MSE Update, August 2017: The below information is from 2016 – see Apple student deals for the most up-to-date information.
Technology juggernaut Apple doesn’t offer widespread discounts and its products aren’t MoneySaving, but there is a way to take a bite out of the cost of Apple Macs, iPads and more – up to 10% off the normal price, which could save you up to £200 on the most high-spec product.
Officially, this year-round offer is geared towards university students and teachers, but if you’re neither, you can still be smart and benefit from the discount as the broad eligibility criteria means just about anyone can get this offer (see who it’s for below).
What’s more, until Mon 5 Sep, you can grab an extra bonus to make the deal more fruitful – a pair of Beats headphones that would normally cost £117-£225, when you buy certain products via the Apple for Education* website or in-store.
Up to 10% off Apple products year-round… who’s eligible?
The amount of education discount you’ll be offered depends on what you’re buying and whether you’re a uni student (or the parent of one) or a staff member at an education establishment – even if you work in the office not the classroom.
You can get up to 10% off Mac products and up to 5% off iPads. There isn’t a discount on iPhones but they are eligible for the Beats offer (see below).
We’ve done some number crunching on five examples:
- 13 inch MacBook Pro (non-retina)* (norm £899) – £808.80 for students (10% off), £844.80 for teachers/education workers (6% off).
- 15 inch Macbook Pro 2.5Ghz 512GB* (norm £1,999) – £1,798.80 for students (10%), £1,839.60 for teachers/education workers (8%).
- 11 inch MacBook Air* (norm £749) – £674.40 for students (10%), £704.40 for teachers/education workers (6%).
- 21.5 inch iMac* (norm £899) – £808.80 for students (10%), £844.80 for teachers/education workers (6%).
- 9.7 inch iPad Pro* (norm £499) – £474 for students (5%), £478.80 for teachers/education workers (4%).
How do you get the discount? To order online, go to the Apple for Education* website and select which product you’re interested in. You’ll then be asked to sign up (or log in) to discount scheme Unidays using your uni or education workplace email address for verification. The education discounts should then be automatically applied. If you’re unable to sign up to Unidays or you don’t want to give it your data, you can call Apple on 0800 048 0408 and it’ll verify you with your ID or acceptance letter and you can continue your purchase over the phone.
Alternatively, go to an Apple Store (find your nearest*) and show your ID card, letter of acceptance or payslip. Parents can also do this on behalf of their child.
‘Free’ Beats headphones when buying a Mac/iPad/iPhone (till Mon 5 Sep)
If you buy certain products through the Apple for Education scheme until Mon 5 Sep, in addition to the discount, you can get Beats wireless headphones, which normally cost £117-£225:
- Buying a MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or iMac. You can get a pair of Beats Solo2* wireless headphones. Apple says the RRP is £269.95 but we’ve seen them widely available for £225.
- Buying an iPad Pro, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus. You can get a pair of Beats PowerBeats2* wireless headphones. Apple says the RRP is £169.95 but we’ve seen them widely available for £117. If you want the Beats Solo2 instead, you can, but you’ll have to pay £100 towards it.
You can only get this offer with the products above (so not the iPad Air or iPad Mini, for example).
How do you get the Beats? Once you’ve selected an eligible Apple product, you’ll then be asked to choose which colour Beats headphones you want (or opt to not receive Beats at all). You’ll then see the RRP price of the Beats has been added to the cost of your Mac, iPad or iPhone – don’t be concerned as this will be deducted once you reach the checkout.
Of course, if you don’t actually want the Beats headphones, you could sell them to make a bigger saving. See our guide on selling or trading in unwanted items.
Not a student, teacher or other education worker?
Provided you know someone who’s studying at uni or working at a school, college or uni, you can in theory get the discount if that person’s willing to go and buy the goods for you. As far as we can see, this isn’t a breach of the terms and conditions. Of course, you’ll have to decide whether it’s morally okay – as this is a scheme designed specifically for people in education.
Will you be taking advantage of this offer, or have you bought a Mac or iPad through the Apple for Education scheme before? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @MSE_Deals
