Microsoft is rolling out a new special offering with its latest iteration of the Windows client at the core. Dubbed the Windows 7 UK Student Offer, the special offering allows students in the United Kingdom to purchase Windows 7 for as little as £30. Microsoft revealed that students had a choice between Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional. However, according to the software giant, both editions of the operating system are available at the same price, even though the professional SKU comes with additional features.

“You can take advantage of this offer from October 1st but you will need to be quick as it is for a limited time only and is only eligible to college and university students with a valid .EDU email address (an email address given by the college or university, for example: Suzanne at leeds.ac.uk), a PC that is currently running a genuine copy of Windows Vista or Windows XP and can run Windows 7,” Microsoft noted.

Judging by the requirements, Microsoft is not offering the full retail editions of Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional. Instead, because students have to already own a genuine copy of Windows Vista, the £30 discounted editions are most likely upgrade flavors of the platform. The Redmond company only informed that the special offerings would go live at the start of the coming month, and promised to deliver additional details then.

“Why Windows 7? We have designed and refined Windows 7 based on your input. You’ve essentially asked for a PC that’s simple to use-one that’s faster, easier, and works the way you want. So we made hundreds of basic improvements, and a few you might not have imagined. From switching between programs to recording TV, Windows 7 simplifies the way you use your PC-and the way your PC connects with the world,” the company added.