I don't write the policies, nor may I speak in an official capacity about them. One of our MVPs addresses it as best as an outsider can in an FAQ here: http://forums.xna.com/forums/t/12661.aspx
He also describes how students can get one year free through the DreamSpark program: https://www.dreamspark.com/
He also describes how students can get one year free through the DreamSpark program: https://www.dreamspark.com/