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Student Discounts, Explained

A school email can open free or cheaper plans for software, music and devices. Here is how verification usually works, and which programs are worth a look.

How student verification usually works

  1. Check that the offer fits you

    Most student programs are for people currently enrolled at an accredited school. Some also cover educators, and some set an age limit.

  2. Verify on the brand's own page

    Some brands check your school email. Others use a verification service such as SheerID, which matches you to school records or asks for a document.

  3. Re-verify when you are asked

    Many plans check again each year. Spotify's student plan, for example, runs for up to four years and is re-verified every 12 months.

  4. Plan for graduation

    When you stop qualifying, a student plan usually ends or moves to the normal price. Note the renewal date so it does not surprise you.

Student programs worth checking

  • GitHub Student Developer Pack

    Free GitHub Pro while you are a student, plus offers from partner tools. For verified students.

  • Microsoft 365 Education

    Office 365 Education is free for eligible students and teachers through their school.

  • Notion Education Plan

    A free one-member workspace for students at accredited colleges. It needs your school email as the main address and a yearly check.

  • Figma for Education

    Figma and FigJam are free for students and educators in a structured classroom, after you verify.

  • Autodesk Education

    One year of free access for eligible students and educators, renewed while you stay eligible. Proof of enrolment is checked; a school email alone is not enough.

  • Spotify Premium Student

    A reduced price for students over 18 at an accredited higher-education school.

  • Apple education pricing

    For current and newly accepted college students, their parents, and faculty and staff.

Offers change often, so read the current terms on the official page before you sign up. Student offers are for eligible students; using an address or document you are not entitled to breaks the offer's terms.

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Questions Students Ask

What is a .edu email address?

It is an address on the .edu domain, which is reserved for U.S. postsecondary schools with institutional accreditation. EDUCAUSE runs the domain, and each school issues addresses to its own students and staff.

Who can use student discounts?

People currently enrolled at a school the offer covers. Each brand sets its own rules: some include educators, some require an age of 18 or more, and many check eligibility through a verification service.

What happens to student plans after I graduate?

Most plans end or switch to the regular price when you no longer qualify, often at the next yearly re-verification. Check the renewal date so you can decide in time.

How do I keep my school email safe?

Turn on two-step verification, and be careful with messages that ask you to "verify your student status" through a link. Start from the brand's own website instead.

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