Student Discounts in Australia: The Complete Guide

The short version

• A student discount is a special price, free trial or extra that a business offers to people who are studying. Each business sets its own rules.
• You usually need to prove you are a student, with a student email address, a student ID card or a student platform.
• Discounts come online and in store, so it pays to check both.
• Offers change and end. Check the details on the offer's own page before you buy.
• A student price is not always the cheapest. Compare it with the normal price and any current sale.

What counts as a student discount?

It can be a percentage off, a lower fixed price, a free trial, an extra such as more baggage or a free item, or an exclusive plan. Some are year-round, some are for a limited time, and some apply only to certain products or locations. Businesses decide who counts as a student, so the rules differ from offer to offer.

Where to find student discounts

• Online. Browse online student discounts from Australian and global brands. Each offer links to the brand's own page.
• Near you. Use local student discounts to find cafes, shops and services near your campus or suburb, or look by campus or city, such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
• By category. Browse deals by type, including travel and transport, tech and electronics and entertainment.
• Student platforms. UNiDAYS, Student Beans and Student Edge give you access to offers from many brands. See our comparison of the three.
• The brand's own site. Many brands have an education or student page. Look for a link in the footer or search for the brand name plus "student discount".

How to prove you are a student

• A student email address. Many online offers accept the email address your institution gave you. Some stores ask for one ending in .edu.au.
• A student platform. UNiDAYS and Student Beans both say you can verify with your institution email, or with a student ID card. Each asks you to re-verify about once a year. Student Edge has its own membership. Details are in our platform comparison.
• A third-party check. Some services, such as Spotify and YouTube, verify students through a service called SheerID.
• Your student ID card. For many in-store offers you show your card when you pay. Carry it with you, and check whether the offer needs a physical card or a digital one.
• Proof of enrolment. Some brands accept an enrolment letter, a timetable or a similar document.

Guides to specific kinds of student discount

• Student discount laptops in Australia: where student pricing is available and what to check before you buy.
• Apple student discount in Australia: who qualifies and how the education store works.
• Student discount flights in Australia: the main types of student flight deals.
• Student streaming discounts in Australia: music and video student plans and free trials.

What to check before you use a discount

1. Eligibility. Check who the offer is for, such as full-time students only, an age range, or students at certain institutions. Some offers are open to international students and some are not, so read the conditions.
2. How it is claimed. Online offers may need a code, a link or a verification step. In-store offers may need your card.
3. What it covers. Look for exclusions, such as sale items, certain products or specific days.
4. How long it lasts. Check the end date, and whether a student price or trial changes to a normal price afterwards.
5. The total price. Include delivery and any fees, and compare with the standard price elsewhere.

Tips to get the most from student discounts

• Set up your verification early. Register with a platform and keep your student email handy, so you can claim a deal when you need it.
• Re-verify on time. Platforms ask you to confirm your status again, and offers can stop working if you let it lapse.
• Check the brand's own page. Terms can change, and the brand's page shows the latest.
• Watch free trials. Most turn into paid plans automatically, so note the end date.
• Keep your details safe. Only sign up through a platform's or brand's own website or app, and do not share your student account.
• Compare. A sale price can beat a student discount, and some offers cannot be combined.