College Student Discounts: The Best Deals And Where To Find Them

Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

Garrett Andrews is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Portland Community College where he teaches State and Local Government.

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Brenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.

Updated: Aug 14, 2024, 3:00am

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Key Takeaways

• College students can get discounts on a wide array of products and services, both school-related and not.
• In most cases, students can show their student IDs, use a college email address or sign up for an online identity verification service to demonstrate their eligibility for college student discounts.
• Major companies offering discounts for college students include Amazon, Adidas, Apple, Walmart and Geico.

College doesn’t come cheap, especially when you consider the textbooks, housing, school supplies and day-to-day expenses involved. To help ease college students’ financial burden, companies and organizations around the country—ranging from some of the world’s largest brands to local mom-and-pop shops—offer a multitude of college discounts.

Some of these deals can help you succeed in your education. Others help keep your favorite activities and products within reach while you stay on top of tuition payments.

College student discounts are everywhere, and in many cases, all you need to qualify for them is a valid college email address or student ID. Once verified as a college student, you’ll qualify for deals on popular products like TVs, laptops, shoes and games; events like concerts, festivals and live sports; and subscriptions to streaming platforms, meal kits and cybersecurity services.

Here are the best college student discounts on services and products like electronics, subscriptions, food, clothing and entertainment.

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How Do College Student Deals Work?

College student discounts might look like free trials, lower monthly or annual subscription rates, or reduced product pricing.

Some local businesses use college student discounts to attract the student populations in their area. College student deals might relate to the college experience, but many are just intended to get people in the door.

In many cases, you just need to bring your student ID to qualify for a college student deal. Other times, usually in online shopping environments, you’ll be asked to prove your status as a college student by providing a valid student email address or through a third-party verification service like ID.me or SheerID.

Where To Find Student Discounts for College Students

Arts and Entertainment

• Theaters: Several national theater chains—like AMC Theatres, Cinemark and Regal—offer discounted tickets to students with current college IDs.
• Streaming services: If you don’t feel like going out, stay home and watch movies on demand. College students enjoy discounts on Amazon Prime, YouTube Premium, Peacock and Paramount +, and can get Hulu for only $1.99 per month.
• Events and attractions: Local arts and culture organizations such as symphony orchestras, museums and theater companies frequently provide special student pricing. Students may also get lower prices on concerts, plays, festivals and sporting events sold through major retailers like Ticketmaster.
• Sports: College students can purchase discounted tickets to select MLB and NHL games.

Clothes

• Athletic: Students get 15% off on the New Balance website. Adidas also offers students 15% off as well as free shipping, and Puma provides 10% off.
• Interview-appropriate: Express, Charles Tyrwhitt and ASOS sell many business casual designs with discounts ranging from 5% to 20% for college students. Target offers a discounted membership rate and a one-time 20% off discount to college students who sign up for its Circle program.
• Style: Kate Spade New York offers 15% off handbags, clothes, shoes, jewelry and decor. G-Star RAW, specializing in denim, offers student shoppers 20% off, and Lyle & Scott, with polo shirts for men and women, offers 15%.

Electronics and Software

• Adobe software bundle: Adobe Creative Cloud can help students bring their designs to life. A one-year subscription to the Adobe creative app package, which contains Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere Pro, is available to students for $20 a month—less than half the regular price.
• Apple software bundle: The Apple Pro Apps bundle is available to college students for a one-time cost of $200 instead of an annual subscription. It contains Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage.
• Electronics: Apple offers college students discounts on MacBook laptops, display monitors, iPads and other popular products. HP’s Education Store provides students with up to 40% off products and services with no student ID required. Microsoft offers 10% off its Surface products and other devices.
• Microsoft 365: The software giant extends a $2.99 per month subscription offer to students using Microsoft 365, which includes apps like Excel and Word.
• Cell service: College discounts are quite popular with cell providers. Verizon offers college students $10 off per month for 5G wireless and home internet plans, or $25 for two lines. AT&T gives students discounted monthly rates and may provide additional benefits depending on the student’s school. And students can save up to 30% on Samsung products through the company’s Galaxy Campus Store.
• Other gear: Photography-focused tech shop Adorama offers college students a discount program to purchase gear for their creative passions, from cameras to computers to microphones by brands like Panasonic, Sony and Fujifilm. Adorama uses SheerID to verify student status. Verification lasts one full year.

Food

• Groceries: Many grocery stores offer college students discounted rates on memberships, sometimes including free or discounted delivery. For example, Sam’s Club gives students 30% off memberships, Walmart offers discounted membership to its Walmart+ program and BJ’s Wholesale Club provides perks to new members enrolled in college.
• Delivery: Bring food from restaurants around your city to your door. Uber Eats gives college students $10 off their first order. Your Super, maker of health-focused organic foods, offers students a 20% discount.
• Meal kits: Several DIY meal kit providers offer deals to students who want to cook their meals but might not have lots of time or know-how. Hello Fresh gives students 15% off every box for a year, and Home Chef offers 18 free meals over a student’s first four boxes.
• Healthy alternatives: Huel, an online retailer of health-conscious convenience meals, offers college students 10% off its products. Misfits Health sells plant-based protein shakes and bars, and it provides students with 20% off.

Subscriptions and Services

• Music: The Apple Music student package costs $5.99/month and includes access to 100 million songs and 30,000 playlists, plus shows and movies on Apple TV+. Amazon Music Unlimited is free for college students for 30 days, after which they pay $5.99 per month. Spotify offers students a similar deal.
• Cybersecurity: To help students keep their private details private, NordVPN offers students two years of cybersecurity services at 77% off. Kaspersky Lab gives students 15% off its range of services.

Transportation and Travel

• Car: Many college students leave their wheels at home and rely on ride-sharing services and other transportation once they get to campus. Students at participating institutions qualify for special rates with the car-sharing service Zipcar. With a membership, students pay driving rates of $9.50 to $10.50 per hour and $79 per day. Gas and roadside maintenance services are included with a membership.
• Bus: German-based FlixBus—a provider of intercity bus travel with destinations across North America, South America, Europe and Asia—offers an 11% discount to college students. FlixBus vehicles have free Wi-Fi and more legroom than most planes. Bookings also cost considerably less than air travel.
• Plane: Student and youth travel brand StudentUniverse offers cheap flights for students, along with frequent additional discounts. Membership with the service is free.
• Hotel rooms: If you’re planning a well-earned vacation or trip home, online booking services like Hotels.com often provide room deals for college students, like up to 40% off summer travel. Promo codes can also stack on top of a student discount for additional savings.
• Other accommodation: Vacation rental service VRBO also offers group-stay packages and rooms under $100 per night, in addition to other undergrad deals.

Miscellaneous

• Online therapy: College students may experience depression, anxiety and difficulty managing life transitions. Though many schools offer counseling services, companies like Talkspace can supplement with online therapy. Students get $100 off their first month with Talkspace.
• Mind apps: Headspace, a mindfulness and meditation app, gives students an 85% discount off regular price. As a result, a Headspace annual membership for students is just $9.99.
• Auto insurance: Many new college students find themselves paying for auto insurance for the first time. State Farm reduces prices for drivers younger than 25 who have no accidents or traffic tickets in the past three years. Geico, Nationwide and other providers discounted rates for college students with good grades.

How To Qualify for College Student Discounts

Eligibility requirements for college student deals are usually straightforward. Here’s what to expect.

Enroll in a College or University

To receive a student discount, you must be enrolled in a college or another institute of higher learning. And you usually need proof. A student ID card works in many cases. In others, a valid college email address is required to verify student status.

Obtain a Student ID

Your student ID isn’t just useful on campus; it can also be your ticket to lower prices. Flashing it can save you big on dorm decor, music, entertainment and travel options.

Get Your College Email Address

Some vendors require you to provide a college email address, usually ending in .edu, to confirm your student status. The method is especially common in online shopping. It’s fast and should take only a few minutes.

Prepare for Third-Party Verification

Some discount offerings require you to prove your college enrollment status through third-party verification. Companies use deal sites like UNiDAYS and identity verification services like ID.me to confirm college student status, so be ready to sign up if required.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About College Student Discounts

What discounts do you get being a college student?

Many local and national businesses offer college students discounts on products and services such as study supplies, transportation and monthly streaming services. College students usually need to provide a valid photo student ID or .edu email address to claim their discounts.

Do college students get discounts anywhere?

Not all businesses offer student discounts, but many do. College students qualify for discounts on all sorts of products and services, from laptops to meditation apps. If you aren’t sure if your favorite businesses offer discounts, make sure to ask.

How do students get student discounts?

For many discounts, you just need to show your student ID card. Others require you to fill out online forms or provide a college email address for confirmation. Businesses occasionally ask for verification through a third-party platform like SheerID or ID.me.

How can you find student discounts?

If there’s a purchase you’re planning to make, it never hurts to ask the company or search its website to find out if it offers a student discount. You can also sign up on websites like SheerID, Student Beans, Unidays and StudentUniverse to browse discount offers for college students.