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Student Laptop Program

The Student Laptop Program is a complete computer solution for all students. Although the University does not sell computers, we do have a special agreement with Dell to offer computers at discount prices for University of Scranton students. Our Dell laptops offer Dell's Complete Care and full technical support, as well as solid business-level hardware and specifications that will work for you over the long haul. Macs have long been known for their ease of use and resistance to spyware and viruses.

Program Information

Please review the information below for specific information. Have more questions? Review our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact the Technology Support Center at  570-941-HELP or techsupport@scranton.edu.

Computer Requirements

Students are not required to bring a computer to campus, except for those students enrolled in the Kania School of Management. All incoming freshmen students enrolled in Kania are required to have a laptop computer.

If you intend to bring a computer to campus, the computer must meet these minimum requirements:

  • Latest Windows OS or Mac OS
  • 16GB RAM
  • 500GB SSD
  • Wireless
  • University approved Antivirus Program (recommended): For PC, Defender (comes pre-installed). For Macintosh, Avast is free and recommended to download.
  • Anti-Spyware software: Spyware and adware are one of our biggest concerns. To protect your computer, install and run one of the many free anti-spyware programs available online.

The following program is highly recommended and free:

  • Microsoft Office Professional products are free to download once you receive your scranton.edu email address. There is no need to purchase these separately. Visit www.scranton.edu/office365 for more information.

Software

Once you have purchased your laptop, you will want to think about the software that you plan to use during your time at Scranton.

  • Anti-Virus Software for PC and Mac is Required: all computers connecting to university resources are required to be protected with a University of Scranton approved anti-virus software installed and always running. We highly recommend Windows Defender for PC owners, and Avast Anti-Virus for Mac (free).
  • Microsoft Office Professional is FREE for students: Microsoft Office products are free to download once you receive your scranton.edu email address. There is no need to purchase these separately. Visit www.scranton.edu/office365 for more information. 
  • Software in University labs: Labs will have all the other software that you will need, which you will be able to access through virtual labs.
  • Software purchases with academic discounts: a variety of online stores offer discounts to students. Some popular websites include Amazon Student, journeyEd, Dell and Apple Education Store.

Warranty

We recommend you purchase a Dell 4-year warranty, plus 4-year Complete Care Accidental Damage warranty. Our experience has shown that this warranty coverage is well worth it - we see dozens of spills and drops every year, resulting in damage to system boards that can cost between $700-$800 without Accidental Damage. Apple does not offer Accidental Damage, but their standard warranty is only one year - we highly recommend extending AppleCare to at least 3 years.

  • Visit dell.com/scranton to view and order one of the specially configured laptops or to purchase any other DELL system.
  • Apple computers can also be purchased at a discount from the Apple Education Store.

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