Student Discounts and More: 6 Offers and How Each Checks You

The discount was there the whole time. It cost one question: "Do you have a student discount?" Then, usually, a second one: "How do you check?"

These are six student discounts, with teacher and military offers mixed in, each with who qualifies and how it verifies you. I haven't claimed them myself for this piece. Every detail comes from the program's own page or a verification service's help page, checked on 14 October 2026, and programs change often.

Quick answer: The best student discounts are tied to verified status: Apple Education pricing, Spotify Premium Student and the 16-25 Railcard, plus MilTax and Lowe's for military users. Each checks you differently, through SheerID, ID.me, DEERS or photo ID, so confirm the method and your eligibility before you rely on a price.

How were these student discounts chosen?

Each one passed three tests:

• It's official: the provider's own page describes it.
• The proof is knowable: you can find out what verification it asks for.
• It's worth the effort: it covers something people actually buy or use.

The catch: I list prices only where a page states them. Where it doesn't, I say so and you confirm at checkout.

The 6 best student, teacher and military discounts

1. Apple Education pricing

Verdict: The biggest-ticket student discount here, and it covers teachers and some parents too.

• What it is: Apple's education policy covers K-12 employees, higher-education faculty, staff and students attending or accepted into a US or Puerto Rico institution, and parents buying for such a student.
• How to claim: shop the Education Store online or in an Apple store. The policy page doesn't say how eligibility is checked, only that Apple may require extra qualifying information. UNiDAYS says its staff accounts give access to Apple Education savings.
• What you might save: Apple's page lists no percentage. Its store shows education prices, so compare against the standard price.

The catch: there are yearly limits, such as one MacBook and two iPads. Apple audits purchases and can charge the difference from the public price if you weren't eligible.

Best for: laptop and tablet buyers. Skip it if: you're not enrolled, employed or buying for a student.

2. MilTax

Verdict: Free tax filing for the military community, with human help.

• What it is: free tax preparation and e-filing software, with consultants trained in military-specific tax situations. Its page lists National Guard, Reserves, service members, spouses, survivors and transitioning service members.
• How to claim: verify eligibility through DEERS, the Defense Department's enrollment database, on Military OneSource.
• What you might save: the cost of tax software or a preparer, which varies.

The catch: the page doesn't mention veterans or say how many returns are covered. The IRS has said certain veterans and up to five state returns are included, so confirm which applies to you. Our websites that save you money list covers IRS Free File as the alternative.

Best for: service members and families. Skip it if: you can't be verified in DEERS.

3. Spotify Premium Student

Verdict: A cheaper plan that needs a yearly check.

• What it is: a discounted Premium plan for college and university students, with Hulu (with ads) included at no extra cost.
• How to claim: verify through SheerID, a verification service, by logging into your school's portal or uploading proof of enrolment. Spotify says SheerID's confirmation email can take several days.
• What you might save: Spotify's support page states no price, so compare it with the standard plan in your country.

The catch: Spotify says the plan runs for up to 4 years and you must reverify every 12 months. If your school isn't on the SheerID form, you're not eligible, and mobile billing and third-party payments aren't accepted.

Best for: students who already stream daily. Skip it if: you pay through your phone carrier and can't switch.

4. 16-25 Railcard (UK)

Verdict: The best UK rail saving for young adults.

• What it is: a Railcard that takes a third off rail fares for ages 16 to 25, and for full-time mature students aged 26 and over, costing £35 for a year or £80 for three.
• How to claim: buy online or at a staffed station with a passport, UK driving licence or EEA identity card, plus a photo. Mature students also need a signed form from their college or university.
• What you might save: a third off eligible fares, so it pays back faster the more you travel.

The catch: the page describes a £12 minimum fare on weekday mornings, with exemptions for advance tickets, but gives two different cutoff times. Check the exact times before you travel. You must buy a 1-year card before your 26th birthday, or a 3-year card before your 24th.

Best for: students who travel by train. Skip it if: you rarely leave town.

5. Lowe's military discount

Verdict: A flat 10% with clear rules, if you can live with the exclusions.

• What it is: 10% off eligible full-price purchases for current or former US military, including verified spouses, plus MyLowe's Rewards Silver status.
• How to claim: enrol through ID.me at Lowes.com/military/validation. Online, the discount applies at checkout. In store, give your phone number and a valid photo ID.
• What you might save: 10% of eligible items, with no annual maximum, according to the page.

The catch: it excludes sale items, major appliances, certain commodities such as plywood and cable, gift cards, and services like installation and delivery. Lowe's can change or end it at any time.

Best for: full-price tools and supplies. Skip it if: your purchase is mostly appliances or sale stock.

6. Home Depot military savings

Verdict: Worth checking, but the current page is vague.

• What it is: Home Depot's military page offers up to 10% off select in-stock items. A 2022 company article described 10% off eligible items for veterans, active service members and spouses.
• How to claim: register your account, then show it at checkout. The 2022 article pointed to SheerID for registration help.
• What you might save: up to 10% on select items.

The catch: the current page doesn't define eligibility, the verification method, exclusions or an annual limit, and the 2022 article is more than a year old. Confirm everything with the store before you rely on it.

Best for: shoppers already buying at Home Depot. Skip it if: you need to know the exact price before you shop.

How do you prove you're eligible?

Most offers outsource the check. Knowing the methods saves time.

ID.me

• Students: ID.me asks for active enrolment at an accredited US or Canadian college, age 18 or over, and doesn't require a school email. It asks for a document only if it can't find your enrolment.
• Military: you give service details and may confirm a .mil email or upload a military document.
• Teachers: you verify as a current educator, either through your state teaching licence or by uploading documentation.

The catch: ID.me is a third party, and you choose Allow before it shares your information with the retailer. Start from the retailer's checkout, not a link in an ad.

UNiDAYS

• Who qualifies: UNiDAYS says students need a personal institution email, portal login or institution-issued student ID, and must be over 16. Staff and educators can get staff accounts.
• Proof: if those don't work, manual document review can take up to 48 hours.
• Not accepted: alumni email addresses and general providers like Gmail or Yahoo.

The catch: verification lasts one year at a time, so renew before it lapses.

What mistakes lose people these discounts?

• Not asking. Many discounts aren't shown unless you open a student or military page.
• Verifying with the wrong email. A Gmail address won't work with UNiDAYS.
• Missing the renewal. Spotify and UNiDAYS both reverify yearly.
• Assuming a discount stacks. Lowe's excludes purchases combined with other discounts.
• Missing a claim-by date. Some student offers expire, like the one in our Google AI Pro free for students guide.

For more ways to cut a bill, see how to find hidden discounts online and our free student software guide.

My take and next step

The best student discounts reward the person who asks, then keeps the paperwork. My pick: start with Apple Education pricing if you need a laptop, and MilTax if you're military, because both replace a large one-off cost. Skip this if: you'd have to buy something you don't need to use a discount.

Next step: pick one offer and check eligibility on its official page today, before your next purchase. More ways to save are in the Money-Saving Guides hub.

Last checked: 14 October 2026, against the Apple, Military OneSource, Spotify, Railcard, Lowe's, Home Depot, ID.me and UNiDAYS pages. Offers, prices and eligibility change often, so confirm them on the official page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still qualify after I graduate?

Usually not for student plans. Spotify says its student plan runs up to 4 years with yearly reverification, and UNiDAYS says alumni email addresses aren't accepted. Check each offer's terms about what happens when your status ends, and set a reminder before you lose the discount.

Can a teacher or homeschool parent get these deals?

Sometimes. Apple's policy includes K-12 employees and homeschool teachers, and ID.me verifies current educators. Student-only plans like Spotify's and the Railcard's don't apply. Look for a teacher or staff version of each offer.

Is it safe to upload an ID or enrolment letter?

Only to the verification service itself. ID.me and UNiDAYS both accept documents when automatic checks fail. Start from the retailer's own page, read what you're agreeing to, and never send documents to someone who contacts you first.