Apple tech is usually expensive but students, teachers, and even parents are among the lucky few who can actually get an Apple student discount. Unusually for the official retailer, it's partial to offering great upfront discounts on everything from iPads to MacBooks specifically for those involved in education.
Luckily, deals are also accessible as Apple is fairly relaxed about eligibility for its student discount deals. For example, so as long as you're a student at school, college, or university, you should be able to take advantage and save yourself a pretty penny in the process. Right now, Apple has an extensive back-to-school sale on its education site so it's a particularly good time to be browsing. Alongside other Back to school sales at other retailers, there's potential to save some serious money currently.
Apple's current line-up of back-to-school deals involve a combination of upfront discounts and gift cards of up to $150 in value. The gift cards are the main bulk of the deal here, being a seasonal special, and are particularly handy if you want to get some cheap accessories on the side like AirPods or an Apple Pencil.
We've rounded up today's best deals from the Apple Back to School sale at the top of the page here but you'll find a more in-depth guide on eligibility and how to apply for a discount further down.
Apple student discount: back to school sale
Apple student discount: FAQ
What can I spend my gift card on?
The gift card is valid for the Apple Store so there's a wide selection of products and services you can spend it on. For example, if you're picking up a Mac mini, you could put your $100 gift card toward a Magic Mouse or Magic Keyboard - both of which are extremely handy to have for a desktop setup.
If you're looking at a MacBook, you could use your gift card to get a decent price cut on the latest AirPods or an external drive for more storage. Those going for an iPad could pick up the latest Apple Pencil Pro to supercharge their productivity and design game.
Alternatively, the gift card could be extremely handy for getting a discount on Apple's excellent suite of design applications.
Am I eligible for Apple's education pricing?
As long as you're enrolled in a post-secondary education (or high school) establishment, such as a college or university, and have some kind of documentation or a student ID to prove it, then you should be able to take advantage of the education discounts. Parents of students can also apply for discounts on their children's behalf.
In the US, you won't be asked to verify your education status, but your Apple ID is limited to two education-discounted iPad purchases per year so you can't just pick up everything at once. In the UK, you'll be asked to verify your eligibility with UNIDAYS at checkout.
To make the process as smooth as possible if you're a university student, sign up online at Unidays, which is a free website that offers a number of student-only deals. All you need is your university email address that you're given when you enrol.
How to claim an Apple education discount
If you're eligible, go to the Apple For Education website (head to the UK Apple for Education website if you're in the United Kingdom), which underscores the current deals available for students and staff. Select your preferred device (such as MacBooks, iMacs and iPads), then verify your current student or staff status with Unidays. You can do this by clicking 'Get started'.
You can also visit a nearby Apple Store with your eligible ID to get student discounts in person. If you're in the US, you may not need an ID (you don't need one shopping online), but we can't say for certain so it's worth bringing one just in case.
Assuming you're accepted you can then go ahead and order your devices. Apple limits your purchases to one desktop per academic year, one Mac mini, one notebook, two iPads, two displays and two pieces of software with the discounts.
Trade in your old devices for a discount
Here's another absolutely awesome way to save at the official Apple Store - make use of its extensive trade-in program. While you can only get a rebate in the form of credit to spend at the Apple Store, you can potentially get up to $740 off for handing over a Mac, up to $640 for iPhones, up to $490 for iPads, and up to $165 off for Apple Watches. Note that you don't have to trade-in an Apple product specifically for a discount here - Apple will also take Android and Windows devices from leading brands.
Right now, this is one of the most sure-fire ways to bag a discount at the Apple Store since it never usually posts outright discounts on new products - with the exception of the Apple Student Discount.
UK students have access to similar trade-in offers. Again, the price you get depends on the make, model, and condition of the device, but you could receive up to £630 by trading in your current computer or mobile device. Australian students can get up to AU$1,150 in trade-in value on their devices, which of course will vary based on the make, model, and condition of the device.
