Here's When Apple's Student Offer With Free Gift Cards Begins This Year - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Here's When Apple's Student Offer With Free Gift Cards Begins This Year

The start date for Apple's annual Back to School promotion has been leaked.

Apple 2024 Back to School Offer
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple is planning to launch the promotion in the U.S. on Tuesday, June 17 this year. He has accurately revealed the starting date of the promotion for the past three consecutive years.

The promotion will likely launch in the U.S. and Canada at first, followed by select countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia a few weeks later. The offer will likely be available until mid-September, with the exact end date varying by country.

Apple will once again be offering students and qualifying educational staff a complimentary gift card with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad, according to Gurman. Last year, the gift card values in the U.S. ranged between $100 and $150.

The free gift card is provided in addition to Apple's standard year-round educational discounts, with eligible students and educational staff already able to receive up to 10% off of a new Mac, iPad, Studio Display, Pro Display XDR, and AppleCare+ plans.

The gift card can be used towards purchases of Apple products and accessories, App Store apps, subscriptions to services like Apple Music, iCloud+ storage, and more.

The offer is typically available through Apple's online education store, and at Apple Store locations, for students attending or accepted to a higher-education institution, faculty and staff of higher-education institutions, parents purchasing on behalf of an eligible student, employees of a K-12 institution, and select other groups.

Popular Stories

iphone duo feature

Mark Gurman: Apple Made 'Major Mistake' With iPhone Duo Pre-Orders

Sunday October 18, 2026 7:33 am PDT by
Despite knowing that the iPhone Duo would face "severe supply constraints" due to manufacturing challenges, Apple chose to begin iPhone Duo pre-orders on Friday instead of waiting until it had more inventory ready, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he called this decision a "major mistake." "Let me cut to the chase: Apple made a major mistake here," he...
Black Apple Event Logo

Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'

Thursday October 15, 2026 4:13 am PDT by
Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Event Reportedly Planned for October 13

Sunday October 4, 2026 5:07 pm PDT by
Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to unveil an all-new smart home hub, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, October 13. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman specified that "Apple is planning to hold an event" that...

Top Rated Comments

18 months ago
Mac mini m4 for essentially $399? Crazy.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Royksöpp Avatar
18 months ago
I got one last year when I got my iPad Pro. I used it towards my 16 Pro.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EugW Avatar
18 months ago

Whoops I’m going to college next year and already bought an M4 MacBook Air 😅

But I got it March 12
I'm waiting for the promotion to start to get the MacBook Air. However, I had the luxury of being able to wait.

I actually picked up a Best Buy Geek Squad Certified Open Box 24/512 GB M3 MBA last month, but ended up returning it because I couldn't get a full warranty on it from Apple. It was priced similarly to a 16/512 GB M4 MBA with Apple edu + promotion pricing but I didn't need the 24 GB anyway so no big loss.


I wouldn't be surprised if the gift card is on the low side with the Tarriffs.

Still not as good a deal as it used to be. In 2019 I got a free pair of Beats Studio 3 headphones for my wife when I bought My Macbook Air. Like $300 value.
Years earlier I got the Beats Solo 3 (not the Studio 3), but I would have rather gotten the gift card. I found them kinda uncomfortable, and the sound quality is just so-so. The best deal IMO was the free iPod mini.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cameront9 Avatar
18 months ago
I wouldn't be surprised if the gift card is on the low side with the Tarriffs.

Still not as good a deal as it used to be. In 2019 I got a free pair of Beats Studio 3 headphones for my wife when I bought My Macbook Air. Like $300 value.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WilliApple Avatar
18 months ago
Whoops I’m going to college next year and already bought an M4 MacBook Air 😅

But I got it March 12
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
18 months ago
Good to know about this. Expecting to see gift card just like the last year and also the offer to open simultaneously in other countries too.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
10 hours ago
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
11 hours ago
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
11 hours ago
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
12 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
13 hours ago
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
20 hours ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
20 hours ago
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
1 day ago
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
1 day ago
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
1 day ago
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
1 day ago
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
1 day ago
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
1 day ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
1 day ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
1 day ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
1 day ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
1 day ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
2 days ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
2 days ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
2 days ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
2 days ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
2 days ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
2 days ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
2 days ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
2 days ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
2 days ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
2 days ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
2 days ago
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors
2 days ago

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors