If your research is funded by any agency (NSF, NIH, SSHRC, etc.), you can budget software licenses as direct costs. A $1,000 perpetual NVivo license is a rounding error on most grants.

Based on this report, we recommend:

Contact your university IT department or library, as they often provide NVivo 12 or newer, including the key, for students and staff.

The most straightforward way to get NVivo 12 is by purchasing a license directly from QSR International or through an authorized reseller. This method ensures you receive a legitimate license key and access to customer support and updates.