Going from Non-Commercial to Commercial - License question.

[Beringline]

Hello. I hope this is the right area posting this.

I am currently a Computer Graphic Art student graduating in January 2015. I have been writing on a video game, which I will (Hopefully) start creating.
However, here certain issue appear as I currently have a 3 year student-license, and that license is a non-commercial license.

Can I start creating 3D assets for the game, using my student-version, as in theory the early development will be non-profit.

Once (If) the game gets ready for a commercial release, can I then buy either a stand alone, or a subscription version of a home-profit license, and use all assets I made in the student-version for the game. (As at that point I will buy a commercial copy of maya)

Is it problematic or illegal if I use any assets made in the student version, even if I get a commercial use version of Maya right before the game's release?

The core-issue here is: I will not know when or whether the game will be released. A lot can happen during the development, and it is not unknown that some game projects will never see the light of the day.

Soon, I finish 5 years of studying, I unfortunately cannot afford gambling 4.500 eur on a stand alone license - at least not at this time, as the game is very much in concept and preproduction right now. 

So in short, can I use my student-version of Maya until the day my game might sell, and swap over to a commercial use?

I hope anyone can answer this, it has been very difficult finding any clear answer on when something is non commercial and commercial.

Thanks in advance 🙂

[TravisNave]

The answer to this question is simply, no.

You cannot use any portion of work created in an education version for commercial use later.

You will have to redo any work created in the educational version if you wish to use it in the commercial version.  Historically, educational versions are watermarked as such.  Even though recently, there is no visible mark, I would not risk that in a few years, the mark will be restored. 

Look on the bright side, you will be able to do it faster and better when you do it commercially!