Apple Student Discount

Apple offers several student discounts and deals when shopping for a device for college. These deals offer instant savings on hardware and AppleCare, with a free gift card with a qualifying purchase of a Mac or iPad, but only during certain times of the year.

Shoppers should also pay attention to deals from Apple resellers, as many times limited-time specials and coupon savings meet or beat Apple's own prices, and inlcude discounts on AppleCare as well. These deals do not require a student to be enrolled in college, making it an easy way for parents to pick up a device that can be used by the entire family —   or even educators looking for learning tools within the classroom.

2024 Apple student discounts

The official Apple Store discount is nice, but you can often save more on Macs at Apple resellers.

Back-to-school discounts tend to heat up earlier each year, but there are deals available year-round. Below is a comprehensive list of offers, and many do not require student status. Wondering which iPad to buy? Check out our comprehensive iPad buyer's guide for back-to-school.

Featured software deals

Discounts are going on now on Microsoft Office. If you aren't eligible for the free version, check out the offer below.

• A lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business 2021 for Mac is discounted to $89.99
• Save over 60% on Adobe Creative Cloud for Students

Adorama coupon

Adorama discounts are open to all AppleInsider readers, regardless of student status.

• Save up to $650 off every 14-inch MacBook Pro
• MacBook Air: Save an extra $100 to $250 on M2 & M3 models, plus $20 to $40 off AppleCare
• Mac Studio: Save up to $200 on the powerful desktop Mac, plus $30 off AppleCare
• M3 iMac: Save $100 to $200, plus $30 off AppleCare
• M4 iPad Pro & iPad Air 6: Save up to $100 on the 2024 models

*Requires use of coupon code APINSIDER.

Amazon

Amazon Prime Student program is perfect for students heading back to class. From free food delivery to discounts on snacks and groceries, Prime Student offers an abundance of deals, with a free 6-month trial available to new members.

• Apple electronics sale at Amazon
• Save up to $145 on the M4 iPad Pro
• Get Apple's M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch for $1,399, the lowest price ever
• Pick up a MacBook Air for $849

B&H EDU Advantage

B&H has partnered with Unidays to offer discounts on thousands of items for higher education students and teachers, including Apple computers. It's free to sign up and the portal even offers expert help to pick out the best MacBook for education. Students can even use B&H Photo's Payboo Card to save on sales tax or secure special financing, and most orders even include free shipping. 

Best Buy

Best Buy has retired its student discount program that required a student ID. Instead, the company offers back-to-school deals that are available to the general public. My Best Buy Plus and Total members are also eligible for bonus perks, with Apple devices regularly available at an additional discount for members.

Latest deals

• Blowout sale: Last-gen M2 MacBook Air 15-inch with 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD: $1,499 ($400 off)
• New M4 iPad Pro 13-inch: $50 off with Plus membership

Apple Store student discount

Save on a qualifying Mac or iPad with an education discount.

Current and newly accepted college students, as well as teachers and education staff at all levels, are eligible for the following deals:

• MacBook Air starts at $899
• MacBook Pro starting at $1,499
• 24-inch iMac starting at $1,249
• Mac Pro starting at $6,599
• Mac mini starting at $499
• iPad Pro starting at $749
• iPad Air starting at $549

Free headphones promo evolved into a free Apple gift card

For years Apple gave student customers a free set of headphones with the purchase of an eligible device like an iPad or Mac. At times, Apple would even give students the choice between several different Beats by Dre headphones.

In 2021, Apple gave college students a free set of AirPods for buying an eligible device. These popular earbuds retailed for $159, or $199 with a wireless charging case.

Apple allowed customers to upgrade from AirPods to AirPods Pro with a $90 upcharge as well.

In 2022, Apple changed the offer from free AirPods to a free Apple Store gift card valued at up to $150 with select Macs and iPads. In 2023, the promo ran from June 5 to October 2. And the deal for 2024 launched on June 20.

Apple Student Discount on AppleCare

AppleCare is eligible for a student discount, offering extra protection when toting your laptop to and from class.

Students purchasing eligible products can get AppleCare Plus at a 20% discount during Apple's 2024 Back To School promotion. This doesn't extend to other devices purchased that are not eligible for back-to-school discounts. However, AppleCare is up to $80 off at Apple Authorized Reseller year-round.

Exclusive AppleCare Savings at Adorama

AppleInsider readers can save on AppleCare at Adorama with coupon code APINSIDER when purchased with an eligible Apple product using these activation instructions.

• AppleCare for 16-inch MacBook Pro M3: $80 off with code APINSIDER
• AppleCare for 14-inch MacBook Pro M3: $50 off with code APINSIDER
• AppleCare for MacBook Air: $40 off with code APINSIDER
• AppleCare for iMac: $30 off with code APINSIDER
• AppleCare for Mac mini: $20 off with code APINSIDER
• AppleCare for M4 iPad Pro & iPad Air 6: $14 to $20 off with code APINSIDER

AppleCare Plus acts as an extended warranty for devices, so if the device's screen breaks or case is damaged it can be repaired for a small service fee. Otherwise, out-of-warranty repairs can cost hundreds of dollars.

Students who want to take advantage of the 20% discount can only receive the discount during the Back To School promotion period. Even if the device remains eligible for AppleCare Plus after the period ends, the discount will no longer be valid.

Education prices

Outside of Apple's annual Back To School sale, the company offers a standard student discount on its hardware. The discount varies from device to device and applies even when upgrades are made before purchase.

Macs

• The Mac mini normally starts at $599, but it starts at $499 for students [M2 Mac mini Price Guide]
• The M3 MacBook Air normally starts at $1,099, but it starts at $999 for students [M3 MacBook Air Price Guide]
• The M2 MacBook Air normally starts at $999, but it starts at $899 for students [M2 MacBook Air Price Guide]
• The M3 MacBook Pro normally starts at $1,599, but it starts at $1,499 for students [M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch Price Guide]
• The iMac normally starts at $1,299, but it starts at $1,249 for students [M3 iMac Price Guide]
• The Mac Studio normally starts at $1,999, but it starts at $1,799 for students [Mac Studio Price Guide]

iPads

• The iPad Pro normally starts at $999, but it starts at $899 for students [M4 iPad Pro 11-inch Price Guide]
• The iPad Air is normally $599, but it starts at $549 for students [11-inch iPad Air Price Guide]
• The iPad 10th Generation is normally $349, but it starts at $329 for students [iPad 10th Generation Price Guide]
• The iPad mini is normally $499, but it starts at $449 for students [iPad mini 6 Price Guide]

Apple student discount on Apple Music

Apple Music for Students includes Apple TV at no additional cost.

Students can receive discounts on their Apple Music subscription as well. Qualifying students can attach their education discount to their Apple ID and pay only $5.99 per month for Apple Music for up to 48 months.

Students who subscribe to Apple Music can also receive Apple TV Plus for free as a limited offer. These are the single plans of the services and do not extend into a family group.

The Apple Music education pricing and Apple TV Plus offer is valid for up to 48 months as long as the Apple ID remains registered as a student account. If Apple ends the promotion, then the Apple student discount will only end once the subscription lapses.