Software & Hardware Purchases

Otis requires that incoming students own a laptop that meets the minimum system specifications for software used in the Foundation year. This requirement will help ensure that all students have access to the college’s digital resources at home or on campus. As collaboration is a foundation of our curriculum, owning a laptop will promote communication, investigation, and making, both within and outside of the classroom.

If a student has an intended major, please refer to the major department minimum specs below for guidance.

We have selected these configurations to enable a broad range and a long useful life for your computer. As long as your laptop meets the minimum specifications, you are welcome to customize your machine to suit your individual needs. Otis partners with hardware providers for additional discounts for students purchasing a new laptop at the links below. If you already own a laptop with comparable specs to the Otis minimum requirement, you may use that instead. If you think you may have difficulty purchasing a computer before fall classes begin, please contact Admissions at admissions@otis.edu to submit a request for technology assistance.

Please note that Otis provides Adobe Creative Cloud Suite for free to all BFA and MFA students.

Link to Student Software Requirements page

Link to Computer Accessories and Peripherals page

Campus Purchase Links

Hardware Requirements

OTIS IT suggests investing in a higher-quality laptop that can reliably serve a student throughout their years at Otis. Cheaper models often lack durability and may not be as dependable.

Foundation

Minimum Specification by Major

Discounted and Free Software

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

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 ( https://helpdesk.otis.edu/new ) know if you need additional assistance.

Staff and Faculty

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

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.

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.

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 as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

Autodesk student and educator access to products

Info for submitting additional documentation

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://portal.keyshot.com/taxons/education

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 instruction 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 @ rbernard@otis.edu

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]

Laptop FAQs