When I was an undergrad at Carnegie Mellon, I knew all the ways my student ID got me a student discount or freebie. Whether it was a 10 percent discount at a store or free bus rides, my student ID was great!
A few years later, when I started an MBA, I got another student ID and had to re-learn all the places I could use it!
Fortunately, my work is your gain – here are some of the best freebies available for college students. Make the cash you earn at your college job go a little bit further!
Table of Contents
First: Always Ask for a Discount!
Not every merchant lists their student discounts online and there might be tons of local places near you that offer student discounts that I’ll never know about – so as accurate as I can try to be on my list, nothing beats asking.
Everyone knows college isn’t free and college students are usually cash poor.
Anywhere you go, remember to ask if there is a discount for students. If the answer is yes – whip out your student ID. Win! If the answer is no – no harm in asking!
Free Student Checking Bank Accounts
Many banks offer free checking for students, including:
If you are OK with online banking, you can often get a better deal with an online bank – higher interest rates, lower fees, low or no minimums. No student requirements here.
Here is a full list of the best student bank accounts.
You Need a Budget
Budgeting is much simpler when you’re a student. Very little income, few expenses, and all the numbers are much smaller.
It’s also the best time to start budgeting because it is so simple! And because You Need a Budget is free for college students!
👉 Learn more about YNAB Student
Amazon Student
With Amazon Student you get a variety of discounts on a lot of Amazon services, including Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Music Unlimited, GrubHub, and Prime Video . Plus free two-day shipping.
Art and Museum Admission
Check your local museums and fine arts programs. They usually offer discounts or free admission to area universities with a valid student ID.
Big Student Discounts
And here’s my best shot at collecting all the student discounts available at nationally represented stores or service providers.
First, some of these require that you join Student Advantage. It’s a discount card for students with an annual fee ($30 as of this writing) but gives you access to a litany of discounts.
Others may have a relationship with UNiDAYS, similar to Student Advantage except it’s free. You need to confirm that you are a student (either logging into your university account or via your university email) but otherwise, you get access to discounts and cashback rewards.
Lastly, you may have read elsewhere about getting free drinks, discounts, or other perks at various quick-service restaurants. These are highly region-specific, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Onto the list:
Clothing
Entertainment
From going to the movies to listening to music, you can get a discount.
Furniture
- Pottery Barn – 10% off when you use your .edu address or show a valid student ID
Cell Phone Plans
Most cell phone carriers offer business, educator, and military discounts. Your university or insurance provider might offer a special discount. Prepaid cell phone plans might offer a lower price even without a college student discount.
Electronics
Unlike clothing retailers with 10% or 20% off, electronics usually offer special educational models or pricing:
Food
When dining locally, always ask if there is a student discount, even at chain restaurants. If it’s a franchise, the owner can decide on these discounts.
Health and Cosmetics
- AAptiv – 50% off monthly and annual plans. This is a fitness app that can help you lose weight or improve your health with audio guided programs via UNiDAYS
- BH Cosmetics – 10% off online via UNiDAYS
- bioClarity – 15% off skincare products when using the discount code STUDENT15
- Bobbi Brown – 20% off online via UNiDAYS
- MAC Cosmetics – 10% off online via UNiDAYS
- Sally Beauty – Get a free Beauty Student Savings card for exclusive monthly discounts. Cosmetology students can upgrade to a Pro card for extra savings.
- Sigma – Discounts available, details vary
Insurance
Being a good student proves that you’re responsible. Responsible people pay less for insurance.
- Allstate – student discounts on car insurance
- American Family – student discount on car insurance for those on the Dean’s list.
- Geico – 15% discount for being a good student
- Nationwide – car insurance discounts available for students with at least a B average.
- Progressive – 10% discount for students with at least a B average
- State Farm – 25% discount for good grades
Knowledge
Software
Companies love to give free software to students because it introduces you to their software at a time when you’re least able to pay and most likely to form your usage habits.
Start by going to your school’s IT department to see what software they have available (for example, here’s the free software page of the University of Pittsburgh students). Many universities have a large number of seat licenses that enable you to use the software like you would borrow a book from the library. It’ll cost you nothing and you can get access to a lot of great (and expensive) software packages.
Here are a few companies that give out free software specifically to students:
Travel
Miscellaneous
- Ableton – 50% off music creation software
- Costco – $40 Costco gift card with a new Executive membership and $20 gift card a new Gold Star membership
- Evernote – 40% Evernote Professional for students note-taking app
- DuoLingo – 2 months free via UNiDAYS
- GM – Discounts on GM vehicles to current students or anyone who has graduated in the past two years.
- Headspace – 85% off this meditation app
- Peleton – 6.99 per month for students
- Purple – 10% off mattresses
- Sam’s Club – 60% off a Club membership or $50 off a Club Plus membership.
- Stanley – student discounts available
- TickTick – 25% off task management app
- Budget Truck Rental – Up to 20% off moving truck rentals. Use discount code TRUKU.
- Penske – 10% off rental trucks and a few other perks (unlimited miles and no underage surcharge are huge)
- SMARTBOX – Moving and storage discounts
- Zipcar – Discounts for car rentals at participating universities. There can be big savings if you’re renting under age 25 – some rental agencies won’t rent, period.
And if it’s your birthday, check out this list of restaurants that give you free food!
If you know of a discount not on this list (or one that is on the list but no longer offered), email me and I’ll update this.