With back-to-school season almost upon us, a new Apple device might be at the top of your shopping list. Although Apple doesn't traditionally hold sales, the tech brand typically rolls out special offers ahead of the back-to-school season—like free AirPods or gift cards rather than actual discounts.
Apple’s back-to-school promotions page has officially been updated for the 2026-2027 school year, with information on buying the latest Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch with what they call “education pricing.” And spoiler, eligible purchases can still get you a $100-$150 Apple gift card on future purchases.
But here’s the kicker—if this is the latest on Apple’s back-to-school offerings, the promo seems tighter than ever. I’ll break down everything we know, including how to unlock special education savings, free engravings, and discounted Creator Studio subscriptions. Plus, I’ve gathered together a bunch of Apple items you could find on sale at other retailers, like Amazon or Walmart.
SHOP APPLE EDUCATION DISCOUNTS
How to unlock Apple’s “Education Savings”
Up until last year, Apple operated on an honor system when it came to offering students and educators discounts during the back-to-school season. Now to access savings, you must verify your student or educator status with UNiDAYS, a third-party platform that helps you access exclusive discounts and deals once your educational status is proven true.
Here’s how to get started:
- Head to Apple’s Education Savings store and browse their current offerings.
- On any product listing, look for “Education Savings” listed underneath the product name to find eligible products.
- Click on a product listing and find “Verify with UNiDAYS now.” Note: This button was hard to find—it didn’t pop up on every product listing. Click the below button to head straight to UNiDAYS verification.
VERIFY WITH UNiDAYS now - Follow the UNiDAYS prompts. They will ask you for your information like your full name, school name, and personal and university email addresses.
- Once verified through UNiDAYS, you can access special pricing online and in-store. The savings will reflect in your cart once you check out.
Who's eligible for education pricing at Apple?
According to Apple, this offer is open to K-12 employees, higher education faculty, staff and students, as well as higher education parents purchasing on behalf of their student.
A snapshot of what you can save on:
In previous years, Apple ran promotions that included gift cards with your purchase, and in 2025, shoppers could receive a free Apple accessory, including free AirPods when they purchased a MacBook or iPad with Apple’s Education Savings.
This year includes some of those same deals, with a stricter verification system than ever before. Here’s what you can find:
- $100-$150 Apple gift card on eligible Mac or iPad purchases toward a future purchase
- A MacBook Air (regularly $1,299+) from $1,119 or $100 a month for 12 months with Education Savings
- An Apple Watch Series 11 (regularly $399+) from $359 or $30 a month for 12 months with Education Savings
- A MacBook Neo (regularly $699+) from $599 or $50 a month for 12 months with Education Savings
- Apple Creator Studio (regularly $12.99 a month) for just $2.99 a month
- Credit toward a new Apple purchase when you trade in an eligible device
- Free engravings on accessories like AirPods 4, Apple Pencil, and iPhone 17 phone case
You can still find worthwhile deals on Apple items, just not at Apple.
Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy are your best bet when it comes to finding on legitimate discounts on Apple products. You won’t find crazy discounts (you can expect a 20% discount at most), but it’s the closest you can get to an actual “Apple sale.”
Here’s to hoping that Apple will roll out more offering for the 2026-2027 school year, but if not, I recommend shopping at other retailers for the most savings.
