If you have an .edu email address you can always download the student version from the http://students.autodesk.com/ site.
Could have done exactly that a couple years back, but my alumni email account got converted from dot edu to dot org and set up with gmail . . . perhaps too many graduated students were taking advantage of that ability.
Welcome to TheSwamp . . . I am pleased we were able to get that sign up problem resolved for you.
