Apple Student Discounts

It’s no easy feat walking into college with limited funds. Every dollar needs to stretch while making the most of your college experience. Going back to school means upgrading electronics, shopping for school supplies, and scouring the internet for deals to save money.

To make things a little easier, we put together an ultimate guide to Apple student discounts, education pricing for supplies, and more.  

Forget paying full price. Whether you’re new to the Apple game or a total Mac Pro (pun intended), use our guide to learn how to get a student discount on Apple, compare devices, and take advantage of big savings on Apple devices like MacBooks, iPads, and more.

How much is the Apple student discount?

The Apple student discount varies from product to product. Savings can start at around $50 per product and go up to about $400 using the Apple student discount. We broke down the prices below.

As you can see, discounts vary depending on the device, with iPads offering the lowest discounts for students—between $20 and $50. Some devices, like the Pro Display XDR and Mac Pro, aren’t eligible for student discounts.

Let’s consider how much students can save on specific devices.

How much can students save on iMacs and MacBooks?

Students and other education affiliates can save $100 on average per device when shopping with Apple’s discount.

• Mac Mini starting at $699 vs. Mac Mini Education Pricing starting at $649
• MacBook Air starting at $999 vs. MacBook Air Education Pricing starting at $899
• iMac starting at $1,299 vs. iMac Education Pricing starting at $1,249
• Studio Display starting at $1,599 vs. Studio Display Education Pricing starting at $1499
• MacBook Pro starting at $1,999 vs. MacBook Pro Education Pricing starting at $1,299
• Mac Studio starting at $1,999 vs. Mac Studio Education Pricing starting at $1,799
• Pro Display XDR  starting at $4,599 vs. Pro Display XDR Education Pricing starting at $4,599
• Mac Pro starting at $5,999  vs. Mac Pro Education Pricing starting at $5,599.

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How much can students save on iPads?  

Students and other education affiliates can save about $50 when purchasing their iPad with Apple’s education discount in store or on the Apple Online Store for Education, depending on which model you choose.

• iPad starting at $329 vs. iPad Education Pricing starting at $309
• iPad Mini starting at $499 vs. iPad Mini Education Pricing starting at $449
• iPad Air starting at $599 vs. iPad Air Education Pricing starting at $549
• iPad Pro starting at $799 vs. iPad Pro Education Pricing starting at $749.

It might not seem like a huge discount, but every cent counts when you’re a student. Educational institutions can also save a significant amount of money when buying iPad devices in bulk.

As for MacBook discounts, those work a little differently.

MacBook education pricing

MacBooks are regarded as some of the most reliable computers you can buy. With proper care, a MacBook can last for years — part of the reason consumers choose Apple for their computer needs. Apple offers special MacBook education pricing, including deals on the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and other desktop systems.  

Prices vary depending on specs. Learn about each in more detail below.

MacBook Air Education Pricing starts at $899

Apple offers multiple options for the MacBook Air series. The difference depends on your usage and preferences.  

Below, we cover the various MacBook Air models from least to most expensive.

MacBook Pro Education Pricing Starts at $1,199

The MacBook Pro series boasts more options for those who will use their computers more rigorously. They offer three sizes to choose from, depending on your preference. You have a choice of a 13-inch display, 14-inch display, or 16-inch display. Keep in mind that the display size alters some specifications noted below.

Found the perfect model? Make your Mac your own by customizing your login and lock screens.

Desktop Mac and accessories education pricing

If you know you’re going to need a computer with extra storage and processing power, going for a desktop Mac is your best bet. Its performance surpasses MacBooks and is known for its reliability and bandwidth capabilities.  

As you can read from the tables above, a desktop Mac has more storage size options than a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. In fact, devices such as the Mac Studio and Mac Pro offer up to 8TB of storage, which is 6TB more than the MacBook Air’s maximum storage.  

Deciding which desktop Mac you need will depend on the amount of storage you need. Factors to consider include whether you’ll store all your assignments on your device (vs. using external storage, like a USB device) and whether you’ll save anything non-school related on it, like movie downloads. It’ll also depend on your budget—the more storage you need, the more you’ll have to pay.

If you need an average amount of storage, consider getting an iMac device. It’s one of the more reasonably priced desktop Mac devices offering up to 2TB of storage.

iMac Education Pricing Starts at $1,249

iMac computers are stationary but incredibly powerful. What they lack in portability they make up for in serious performance. Each model features a 24-inch display size, making it optimal for viewing. While there used to be 21.5-inch and 27-inch display sizes, these have since been discontinued. There are three models available.

Mac Pro Education Pricing starts at $5,599

There’s a reason the tagline for Apple’s Mac Pro is “create without constraint.” The Mac Pro packs power and performance into a stainless steel space frame with aluminum housing. It has up to 28 cores that contribute to a seamless experience when working on any project, making it worth the price tag.

Mac Pro  

• Choose from Tower or Rack
• Tower is priced at $5,599
• Rack is priced at $6,099
• Customizable options available.

Studio Display Education Pricing starts at $1,499

The Studio Display Mac is notorious for its image quality. It seamlessly integrates into the Apple ecosystem, and the performance is seriously impressive.  

Mac Studio Education Pricing starts at $1,799

A Mac Studio is a powerful computer that requires a connection to a separate display screen. Its performance is even said to exceed a typical iMac.

Mac Mini Education Pricing starts at $649

Mac Mini is a small yet mighty computer that requires connection to a separate display screen.  

Need to connect the internet to more than one device? Turn your Mac into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

iPad education pricing

iPads have come a long way since their first debut. They can now be treated like lightweight laptops, and most can connect to a keyboard. Some even prefer iPads to desktops or laptops, as their portability is top notch. iPad education pricing is available for select iPads.  

In addition to prices, our team has also compared the features you’ll get with each of this iPad device for your money spent. See the table below:

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AppleCare+ student discount

Your device will come with a complimentary limited warranty for one year upon purchase. To further secure the safety of your device, consider subscribing to AppleCare+.

AppleCare+ is an extended warranty. It provides extra benefits and perks when you opt in. AppleCare+ helps you protect your devices after the initial limited warranty should any issues arise, and includes:

• Priority access to technical support 24/7 alleviates long wait times
• Global repair coverage
• Up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage every 12 months (could be subject to service fees)
• Protection against theft or loss available for iPhone (additional fee applies).

Take advantage of AppleCare+ student discounts to get the most out of your Apple devices. Apple has historically given a 20 percent discount during their back-to-school promotion which usually starts in June and runs through September.

Here’s the pricing for AppleCare+:

Free headphones for students

Apple has gifted students AirPods in the past with eligible purchases using education pricing. While there is no official information just yet if they will continue to do so this year, this has historically been the norm.

Eligible products may differ from last year, but these were the savings for 2021 listed as additional upgrade cost/promotion savings:

• AirPods with charging case: $0/$129
• AirPods with wireless charging case: $40/$129
• AirPods Pro: $90/$129.

If you already own a pair, learn how to troubleshoot connecting your AirPods.  

Other student discounts and education pricing

During your college years, be sure to take advantage of what’s offered to you, including various student discounts and education pricing at your fingertips. You may need to provide student verification, but once you do, you open up your world to saving more money (aka fewer nights of 28¢ ramen while studying in your dorm).

Microsoft deals for students

You have access to nearly the entire Microsoft Office suite for free using your valid school email address. This includes: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams.  

Amazon deals for students

Amazon offers myriad benefits for students. With your student verification, you can take advantage of a student discount on Amazon Prime, which includes a six-month trial period courtesy of Sprint.

Amazon Prime membership has perks, including:

• Fast, free delivery on millions of items
• Exclusive deals for student members from top brands
• 30-minute early access to select Lightning Deals
• Prime Video: unlimited streaming of thousands of movies and shows
• Amazon Music Prime: stream more than 2 million songs
• Amazon Photos: free unlimited photo storage
• Prime Gaming: exclusives and free in-game loot
• Ultrafast grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market (in select cities).

Amazon also provides access to discounted services when you have a student Prime membership, such as:

• Six months of free LinkedIn Premium
• Free food delivery with Grubhub
• Three free months of Calm, then $8.99 per year instead of $69.99
• One free month of tutoring and homework help from Course Hero
• Discounted hotel and airfare.

Best Buy deals for students

Best Buy is another company that offers sweet deals to students. Their student discounts apply to students of all ages, meaning you can take advantage of them from pre-K all the way through higher education.  

To get access to these exclusive deals, you must sign up for their membership program. You can do so by creating an account and registering your student information. They explicitly say that offers are only available to students or parents of students. Keep in mind that they will not let you get a price match while using a student discount.

In prior years, Best Buy offered discounts on Apple MacBooks. They have not released their offers for this year yet.

Who can get an Apple student discount?

According to Apple, they offer student discounts to students of all ages and others associated with education. Here is a comprehensive list:

For K-12:

• An employee of a public or private K-12 institution (includes homeschool teachers)
• School board members who are currently serving as elected or appointed members
• Officers serving as Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) executives.

Higher education:

• Staff and faculty members at higher education institutions
• Students that are enrolled at or accepted to study at a higher education institution in the United States
• Parents buying eligible devices on behalf of their child, who is either enrolled at or accepted to study at a public or private higher education institution.

If you do not qualify for a student discount, try shopping Apple’s refurbished inventory to lower the cost of your preferred device.

How to get an Apple student discount

You can get access to an Apple student discount by shopping their Education Pricing Page. While there was once a secure vetting process to shop Apple’s education store, it no longer appears to be the case. Should the process change back to needing student verification, you can do so through their partner, UNiDAYS, by submitting a copy of your college acceptance letter or university ID.

What products does the Apple student discount apply to?

You can get a student discount on many of Apple’s products, including MacBook Air, any size MacBook Pro, iMac or iMac Pro, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and Studio Display.

You can also receive an iPad Air student discount, as well as discounts on the iPad, iPad Pro, and iPad Mini devices.

How many Apple products can I buy?

Apple has limits on the quantity of products you can buy using their special education pricing. You can generally only purchase one of each big-ticket item per student. According to their Sales & Refund Terms and Conditions, the limits are as follows:

• Desktop: One (1) may be purchased per year
• Mac Mini: One (1) may be purchased per year
• Notebook: One (1) may be purchased per year
• iPad: Two (2) may be purchased per year
• Accessories: Two (2) accessories with Education Pricing may be purchased per year.

How to get a student discount for Apple Music or Apple TV

Study harder with background music? Students can enjoy a discounted monthly rate on Apple Music while enrolled in college or university. The discount has a lifespan of 48 months from your subscription date. You must be working toward a bachelor's degree, post-graduate degree, or higher.  

To opt in to your discounted rate, you must become verified through UNiDAYS by creating an account and submitting your student ID or college acceptance letter.

You will automatically have full access to Apple TV+ for a limited time upon securing an Apple Music+ student subscription. Just be mindful that you cannot share your Apple TV access by using Family Sharing, as it is intended for you only.

Go forth and study!

College can be a rewarding experience and having the right set of tools can make learning and studying easier. Use our guide to compare different options and find what’s right for your degree. And while you’re at it, take full advantage of your access to student discounts.