom licenses be log-in based?
Our classroom licenses are currently only available as nodelocked or floating. We do not have a log-in based option available for classroom licenses at this time.
My school doesn't have Foundry licenses but my students need access. How do they obtain a license?
Students enrolled at schools with paid Foundry classroom licenses are eligible for a free student license. Students enrolled at a school that doesn’t have active Foundry classroom
licenses can opt for our discounted annual student licenses for $99 / €89 / £79. Students can apply online on our student page.
I am part of an online only school. Can I obtain a faculty license? Will my students be eligible for a student license?
Please complete our online program application above. A member of our Education team will contact you to go over licensing options.
I need to discuss options for my school. Who do I contact?
Please email us at education@foundry.com and a member of our Education team will get in touch.
Our school has floating licenses. Can we change them to team log-in?
No, we do not currently have an option for schools to use team log-in licenses. These will be available at a future date so please check back or email us at education@foundry.com
to discuss options.
Upgrade to Commercial FAQs
When can I upgrade to a commercial license?
To upgrade to a commercial license, students need to have owned a student license or graduate license for at least one year, and you must purchase the update within six months of your
current license expiring. You can apply for an upgrade to a commercial license.
How do I upgrade my license to a commercial license?
We offer a 50% discount on the commercial subscription when you upgrade from a student or graduate license to a commercial license. You can find more details and pricing for the upgrade on our student license upgrade page.
How does the commercial upgrade work? Is the upgrade for a permanent license?
The commercial upgrade is for a subscription license. You will be able to purchase the first year of a commercial subscription at 50% off our normal list price. After the first year, you will have the option to renew your subscription license for continued access to the software. If you renew within 30 days of your current subscription license expiring, your renewal will be processed at the same discounted price as the previous year. If you opt to not renew or renew 30 days after the license expiry, you will be able to renew but at the normal commercial subscription price.
I’m still a student. Is the upgrade to commercial the only option for me when my student license expires?
No, you have a few options. While you are still a student, you will continue to have access to the student license either via our discounted student license or with a home-use license from your school. Once you graduate, you can purchase an extension of the student license, known as our Graduate license. The Graduate license gives you the opportunity to keep access to the Education Collective for one additional year after completing your studies. The commercial upgrade option is available at any time while you have a student or graduate license and up to 6- months after your educational license has expired. You can go from a student license to a graduate license then to a commercial upgrade or skip straight from a student license to a commercial license if you prefer.
*Please note, our graduate license is a one-year, license for the full Education Collective (Nuke Studio, Mari, and Katana). The graduate license can not be renewed.
I don’t have a student or Graduate license. Can I purchase a discounted commercial upgrade?
No, we do require you to have a Student or Graduate license that was active within the last 6 months to qualify for the discounted upgrade. A non-commercial license will not qualify as an educational license.
I graduated more than 6 months ago, Can I purchase a discounted commercial upgrade?
Please email us at education@foundry.com and we can discuss options with you.
I’m a faculty member. Can I purchase a discounted commercial upgrade?
Faculty members do not qualify for the commercial upgrade. Instead, you can apply for a Faculty license hereI have a node-locked license. Is it possible to install and uninstall the license on different computers? If you have a node-locked license and need to transfer it to a new computer, please complete the license transfer form and email it to licenses@foundry.com.
Can I opt for a login license with my commercial upgrade? What product versions are available with login-based licensing?
Yes, if you are upgrading to the commercial license for Nuke, NukeX, Nuke Studio, or Mari then login licensing is available. Please note, that if upgrading to Katana, log-in-based licensing is not an option yet. Please look out for future announcements about our licensing for Katana.
If I buy a node-locked license or already have a node-locked license, can I change it to login-based?
Yes, you can. If you are ready to make the switch and move to login-based licenses, you can get started by using the Migration Request Form.
What is the difference between node-locked, floating, and login-based licenses? Can I opt for any of these options?
Node-locked licenses are tied to a single workstation system ID, so you can only use the license on that machine. The educational student and graduate licenses are node-locked so this license model would match what you had with your educational license. Floating licenses are installed on a license server, so any workstation networked to that server can use the license, but only one workstation can use the license at any time. Individual login-based licenses are tied to your Foundry website account, rather than to a specific machine. These licenses allow you to easily activate or deactivate the program on different machines, provided you have an active internet Connection. More details on the licensing options can be found here.
I did a permanent license upgrade in the past. Will I be able to keep my permanent license? Can I move to a subscription if I wanted?
Yes, customers who have purchased perpetual licenses can continue to use and maintain those licenses, while customers on active maintenance will continue to receive product updates and technical support. If you own a perpetual license and would like to change to a subscription license, please email us at sales@foundry.com to discuss your options
I didn’t renew my discounted commercial license within 30 days. The cost to get a license now shows at the normal list price. Why?
The discounted price for the renewal is a promotional rate, contingent on renewing on time. For renewals, the Annual Subscriptions that are renewed within 30 days of the subscription expiry date - and without a break in the term - are renewed at the original purchase price as part of our ‘upgrade to commercial’ program. We offer a 30-day window for some flexibility. After that time, the promotional rate is no longer valid and the price will shift to the full list price.
Can I purchase a multi-year license in advance to lock in the discounted rate next year?
Please email us at education@foundry.com to discuss options.
How much money will I save if I renew my discounted commercial license, on time, each year?
Depending on the product you opted to upgrade, you can save thousands over the years by renewing on time. For example, if you purchased NukeX at the discounted ‘upgrade to commercial’ price of $2,484, you are saving $2,485 compared to our current list price of $4,969. If you renew the subscription, on time, the following year, you are again saving almost $2,500 off the list price. In 2 years alone, you have saved almost $5,000 compared to purchasing at the standard list price.
How will I know when it’s time to renew?
You will receive an automated renewal reminder email 30 days from the subscription expiring unless you have opted out of email communication. If you have a login license, you can always view the expiry date via your Foundry.com account. Once logged in to your account, go to ‘my account’. In the left sidebar menu, there is a tab labeled’ Login Licenses’. You can view your login licenses and their expiry dates there. If you are unsure of how to renew and want to ensure you renew on time to maintain your discounted rate, you can send us an email at sales@foundry.com and we can assist.
I have other questions about the ‘upgrade to commercial’ program. Who do I contact?
You can email us at education@foundry.com.