Walk into any architecture or engineering college and you'll see the same software on every laptop. Here's what's worth knowing, what's free for students, and what you'll need to buy once you start earning.
Start with the free student licences
Autodesk offers free one-year educational access to AutoCAD, Revit, 3ds Max and Maya for students and teachers. It's for learning only. Once you do paid client work, you need a commercial licence.
Architecture
- AutoCAD: 2D drawings and detailing
- Revit: BIM models, sheets and quantities
- 3ds Max: rendering and interior visualisation
Mechanical and animation
Mechanical students often use AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Those wanting animation careers learn Maya:
Autodesk Maya 2026 โ 1 PC, 1 Yearโน1,499.00The differences are explained in AutoCAD, Revit, 3ds Max and Maya compared.
Everyday tools
Reports, presentations and spreadsheets still run on Office:
Office Home & Student 2021โน599.00Plus a PDF editor for submissions, and CorelDRAW if you design posters and boards:
Corel PDF Fusionโน149.00What PC do you need?
16 GB RAM minimum for Revit and 3ds Max, an SSD, and a dedicated graphics card for rendering. Running virtual machines? See VMware vs Hyper-V.
Frequently asked questions
Is the student version of AutoCAD different?
It has the same features but files carry an educational watermark and can't be used commercially.
Can I run Revit on a MacBook?
Revit is Windows-only. Mac users run Windows through Parallels or Boot Camp-style setups on supported Macs.