Wow, can you really get an Apple Student discount? Absolutely! Okay, it's a little complicated. But don't worry, we'll walk you through everything quickly and easily.
In the USA, visit the US Apple Store for Education, and follow the steps to choose your items.
In the UK, you can visit the UK Apple Store for Education Apple seems to be more fearful of people cheating the system, so you have to verify your student or staff status to get your discount.
In Australia, you can get details of discounts on the Apple educational pricing page.
In Canada, check out educational discounts here.
Given the inflation that's sweeping the world right now, any money you can save on the cost of living as a student is going to be welcome. But before you get too excited, there are four things you need to bear in mind.
Furthermore, on July 13 Apple announced that it is sweetening the deal for many MacBooks and iPads by offering a gift voucher on top of the student discount (see details). This Back to School promotion is running in the US, UK, and Canada - and give you a US$150 / £130 / CAN$200 Apple gift voucher. You will also get 20% off AppleCare+, plus three months of free Apple TV+ and Apple Music. This limited time additional offer will run until October 2 2023 (October 23 in the UK).
Apple student discount: 4 things you need to know
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Firstly, understand that you can't get an Apple Student discount across all Apple products. But you can get one on specific products. (You'll find full details of all the best deals further down this page.)
Secondly, Apple never uses the actual words 'Apple Student Discount'. Instead, it talks about 'Apple Education Pricing'. We'll get to the reason why in a moment.
Thirdly, these discounts don't necessarily guarantee you're getting the lowest price on Apple products. You may actually find a cheaper deal with a third party, so it's worth checking our guides to the best MacBook deals and the best iPhone 14 deals. That said, most of the time, Apple Educational Pricing will save you the most money: you just have to shop around a bit to make sure.
Fourthly, and most importantly, you need to establish whether you're eligible for Apple Educational Pricing. Sadly, if you're under 16, you're not. On the flip side, you don't actually necessarily need to be a student!
There are three categories of people who can get an Apple Student discount, which we list below.
1. A further or higher education student
You can get an Apple student discount if you're 16 or older and enrolled in a further or higher education institution, such as a university or college.
You just need to show Apple your student ID to prove it. If you haven't started your course yet and don't yet have your ID, you can provide your acceptance letter as proof instead. If you're in the UK, you need to register through UNiDAYS.
2. The parents of students
Apple recognizes that even with a discount, students may not be able to afford their products. And so they allow parents who are buying Apple products for their offspring the chance to benefit from the Apple student discount too.
That means that if you're a parent or guardian of a student in further or higher education (as described in category 1 above), and are buying an Apple device for them to use, you qualify for the discount too.
3. A teacher or education worker
If you're a teacher, lecturer, or anyone else working in education, you can also get an Apple student discount. That includes non-teaching jobs, such as those in administration, executives of a PTA (parent-teacher association), and home school teachers.
To prove your eligibility, you may need to give Apple some documentation that shows where you work. This varies from country to country, though. In the US, Apple seems to trust you, and doesn't require any ID. In the UK, though, like students, you'll need to register through UNiDAYS.
How to get your Apple student discount
As long as you're eligible (see above), you can get your Apple student discount by visiting the Apple Store for Education and then verifying your credentials. However, the process varies depending on where you are in the world.
In the USA, visit the US Apple Store for Education, and follow the steps to choose your items. It's basically like buying from Apple normally, only cheaper. Up until January 2022, Apple needed verification of your status, but since then it seems like they're taking it on trust. That may change at a moment's notice, though, so it's probably worth having your paperwork to hand just in case. There are some limits on just how many iPads, MacBooks, and iPhones you can buy a year though (see the Terms & Conditions to check the details).
In the UK, Apple seems to be more fearful of people cheating the system, so you have to verify your student or staff status to get a discount. First, visit the UK Apple Store for Education and you'll be asked to sign up online via the student discount website Unidays. This in itself is free. You'll need to provide the name of your college and details about your course, or similar information if you're a parent, teacher, lecturer, or education worker. They'll then send you a verification email to make sure your address is genuine.
If you don't want to fill in any forms, though, there are three alternatives: call Apple on 0800 048 0408, use the web chat facility, or visit a physical Apple Store.
What can you get with an Apple student discount?
You can get an Apple student discount on a range of products. These include the MacBook Pro M2, MacBook Air M1 13in, the 24-inch iMac, the top-of-the-range 12.9in iPad Pro, and the small but perfectly formed Mac Mini (or its bigger, younger brother the Mac Studio Ultra). In the US, there's also a great bundle offer on video and audio editing apps. You'll find the full range of discounted products on the Apple Store for Education website.
Below, we've picked out some of the best offers available right now. We'll start with the best bargains for the US, but if you're on the other side of the Atlantic, then skip ahead to the best deals for the UK.
Apple student discount deals: US
Save $100 on a MacBook Air M1 | $999 | $899
The MacBook Air 13-inch Air M1 is Apple’s thinnest and lightest notebook, perfect for carrying around campus. With Apple's latest M1 chip, it's super-fast and battery life is an impressive 15 hours for wireless internet use.
Save $100 on a 15in MacBook Air M2 | $1299 | $1199
The newest of the MacBook range, and one of our favorite choices for those studying due to its combination of computing power, portability, and value for money
Save $100 on a MacBook Pro | $1299 | $1099
With Apple's M2 chip and an 8-core GPU, the MacBook Pro is a seriously powerful laptop that can handle even the most resource-intensive tasks, such as video and image editing, without breaking a sweat.
Save $50 on a 24-inch iMac | $1299 | $1249
Teaming the speed and efficiency of the M1 chip with a stunning screen, the 24-inch iMac is a stellar performer, with enough power to run even the most demanding software such as image or video editing tools.
Save $50 on the iPad Air | $599 | $549
If you want more power than an entry-level iPad, but at an affordable price, the iPad Air is the best choice for you. You get a lovely large screen, enough power to run apps with ease, and $50 off with Apple Educational Pricing.
Save $50 on the iPad Pro | $799 | $749
The iPad Pro M1 is, quite simply, the best tablet you can buy today, bar none. The HDR Mini-LED screen is astounding, the powerful M1 processor makes everything run quickly and smoothly, and everything else is top-tier too.
Mac Mini M2 | $499
The new Mac Mini M2 performs superbly, runs almost silently and exudes quality whatever you use it for. Its compact size makes it perfect for any student seeking a powerful Mac that doesn't take up too much space.
Get Apple Music and get Apple TV+ for FREE
Having the best tunes at hand is vital for long study sessions. Students can now get FREE Apple TV+ when they sign up for Apple Music.
Get Final Cut Pro + 4 more pro video and audio editing apps for just $199
This amazing value bundle is perfect for any filmmaking student. It includes industry standard video editing tool Final Cut Pro (itself normally $299), along with Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage.
Apple student discount deals: UK
Save 10% on MacBooks
The M2 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are powerful laptops that run quickly, efficiently and have great battery life. So they're perfect for students, and with 10 per cent off the range, you'll be saving some serious cash.
Save 10% on iPads
Students can save up to 10% on on a brand new iPad; ideal for carrying around campus, and sophisticated enough to get some serious work done. Education discounts cover the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad and iPad mini.
Save on a range of desktop Macs
Need a serious desktop computer for your studies? Whether you're looking at an iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro or Mac Mini, you'll be able to get a decent discount as a student with Apple's special education pricing.
Get 50% off Apple Music + 3 months' free Apple TV
Get inspired during study sessions with the best tunes from Apple Music. You'll get the first three months free, along with free Apple TV, then after that a subscription cots just £4.99 a month instead of the usual £9.99.
Get Final Cut Pro & get 4 more pro video and audio editing apps for just £215.98
Studying film-making? Then here's a great-value bundle you can't ignore. It gets you the industry standard video editing tool Final Cut Pro (normally £299), along with Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage.
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