Ah, back to school — time to swap swimsuits for study dates and sleeping in for coffee runs.
It’s no secret that being a student is expensive, especially with the high cost of college and the eventual interest on student loans.
But one of the best ways to save while you are a student is to take advantage of student discounts. These are special discounts given just to college students — similar to what retailers may give to senior citizens or healthcare workers.
You can save anywhere from 5% to up to 100% off, depending on that business's discount!
Erika Taught Me
- Students can get discounts on goods and services at dozens of retailers and websites.
- Be prepared to present your student ID, sign up with your .edu email address, or go through third-party verification.
- You can take advantage of other discounts through Student Affinity networks like UNiDAYS or Student Beans.
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Student Discounts for College Students by Category
To help you find the discounts you need, we’ve broken it down by shopping categories:
- Entertainment, news, and streaming services
- Electronics and software
- Food
- Shopping subscriptions
- Travel
- Retail/other
Entertainment, news, and streaming services
- Apple Music: Get a special discount for up to 48 months, and Apple TV+ for a limited time.
- Disney+: Save 15% on 12 months (through UNiDAYs).
- Hulu: Get Hulu (with ads) for $1.99 a month.
- Peacock: Get Peacock for $1.99 a month for 12 months.
- Paramount+: Enjoy 25% off Paramount+, making the subscription $5.99 monthly.
- Pandora: Premium is offered to students for $5.99 monthly.
- Spotify: Get Premium for one month free and then $2.99 a month thereafter.
- Wall Street Journal: You can get digital copies of WSJ for $2 a month for one year, and then $4 a month the year following. This is a steep 95% discount!
- YouTube Premium: Enjoy a one-month free trial and then pay a discounted $7.99 monthly.
Electronics and software
- Adobe: Offers one free month, and then a 65% discount on all applications through Adobe Creative Cloud for one year.
- Apple: Gives student discounts year-round by reducing prices on tech, and by offering special prices.
- AT&T: Offers many devices at a discount and also gives up to $10/month off per line on AT&T Unlimited Premium.
- Best Buy: Save on tech and receive exclusive deals when you sign up for a “My Best Buy” account.
- HP: Get up to 40% off tech when you make an account.
- Microsoft: Gives tons of discounts, including 10% off select items and 50% off Office 365.
- Samsung: Get up to 10% off tech.
- Slack: Get a whopping 85% off! You just need to create a workspace and submit an application.
Food
- Blue Apron: Get 50% off your meal kit deliveries for four weeks.
- Doordash: Get DashPass for $4.99 a month.
- GrubHub+: This is a special one. If your school partners with GrubHub, you can get GrubHub+ Student for free. This means no delivery fee and lower service fees on orders. You also get 5% back in GrubHub credits on off-campus pickup orders.
- HelloFresh: Get 55% off your first box, then an ongoing 15% off.
- Fast food chains: If you can show your ID, many fast-food restaurants will offer a 10% discount. (Discounts depend on locations and the items the discount applies to may vary.) Some restaurants that offer discounts are Subway, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Arby’s, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Dunkin', Taco Bell, IHOP, Waffle House, Qdoba, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut.
Shopping subscriptions
- Amazon Prime Student: Get free shipping with Amazon Prime for 50% off, or $69 a year.
- Target: Target Circle 360 is $4.99 monthly for students (regularly $10.99) and you also get a one-time 20% discount.
- Walmart+: Enjoy the convenience of having your groceries delivered (among other perks) for 50% off — that’s $49 a year.
Travel
- Amtrak: Get 15% off.
- GM: Extending to recent graduates too, qualified buyers can purchase or lease select vehicles at a price lower than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
- Penske: 10% off truck rentals (to help with the dorm moving, of course).
- Spirit Airlines: 20% discount off a 12-month Spirit Saver Club membership (through UNiDAYs).
- StudentUniverse: This website is dedicated solely to offering discounts for students on flights and travel.
- United Airlines: If you’re between 18 and 23 and have a MileagePlus account, United will give you 5% off flights when booked through the United app.
- Uber One: Get savings on Uber rides and cash in on Uber Eats for $4.99 a month.
- Public transit: Your local public transportation may offer discounts through your school.
Retail/other
- Corkcicle: Get 20% off.
- Peloton: Get a 30-day free trial and then pay $6.99 a month (50% off).
- Madewell: Enjoy 15% off online and in stores.
- J.Crew: Get 15% off in stores and online.
- Nike: Save 10% on most items.
- Stanley: Get 20% off.
READ MORE: Where To Get Free Stuff on Your Birthday
How to Get Student Discounts
To get a student discount, you must prove you’re actively enrolled in a college or university. The verification of your student status will widely depend on the retailer offering the discount.
You may have to:
- Present a valid school-issued student ID card. Local businesses and restaurants will usually go this route.
- Sign up with the retailer with a valid .edu email address.
- Participate in third-party verification like ID.me or SheerID. Some retailers use third-party verification to ensure you are a student.
Shop affinity networks
Sometimes companies won’t offer student discounts directly and will instead partner with websites like UNiDAYS and StudentBeans.
These sites are affinity networks, are available globally, and are your one-stop shop for all things student discounts.
They work with large brands to provide exclusive deals for students. Retailers may also verify your student status through them.
READ MORE: 15 Essential Financial Tips for Young Adults
FAQs
How do student discounts work?
If a retailer offers student discounts, you need to ask for it or sign up for their website/rewards program to get it.
Be prepared to prove you are a student. Companies may want to see an ID, verify you through a third-party system like ID.me, or ask for your .edu email address.
How long do student discounts last?
Student discounts usually last the duration of your studies at a college or university (four to five years on standard).
However, some companies extend student discounts to new graduates or graduate students.
TL;DR: Where To Get Student Discounts
Thrift shopping and making a strict budget aren’t the only ways to survive the expensive college days.
There are dozens of student discounts offered by retailers. As long as you’re willing to ask — and able to provide proof that you’re enrolled — you can save big on everyday necessities (and luxuries).
For more student-friendly money-saving tips, check out these episodes of the Erika Taught Me podcast:
Learn With Erika
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