The 2020-2021 school year was unprecedented for college students across the country, as many stayed home and did their classwork online. However, this year is looking to be more normal as schools welcome students back to campus.
But even if you’re still taking classes online, it doesn’t take the sting out of the ever-increasing expense of college and back-to-school supplies. According to consulting firm KPMG, the cost of school supplies for college students is expected to rise to an average of $320, up 13% from 2020.
To abate the rising costs of goods, plenty of retailers are offering discounts to college students, along with several states hosting sales tax holidays. There are ways to cut costs by simply showing your college ID, on everything from clothing to food to electronics.
Here’s an extensive list of discounts for college students, and a few credit card options to pair with those purchases to save even more:
Discounts on electronics
Apple: If you purchase an Apple product, such as a Macbook from the Apple Store, you can qualify for free accessories or discounts. At the time of publishing, Apple is giving away free AirPods and discounted AppleCare when you buy qualifying Mac and iPad models. And to save even further, the Apple Card gives you 3% cashback on all purchases made directly through Apple.
Best Buy: There’s no specific discount, however, you can enroll in the Best Buy Student Discount program to qualify for discounted products.
HP: Get up to 35% off when you register for the Education Store.
Lenovo: Until Aug. 22, save an extra 10% storewide.
Logitech: Up to 25% 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 Discount Program.
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 Select was able to verify.
Dunkin: Up to 10% off at participating locations.
Chick-Fil-A: Free small drink with any purchase.
Chipotle: Free drink with a meal purchase.
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 ($6.49/month) after that.
Evernote: Students can get up to 50% off of a full year of Evernote Personal.
Microsoft Office: Students are eligible to get the online version of Microsoft Office for free, 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 classmates, Slack is a great option they can use for free.
Discounts on furniture and home goods
Bed Bath and Beyond: Sign up for the College Savings Pass and get 20% off everything, along with free shipping on orders over $39.
Eight Sleep: Up to 10% off mattress and accessories.
Leesa: Up to 15% on select mattresses.
Overstock: Join Club O for free, and earn extra benefits including 5% back on all purchases, free returns, price match guarantee, and priority customer care.
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 25% off
Aeropostale: Up to 15% off
American Eagle: Up to 20% off
Calvin Klein: Up to 10% off
H&M: Up to 15% off
Meshki: Up to 15% off
Shein: Up to 15% 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 decide you want to earn cashback or to save up your miles for your next trip, a credit card is a useful tool to also build your credit score.
Here are several of the best credit cards for college students:
Discover it® Student Cash Back: You can earn 5% cashback on everyday purchases (on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases, then 1%) at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, 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: Cardholders earn 2% cashback at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn 1% cashback on all other purchases.
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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 Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card before publication.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any third party.