Discover and Bank of America cards are currently not available on CNBC Select and links have been redirected to our credit card marketplace where you can review offers from other issuers like American Express or Chase. You can also check out our list of best credit cards for alternative options.
From new backpacks to school supplies, electronics and clothes, back-to-school shopping can be expensive. According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-college spending will total $86.6 billion in 2024. On average, college students and their families will spend nearly $1,365 on these purchases.
There are ways to cut costs by simply showing your college ID. Retailers offer college students discounts on everything from clothing to food to electronics.
Here's a list of discounts for college students, and a few credit card options to pair with those purchases to save even more.
What we'll cover
Compare offers to find the best savings account
Discounts on electronics
- Apple: If you purchase an Apple product, such as a Macbook or iPad from the Apple Store, you can qualify for a gift card up to $150, 20% off AppleCare+ and more. To save even further, the Apple Card gives you 3% cash back on all purchases made directly through Apple.
- Best Buy: There's no specific discount, but you may be able to find special deals through the Back to School Student Hub.
- HP: Get up to 40% off when you register for the Education Store.
- Lenovo: Students can save an extra 5% storewide when verified through ID.me.
- Logitech: Up to 30% off when you join UNiDAYS.
- Microsoft: Receive up to 10% off on select products.
- Samsung: Up to 30% off when you register for the Education Offers Program.
Apple Card
Rewards
3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple (including Apple retail stores, the Apple online store, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music and other Apple-owned properties) on Uber and UberEats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com, in T-Mobile stores, at Nike, at Exxon and Mobil stations and at Panera Bread, 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.24% to 29.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
None
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
N/A
Terms apply.
Discounts at restaurants
Many restaurants don't advertise if they offer a student discount. However, if you are in a college town or major metropolitan city, call ahead to see if they do. These are the few that CNBC Select was able to verify.
- Arby's: Up to 10% off at participating locations.
- Buffalo Wild Wings: Up to 10% off at participating locations.
- Burger King: Up to 10% off at participating locations.
- Chick-fil-A: Free small drink with any purchase at participating locations.
- DoorDash: DashPass for Students plan available for $4.99/month.
- Dunkin': Up to 10% off at participating locations.
Discounts on software
Software is essential for nearly all college students, whether it's a subscription to a streaming service or a necessary program to complete a school project.
Here are the software subscriptions that give college student discounts:
- Adobe Creative Cloud: Students receive a steep discount for the entire Creative Cloud at $19.99 per month for the first 12 months.
- Amazon Prime Student: Free for the first six months, and then half-price ($7.49/month) after that.
- Evernote: Students can get up to 40% off of a full year of Evernote Professional.
- Microsoft Office: Students are eligible to get the online version of Microsoft 365 Personal for $2.99 per month, plus 1TB of online storage.
- Prezi: There's a free version, but students can upgrade for a modest $3 or $5 per month.
- Slack: For students wanting to communicate with fellow classmates, Slack is a great option they can use with an 85% discount on Pro or Business+ paid plans.
- Spotify: Spotify Premium Student is available for $5.99/month and includes access to Hulu (with ads) plan.
- Youtube Premium: Student plan available for $7.99/month.
Discounts on furniture and home goods
- Eight Sleep: Up to 6% off mattress and accessories.
- Leesa: Up to $50 off select mattresses.
- Bed Bath & Beyond: Up to 20% off on four purchases
- Pottery Barn: Up to 15% off
Discounts on clothing
There are an infinite number of clothing brands that give college students discounts. We've rounded up a list of the more widely known retailers currently offering discounts, but a more extensive list can be found on UNiDAYS.
- Adidas: Up to 15% off
- Aeropostale: Up to 15% off
- American Eagle: Up to 20% off
- Calvin Klein: Up to 20% off select items
- H&M: Up to 10% off
- J.Crew: Up to 15% off
- Meshki: Up to 15% off
- Nike: Up to 10% off
Best credit cards for college students
This is not an exhaustive list of everywhere you can save money with your college ID, so be sure to call your favorite retailer to see if they offer discounts.
In addition to discounts, using a credit card can help you save even further on your purchases. Whether you want to earn cash back or save up your miles for your next trip, a credit card is a useful tool to also build your credit score. Just make sure you use your credit card wisely and try to pay off your balance in full each month.
Here are several of the best credit cards for college students:
- Discover it® Student Cash Back: You can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases (on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases, then 1%) for rotating categories each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, 1% on all other purchases. (See the full Discover cash-back calendar here.)
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students: You can earn 1.5X points per $1 spent on each purchase. The points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or statement credits to pay for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars or baggage fees.
- Discover it® Student Chrome: You can earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Information about Discover cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students credit card
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases
Welcome bonus
25,000 online bonus points after you spend at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, which can be redeemed for a $250 statement credit toward qualifying travel and dining purchases
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% APR for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account.
Regular APR
17.49% to 27.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
3% of each transaction intro balance transfer fee for the first 60 days from account opening, then 4%
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
Terms apply.
Information about Discover cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Who can qualify for college student discounts?
Almost anyone attending college or another higher learning institute can qualify for a college student discount. It is based on active status as a student and there is typically no age maximum or minimum. Proof of enrollment is usually required by entering your student email address, verifying your information through a third party or showing your student ID.
How student discounts work
Student discounts are a way to save money from big ticket items to everyday purchases. Most student discounts require verification of enrollment in a college or other institute of higher learning. These discounts can include free items, percentage discounts or specific dollar amounts off.
FAQs
How can I find more student discounts?
You can find student discounts through websites such as UNiDAYS, Student Beans and ID.me which keep an updated list of available student discounts. There is also the option to apply for a student discount card such as an International Student Identity Card (ISIC).
Do steaming services offer student discounts?
A number of streaming services offer student discounts, including Peacock, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.
Do graduate students qualify for college student discounts?
Most student discounts are catered toward undergraduate students, but there are plenty of student discounts that extend to graduate students too. You will still need to provide proof of enrollment into a graduate program through your student email address or with a verifier such as UNiDAYS or ID.me.
Should college students have credit cards?
Having a credit card as a college student is an added responsibility, but it can help to raise your credit score and build your credit history. When managed properly, student credit cards can save you money through points and rewards on eligible purchases.
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of financial products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date
Read more
For rates and fees for the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here
For rates and fees for the Discover it® Student Chrome, click here
Information about the Apple Card and the Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
