You know how you can get student discounts in Microsoft store but you can only use it until you graduate. I was wondering does that apply to hardware? cause with software it can stop functioning when you graduate. I don't know about hardware such as surface pro. Do hardware's need to be returned once you graduate or you can keep it forever with all features working?
This isn't true from my experience. Also, Microsoft doesn't know when you graduate. You don't provide a graduation year when you purchase. They don't deactivate your software (or hardware) all of a sudden just because you've donned on your graduation cap and stopped attending university.
Here are the terms and conditions of student discount eligibility. While it does say "Alumni of these institutions are ineligible", that only refers to the criteria neccessary to purchase the product.
They cannot take away your right to own the product or license after you have graduated since you've already paid for it.