Being a student gets you a lot of the same apps for less. But every company checks in its own way, and most make you prove it again every year. Here's what each one costs and what it asks for.
Streaming and music
| Plan | Student price | Free trial | How they check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify Premium Student | $6.99 a month | 1 month | SheerID |
| Apple Music Student | $6.99 a month | 1 month, new subscribers | UNiDAYS or SheerID |
| YouTube Premium (with Google AI Pro) | $8.99 a month | Not stated | SheerID |
- Spotify: you need to be 18 or older at a US Title IV accredited college or university, and you can't have had Premium before. It currently includes Hulu (With Ads), subject to eligibility. You re-verify every 12 months, for up to 4 years in total.
- Apple Music: for college students in an associate, bachelor's or graduate program. It comes with Apple TV at no extra cost. Student pricing lasts up to 48 months while you're still a student. After that, or if you don't re-verify, it turns into a regular individual plan.
- YouTube Premium: YouTube's August 2026 post says eligible US college students can get YouTube Premium plus Google AI Pro for $8.99 a month. It doesn't work on school-issued accounts. You re-verify every year, for up to 4 years. If you already pay for YouTube Premium, you have to cancel that first.
Amazon Prime for Young Adults
Anyone 18 to 24 qualifies, and so do students at a two- or four-year college. You get a 6-month trial for $0, then $7.49 a month or $69 a year. New members only. Amazon checks your age with a driver's license, passport or ID card. Students can use a .edu email instead.
School and work tools
- Microsoft Office: students with an eligible school email can get Office 365 A1 for free. That's the web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, not the full desktop apps. Microsoft can re-check your eligibility at any time.
- GitHub Student Developer Pack: free for students 13 and older in a degree- or diploma-granting program, including high school and homeschool. You apply with a photo of your school ID showing current enrollment, a class schedule, a transcript or an enrollment letter. Some schools require a school email instead. It includes GitHub Pro and GitHub Copilot for verified students.
- Adobe Creative Cloud Pro: $19.99 a month for the first year, then $39.99 a month. It's an annual plan billed monthly, with a 7-day free trial. For students 13 and older at an accredited school. The buyer has to be 18 or older with a credit card. Adobe may ask for a school email or a document like a student ID.
Apple education pricing
Apple's US education pricing is for college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for a college student, and teachers and staff at all levels. Apple's terms set yearly limits, like 1 MacBook and 2 iPads a year. The 2026 back-to-school promo ended September 24, so right now it's just the education price.
My tip: put every re-verify date in your calendar. Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube all ask you to prove it again each year, and Apple Music switches to the regular price if you don't.
Use your own school info. Every one of these checks that you're the student. Prices can change, so look at the sign-up page before you pay.