VMware (Broadcom) has announced that students, teachers, instructors, and lab administrators may now use Workstation PRO 17 and Fusion PRO 13 free of charge for personal, instructional, research, and computer lab use.

The free version does not require a license key if used for these purposes.

To access the free version of Workstation PRO 17 or Fusion PRO 13, follow the instructions below:

1. Navigate to broadcom.com. 

2. In the upper right corner, select "Support Portal".

3. Either log in by clicking "Go To Portal" or "Register" for a basic Broadcom account quick link to the registration form. 

4. Once logged in, go to support.broadcom.com. 

5. Click the dropdown to choose the "VMware Cloud Foundation".

6. On the left, click "My Downloads".

7. Using the search bar, search for either Fusion or Workstation. 

8. Click the product name (VMware Fusion or VMware Workstation Pro). In the example screenshot below, we searched for and selected VMware Workstation Pro.

9. Notice the dropdown for the Personal Use edition.

10. Select version "17.5.2" or "13.5.2".

11. Check the box to agree to Terms and Conditions, and click the cloud icon to download the software.

12. Install the software.

A commercial license will be required only if the Workstation or Fusion software is running in critical and/or production environments and/or if software support is needed.

You may continue using the keys provided through the DL2/Brightspace portal until August 31, 2024. Plan and execute your upgrade and migration to the "free for personal use" version as soon as possible.