As a college student, we often find ourselves strained for money. Many of us may be living off of student loans and/or have a part-time job just to get by while in college. Others even work full-time jobs while going to school (you guys are rockstars). Because of this situation, student discounts can be a lifesaver – and thankfully there’s plenty of them!
99+ Student Discounts
How to Get Student Discounts.
To get a student discount you usually need one of two things, your student ID or a .edu email address. (Depending on the establishment, you may also need to prove your enrollment with a class schedule or transcript.)
If you’re not sure if a location as a student discount, the best thing to do is just ask! It doesn’t hurt to try and you may be surprised when they do have one. Also, consider getting an International Student Identity Card as it’ll grant you many student discounts from all over the world.
Food.
Let’s be honest, food is the most important discount. It’s essential to living so we might as well take advantage of the savings while we can!
The majority of national food chains leave the decision to offer a student discount up to the franchise store owner. Franchises located in college towns are more likely to offer student discounts. Discounts may vary by location. Deals only available on select days are indicated with a *.
Arby’s – 10% off
Buca di Beppo – 10% off family style
Buffalo Wild Wings – 10% off
Burger King – 10% off
Chick-fil-a – Free drink
Chipotle – Free drink
Dairy Queen – 10% off
bd’s Mongolian Grill – $9.99 Stirfry Bowl*
Dominos – 20% off
Dunkin’ Donuts – 10% off
Firehouse Subs – 10% off
Hard Rock Cafe – Discounted menu with an International Student Identity Card
Kroger – 5% off
McDonald’s – 10% off
Papa John’s Pizza – 10-20% off
Pizza Hut – 10-20% off
Qdoba – $5 Burrito or Free Drink
Schlotzky’s – 10-20% off
Shari’s – 10% off
Shoney’s – 15% off
Subway – 10% off
Sweet Tomatoes – 10% off Salad Buffet
Taco Bell – 10% off
Taco Cabana – 20% off
Taco John’s – 10% off
TCBY – 15% off
Waffle House – 10% off
Along with these discounts, keep in mind that many coffee and smoothie shops offer punch cards. These can be an added benefit on top of your student discount!
Clothing.
As a student you probably fall into one of two categories, you’re either one that skims by on the clothes you already have or you love to splurge and buy new clothes for new experiences. Either way, you should always use your student discount when you can. Also, don’t forget that many retail stores offer first-time purchase discounts with a new email address.
Student discounts at retail stores usually cannot be used with any other offer. Discounts may vary by location. Many stores only offer in-store discounts, as indicated with *.
Adidas – 15% off + Free Shipping
Alex & Ani – 15% off *
Ann Taylor – 15% off *
Amazon Prime Student – 6 Months Free + 50% off Annual Subscription
American Eagle – 20% off
ASOS – 10 off%
Banana Republic – 15% off *
Boohoo – 35% off
Charlotte Russe – 10% off *
Club Monaco – 15% off
Dr. Martens – 15% off
Eddie Bauer – 15% off *
Express – 15% off
Forever 21 – 10% off (On certain dates)
Goodwill – 10% off *
HauteLook – Up to 75% off
J.Crew – 15% off
Juicy Couture – 15% off *
Kate Spade – 15% off *
Levi’s – 15% off
Madewell – 15% off *
Missguided – 50% off
ModCloth – 15% off
Nasty Gal – 60% off
PacSun – 10% off
Steve Madden – 10% off *
Topshop – 10% off
The Limited – 10% off
TOMS – 10% off first order
UGG – 10% off
Urban Outfitters – 10% off (On certain dates)
Decor & Homeware.
No matter if you’re studying interior design or you just have a passion to decorate your dorm room, these student discounts will come in handy.
Student discounts at retail stores usually cannot be used with any other offer. Discounts may vary by location. Many stores only offer in-store discounts, as indicated with *.
Amazon Prime Student – 6 Months Free + 50% off Annual Subscription
Goodwill – 10% off *
Pier 1 – 15% off *
PB Teen – 15% off
West Elm – 15% off
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtnhYKFaF8/
Tech & Software + Apps.
If you don’t already, you’ll need a laptop for college along with a few other programs. Your first stop should be your school bookstore as they often give discounts to students. Don’t worry, there are plenty of other discounts that you can use if the bookstore isn’t your jam.
Academic Superstore – Varies
Adobe – up to 80% off
Apple – Varies
B&H Photo Video – Varies
Best Buy – Varies
Dell – Varies
Headspace – 90% off
HP – up to 35% off
JourneyEd – Varies
Microsoft – 10%+ off
Norton – 50%
Logitech – Varies
Lenovo – Varies
Sony – Varies
Spotify – $4.99/mo + Hulu + Showtime
Fitness.
Along with the gym discounts listed below, check out your school’s gyms as you probably have a free membership there as well! Many school gyms also offer free fitness classes or highly discounted personal training sessions.
24 Hour Fitness – $32/month
Anytime Fitness – Varies by location
Corepower Yoga – Varies by location
Gold’s Gym – Select locations offer 50% off
Life Time – Varies
Movie Theaters.
Grab some popcorn and enjoy a movie with your friends – definitely worth it when you get a discount. Each theater offers student discounts based by location, so check your local theater beforehand!
AMC Theaters
Cinemark
Regal Cinemas
Travel.
When you go off on one of your many adventures, take advantage of the travel student discounts that are offered to you! Here’s a great article by Skyscanner about getting student discounted flights.
International:
Find flights, hotels, and activities specifically priced for students on the following websites:
Student Universe
STA Travel
Travelosophy
Ski Resorts.
If you’re from a mountainous state (or travel there often) one of my favorite student discounts is for mountain resorts! Annual ski lift tickets can be pricey and you can usually get a really good deal as a student – take advantage of this while you can!!
Since moving to one of the most mountainous states in the country I’m bummed that I can no longer use my student discount (holla class of ’16!) when I go snowboarding. Thankfully, I still fall under the ‘young adult’ discount. 🙂
Snowpak has a great article on the best ski resorts for college students. Not only could you get a huge discount on your lift tickets but the atmosphere will be exactly what you’re looking for.
Newspaper.
Go a bit old-school and subscribe to a well-known newspaper at a HIGHLY discounted rate. Not only will you keep up with local and world news, but you’ll also help keep the newspaper industry alive.
Wallstreet Journal – $1 for 15 weeks
New York Times – 4 weeks free, then $1/week
The Economist – $12 for 12 weeks
Your Alumni Association.
Join your school’s student alumni association and you may be surprised by the additional student discounts you’ll have access to. Here is a list of the discounts that Iowa State University offer’s their alumni members.
Take advantage of all your student discounts while you can. They can end up saving you so much money and are extremely helpful when you’re already on a tight budget.
Read the previous version of this post: The Ultimate list of 35+ Student Discounts