The company operates on a "poison the well" strategy. They want you to use Maya in school so that by the time you get a job, you refuse to use anything else. The student version is (renders show a subtle "Educational Version" overlay), but that watermark disappears once you buy a commercial license.
The student license lasts exactly 365 days. Autodesk sends a reminder email, but it often goes to spam. If you are in the middle of your senior thesis in month 13, Maya will lock you out. Set a calendar reminder for 11 months from now to re-verify. download maya student
Use your school email. If your school doesn't provide one, Autodesk allows manual verification by uploading a photo of your student ID. The company operates on a "poison the well" strategy
But here is the industry’s best-kept secret: The student license lasts exactly 365 days