How to get an Apple student discount: Plus best Mac apps for students

You can buy certain Apple products at official student pricing in minutes by shopping through the dedicated Apple Education Store and verifying your enrollment online. If you shop in person, tell the Apple Specialist you’re a student or an educator before you check out.

How much can you save with Apple education pricing?

Here's a breakdown of the typical savings you'll see across Apple's product line:

Product category	Typical savings range with Apple education pricing
MacBook Air	$100 off
MacBook Pro	$100 to $200 off
iPad Air & iPad Pro	$50 to $100 off
AppleCare+ protection plans for Mac or iPad	10% off
iPhone	Not included
Apple Watch	$20 to $40 off

Apple’s Education Store also runs seasonal promotions. During the Back-to-School period (typically July through October), Apple includes bonus Apple Gift Cards or accessories with qualifying Mac or iPad purchases. For instance, as of September 2026, you can get a gift card of up to $150 when you buy a Mac or iPad.

Who's eligible for Apple Education pricing?

Apple extends its education discount beyond current students. Here's who qualifies:

• College and university students: Current or newly accepted higher education students are fully eligible.
• Parents buying on behalf of a student: Parents can buy discounted products for their children who attend or have been accepted to a higher education institution.
• Faculty and staff at any grade level: Employees (teachers, administrators, and support staff) of higher education and K–12 institutions qualify.
• Homeschool teachers: Educators who teach home-schooled students at any grade level are eligible, too.

There are a couple of ways you can confirm your eligibility. If you’re making a purchase online, verify through UNiDAYS, which is a free digital verification service and discount platform for college and university students. If you’re buying directly at the Apple Store, Apple specialists will verify your status by checking physical proof, such as a current faculty or student ID or an official acceptance letter.

How to claim your Apple education discount in three quick steps

If you’re making a purchase at a physical Apple Store, remember to bring a document that can prove your eligibility. An Apple specialist will help you.

If you’re shopping online, here’s what you should do to get a discount:

1. Head to Apple's Education Store. You'll be prompted to verify with UNiDAYS or Apple.
2. Sign in or create a UNiDAYS account and upload proof of enrollment (student ID, acceptance letter, or timetable).
3. Once verified, shop as usual. Discounted prices show up automatically in your cart.

The verification typically takes under five minutes. I uploaded a photo of my faculty ID and got approved while still browsing MacBook configurations. That said, during Back-to-School season, the approval of the document you uploaded may take up to 24 hours, so keep that in mind.

What proof do you need to get the Apple education discount?

Apple accepts several forms of verification through their UNiDAYS partnership:

• Current student ID card with your name and school
• Enrollment letter or acceptance letter
• Class schedule or timetable for the current term
• Tuition receipt or statement
• Faculty/staff ID or employment verification

Keep your documents handy before starting. The system accepts JPG, PNG, or PDF files under 10MB.

Common mistakes to avoid while using Apple student discount

Don't make these mistakes when claiming your education discount:

• Shopping through the regular Apple Store instead of the Education Store. The standard Apple Store doesn't show education pricing.
• Trying to use expired student documentation. You have to provide current-term documents.
• Expecting discounts on iPhones. iPhones aren't included in education pricing.
• Missing the Back-to-School promotion window for bonus items. While standard education prices are available year-round, you can claim Back-to-School offers only once a year, typically in late summer and early fall.

Remember that education pricing applies online and in physical Apple Stores. Just mention you're a student or educator when shopping in person.

Maximizing your Apple student savings

Beyond the standard education discount, here are additional ways to save:

• Trade in your old device: Apple accepts older Macs, iPads, and even Android phones for credit.
• Time your purchase: Wait for Back-to-School promotions (July through October) to get a bonus Apple Gift Card or bundled accessories.
• Check with your school: Some universities have additional partnerships with Apple.

I saved an extra $200 by trading in my 2020 MacBook Air when buying a new MacBook Pro with education pricing.

Stretch your new Mac even further with Setapp

When you get your MacBook Air student discount, you might be over the moon. But what’s a laptop without any apps you can use in your work and studies?

For that, I have a Setapp Membership, a subscription service that gives you access to 300+ Mac apps at once, saving you hundreds of dollars. You can get writing tools, math helpers, focus timers, and even AI models on Setapp. What’s more, as a student, you can get the same functionality at 20% off with the Setapp Educational discount.

Here are my favorite Setapp apps I’ve been using for studies:

• MarginNote is a perfect tool for taking notes. When you have thousands of pages worth of text that’s important for your next paper or exam, you want to arrange it in a way that makes sense to you. I use it for note-taking, annotation, mind-mapping, and creating flashcards. You can also design your study space exactly how you want it.

• Nitro PDF Pro allows you to read and edit any PDF documents you encounter in your school life. You can sign contracts, delete pages, merge multiple files, etc. But what I find particularly useful about Nitro PDF Pro is its Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. It means you can take a photo of any printed text, save it as a PDF, and Nitro PDF Pro will turn it into editable text you can annotate and rewrite as you see fit. If you work with PDFs a lot, here's a full breakdown of the best PDF editors for Mac to help you pick the right tool.

• I use Soulver for quick daily calculations. For example, you can write an expression like “$15 for lunch x 7 days + $20 for the taxi x 7 days” and get a quick answer. Other features I use are date and time calculations, and currency and time zone conversions.

• I also recommend Presentify for annotating presentations during online classes. You can draw directly on your screen, highlight your cursor, and even use your iPad as a drawing tablet.

For even more ways to keep costs down, this guide on the cheapest way to get Mac software is worth a read.

Make the most of your student budget

The Apple student discount is one of the easiest ways to save on a Mac or iPad. You don’t need any promo codes, no waiting, just verified pricing applied automatically at checkout. Stack it with a Back-to-School gift card promotion and a device trade-in to bring the total cost down significantly.

Once you've got your new Mac, the savings don't have to stop there. A Setapp Membership gives you access to 270+ Mac apps — note-taking with MarginNote, PDF editing with Nitro PDF Pro, smart calculations with Soulver, and presentation tools with Presentify. All for one flat monthly fee. And as a student, you get 20% off with the Setapp Educational discount. Try it free for 7 days.

FAQ

How much can I save with the Apple student discount?

Most Macs and iPads cost about 5–10% less in Apple's Education Store. You also get 10% off AppleCare+ and seasonal Back-to-School gift card deals worth up to $150. iPhones usually aren't included in education pricing.

Who can use Apple Education pricing?

Current college students, newly accepted students, parents buying for students, teachers at any grade level, and homeschool educators all qualify. Faculty and staff at educational institutions also get the discount, regardless of their specific role.

What proof do I need for an Apple student discount?

You'll need a current student ID, enrollment letter, class schedule, or faculty ID. Apple verifies through UNiDAYS, which accepts JPG, PNG, or PDF files.

How do I claim the discount online?

Visit the Apple Education Store, verify your status through UNiDAYS, then shop normally. Discounted prices appear automatically in your cart; no promo codes needed.

Is the Apple student discount available all year?

Yes, education pricing runs year-round. However, the best deals come during Back-to-School season (typically July through October) when Apple adds bonus incentives, such as gift cards or free accessories, to qualifying Mac and iPad purchases. The exact offer varies by year and region.

Can I use the student discount on an iPhone?

No, iPhones aren't included in education pricing. The discount applies only to Macs, iPads, accessories, Apple Watches, and AppleCare+ plans.

Product category	Typical savings range with Apple education pricing
MacBook Air	$100 off
MacBook Pro	$100 to $200 off
iPad Air & iPad Pro	$50 to $100 off
AppleCare+ protection plans for Mac or iPad	10% off
iPhone	Not included