Autodesk gives amazing opportunity for students. They can get free access to the current release of Autodesk software including 3ds Max or Maya. You have to join to Autodesk Education Community and also satisfy their requirements. The software you get from the Autodesk Education Community is the full-featured. However, there may be a watermark on output that indicates the design was created using an Educational copy. This software you can get comes with 36 month license. 

Recently RandomControl released the new version of their renderer Arion which is the first renderer with hybrid unbiased technology for rendering. Comparing to their „flagship“ fryrender, RandomControl decided to build Arion on an entirely new technology designed to produce comparable output, but using every single computing device at your disposal. Basically Arion can use all the power of your computer to produce great and fast renders using multi-CPU / multi-GPU / multi-IP interactive rendering technology.

HDR Light Studio v3.0 provides market leading, real-time non-destructive manipulation and generation of HDR environments. This release brings many new features like new light blending modes, which allows to using light sources to adjust exposure, colour and saturation or custom fall-off curves for fine control over synthetic light fall-off. HDR Light Studio 3.0 include new colour system, where colour selection and analysis tools is designed specifically for lighting artists to allow precise colour matching and auditioning. 

Autodesk releases newest version of 123D. This release is focused in particular on improving the tools and techniques in the sketching environment as well as continuing to add additional tools and services for smoother and more direct fabbing workflows (3D printing and laser cutting). Key improvements and new features implemented in Beta 8 are sketching and drafting enhancements, improved tools for laser cutting and 3D printing, 3D printing  directly from within 123D and direct access to online storage and gallery.