Apple Back to School sale: Ending soon in the U.K.

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Apple holds a Back to School promotion every year (now known as the Higher Education Offer to avoid confusion because it’s only open to students once they enter higher education, and the institutions and teachers, not school-age children). As part of the deal, Apple offers an incentive with purchases of qualifying Apple products.

Apple’s ‘Back to School’ deal runs in various locations around the world during the summer months. The deal usually ends about a month after the first university semester begins in that country.

Apple kicked off the Higher Education Offer for the U.S. on June 5, 2023. It then ran until October 2, 2023. So if you are based in that part of the world now you will have to wait until June 2024 to take advantage of the special offer.

Apple launched the same Education deal in the U.K. and Europe on July 13. This will run until October 23, 2023. Once that date has passed U.K. and European shoppers will have to wait until July 2024.

The offer ran in Australia, New Zealand and other Southern Hemisphere locations during January to March 2023. It is likely to kick off again in January 2024.

Here’s what you need to know about Apple’s education offering including what the deal includes, how to take advantage of Apple’s education deal, and when it will run again.

What is Apple’s Back To School offer?

For a long time, Apple gave away a pair of AirPods with qualifying sales as part of its education promotion, but in the summers of 2022 and 2023 (at least in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Europe) Apple didn’t give away AirPods to students. Instead, Apple offered gift cards with qualifying purchases. Students get different gift card denominations depending on the products purchased. Not all Apple products are included in the offer.

This means those taking advantage of the deal get more choice about what they spend their money on, rather than being limited to headphones. Apple also offers gift cards during its Black Friday shopping event.

Apple didn’t offer vouchers everywhere though. When Apple kicked off its student deal in Australia, New Zealand, and other Southern Hemisphere locations in January 2023, students in those countries were again able to choose a free pair of AirPods with their qualifying purchase.

This isn’t the only education-related saving Apple offers though. Apple doesn’t only offer education-related deals during the summer months. All products sold to students via Apple’s Education Store include a discount all year round, so you can always make a saving on any of these products, as long as you qualify. The summertime education-focused deal is in addition to these year-long discounts Apple offers to students and education institutions on its Macs and iPads. We explain everything you need to know about getting a discount, including how much you can save as a student, and explain how to use Apple’s Education Store in our Guide to shopping in the Apple Education Store.

We also have advice about the Best Mac for Students and the Best iPad for Students. You may also like to read our Apple student buying guide.

What was Apple’s education offer in 2023?

The 2023 deal was different depending on what part of the world you live in.

In the Northern Hemisphere students could get different gift card denominations depending on the products purchased. Not all Apple products are included in the offer. In the Southern Hemisphere students could choose a pair of AirPods.

U.S.

In the summer of 2023, students were able to get gift cards with qualifying Apple purchases.

For summer 2023 students could get the following:

Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get a $150 Apple gift card.

Buy a Mac mini and get a $100 Apple gift card.

Buy a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 11-inch iPad Pro, or iPad Air and get a $100 Apple gift card.

This is similar to summer 2022 when students could:

Buy a MacBook Air, 13-inch, 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro, or a 24-inch iMac and get a $150 Apple Gift Card.

Buy an iPad Air (5th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch or 12.9-inch, and get a $100 Apple Gift Card.

The terms and conditions of the deal are here: U.S.

Apple’s education discounts are available all year round. Visit the U.S. Education Store and Canada Education Store for more information.

U.K. and Europe

For summer 2023 students could get the following with qualifying Apple purchases:

Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get a £130/€150 Apple gift card.

Buy a Mac mini and get a £100/€100 Apple gift card.

Buy a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 11-inch iPad Pro, or iPad Air and get a £100/€100 Apple gift card.

For summer 2022 students could:

Buy an iPad Air (5th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch or 12.9-inch, and get a £80 Apple Gift Card.

Buy a MacBook Air, 13-inch, 14-inch, or 16-inch MacBook Pro, or a 24-inch iMac and get a £120 Apple Gift Card.

The terms and conditions of the deal are here: U.K.

Apple’s education discounts are available all year round. Students and educators need to log in via UNiDAYS website to see the offers. Educational Store discounts are usually up to £280 for U.K. students. See Apple’s terms and conditions.

Southern Hemisphere

When the deal kicked off in Australia and other southern hemisphere locations in early 2023 the offer included free AirPods.

Free AirPods (2nd generation) worth A$219. Or equivalent saving on any AirPods or AirPods Pro.

20% off AppleCare+ was also available.

Visit the Apple education store in your country for more details. e.g. Apple Australia’s website. The terms and conditions of the deal in Apple Australia are here.

Apple

Which products are part of Apple’s Education offer?

Qualifying purchases for Apple’s deal in 2023 included iMac 24‑inch, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iPad Pro 12.9‑inch, iPad Pro 11‑inch, and iPad Air.

Students can also take advantage of a reduced subscription to Apple Music with which they get access to Apple TV+ when they buy an Apple product. Read: How to get the student deal for Apple Music and free Apple TV+.

How to get Apple’s Back To School deal

As long as you are based in an area where Apple is running the deal at the time of your purchase, and are a student in higher education, or about to start higher education, you can qualify for Apple’s Higher Education deal and get a free pair of AirPods (or gift cards if that’s what the deal is). There are more details about who the deal applies to below.

Note that if you qualify you are able to get discounts all year round by shopping in the Apple Education Store, so you don’t need to shop during the Back to Uni deal period to get a bargain.

In the U.S. you need to visit Apple’s US Education Store, but logging on from your university network may make the process easier. 

In the U.K. you can visit the UK Education Store, but you will also need to verify your student or staff status with UNiDAYS.

Go to the Apple Education Store for other regions using the links below:

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

Brazil

South Korea

When you make your purchase you will be able to request the Apple Gift Card.

Read on to find out the dates the deal will run.

When was Apple’s Back to School Sale 2023?

Apple’s Higher Education Offer started on June 5, 2023, and will run until October 2 in the U.S.

In the U.K. and Europe, the deal ran from July 13 to October 23.

In Australia and New Zealand the deal ran between January 18 and March 13, 2023, so similar timings are likely in 2024.

When is Apple’s Back to School Sale 2024?

The Higher Education deal runs at different times depending on which side of the Earth you are based. Apple runs the promotion at different times in different places due to differences in when the school year starts around the globe.

Apple runs the promotion in the southern hemisphere in the first few months of the year. Hence, if you live in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Brazil you can take advantage of Apple’s deal from early January to March.

The same deal runs between June and late September/October in North America, and between July and October in Europe and the UK.

In Australia and New Zealand the deal is likely to run between January 17 and March 14, 2024.

Apple’s Higher Education Offer will probably start around June 3, 2024 and run until September 30 in the U.S.

In the U.K. and Europe, the deal is likely to run from July 15 to October 21 2024.

Apple Back to School Sale U.S. & Canada dates 2024

June 3 thru September 30 – ESTIMATE

In 2023 the deal started on June 5 and ran until October 2 in North America, which was a longer period than traditionally. In 2022 the deal ran from June 24 to September 26, while in 2021 the deal ran from June 17 to September 27. In 2020 Apple launched the U.S. sale on 15 June with an end date set for 29 September, although Apple ended up extending the end date to October 12 instead, moving it to just a day before Amazon’s Prime Day, which took place over October 13-14, 2020.

Apple Back to School Sale UK/Europe – dates 2023

July 15 to October 21, 2024 – ESTIMATE

In 2023 the deal ran from July 13 to October 23. In 2022 Apple’s Higher Education Offer (aka Back to School Sale) started on July 14 and ran until Monday, October 20. Apple U.K.’s Back to School Sale in 2020 started on July 9 and lasted until October 29. Apple launched its 2019 sale on July 9, and its 2018 sale began on July 12.

Apple Back to School Sale Australia/New Zealand/South America/South Korea 2023

January 17 to March 14 2024 – ESTIMATE

The dates in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and South Korea correspond with the new school year there. In 2023 the deal ran from January 18 to March 13. In 2022 the deal ran from January 6 to March 14, 2022. In 2021 the sale ran from January 7 to March 16. In 2023 the deal started a little later on January 18.

Who can get Apple’s Back to School deal?

If you are registered at a higher education facility (that’s post-K12 education, universities, and colleges) you will qualify for the free AirPods deal as well as Apple’s usual education discount. Employees of these institutions can also qualify. If you are a parent buying for your student offspring then you can also qualify. Here are Apple’s Ts&Cs for the U.S.

Alternatively, if you are an employee of a public or private K-12 institution/school in the U.S. or Canada you are also eligible. Apple’s Education pricing isn’t available to parents with kids at school, but a homeschool teacher can qualify.

Even when Apple isn’t running the Back to School Deal students and education institutions can still take advantage of its standard educational pricing on its Educational Pricing page (US here / UK here).

Which iPads are included in Apple’s Back to School deal?

The standard iPad 10.2in could be a good partner to have at university.

Not every Apple product you can buy in the Education Store is included in the deal.

In 2023 Apple included the following iPads in the deal in the U.S & U.K.:

iPad Air (5th gen)

iPad Pro 11-inch (4th gen)

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th gen)

It’s notable that Apple doesn’t include the cheaper iPad 10th gen, or even the older 9th-gen iPad. The iPad mini is also omitted.

You can still get discounted Educational Pricing on the iPad and iPad mini if you qualify, you just won’t be able to get the freebie.

If you don’t qualify for the education pricing we have a separate guide on where to get the best deals on the iPad. For advice about which iPad to buy read: Which iPad is best for students.

Which Macs are included in Apple’s Back to School deal?

A MacBook Air is a good choice for students. Foundry

Not every Apple product you can buy in the Education Store is included in the promotion. Apple doesn’t usually offer incentives to buy the newest Apple products, but this year it does appear to be including the new 15-inch MacBook Air in the deal.

In 2023 the following Macs were included in the deal:

MacBook Air

MacBook Pro

iMac

Mac mini

This is the first year in a while that the Mac mini has been included in the deal.

You can already take advantage of education pricing for all of those Macs.

If you don’t qualify for an education discount have a look at these round-ups of the best deals on a new Mac:

Best MacBook Pro deals

MacBook Air deals

Mac mini deals

Best iMac deals

Best Mac Studio deals

We also have this advice about which Mac is best for students.

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