If you are a student, who loves the calm when interacting with your studies, you will understand that Apple AirPods can be a great companion. They bring a lot to the table—ease of use, long battery life, and superior sound quality. However, they can be expensive but don’t sigh just yet. You might be able to benefit from Apple free AirPods for students.
Apple runs a promo known as Apple’s Back to School, which sometimes offers free AirPods when you purchase a qualifying Mac or iPad. However, there’s been some confusion about how this promotion works. Many eligible people, including teachers, staff, and students, are unaware of how to take advantage of this offer.
But do not worry. In this post, I will break down the specifics of Apple’s promotion. By the time you are done with this post, you should be able to get these free AirPods. I have also highlighted other discounts available in Apple’s Back to School program.
Does Apple Give Free AirPods to Students?
Yes, but not directly per se. Apple runs a Back to School program that can give a student free AirPods. However, you need to make a qualifying purchase. This is why I say that this free offer isn’t direct. Nevertheless, it’s still a free offer, so it is correct to say that Apple gives free AirPods to students.
Apple Free AirPods for Students: How to Get
Apple annually launches the Back to School promotion, celebrating the commencement of the academic season. This initiative provides higher education students and eligible purchasers with discounted rates on selected items. A highlight of this promotion is that Apple gifts free AirPods when you purchase ‘qualifying products’.
Pay attention to ‘qualifying’, which means that not all Apple products will get you free Airpods.
Presently, this offer is active in some countries such as Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and South Korea.
If you reside in the U.S., U.K., or other Northern Hemisphere nations, this program kicked off around June/July 2023.
Apple presents this as a promotional offer rather than a freebie, though. When you purchase a qualifying Macbook or iPad, you’ll receive a reduction on AirPods during checkout. This reduction matches the cost of the 2nd generation AirPods.
If you wish, you can choose the AirPods (3rd gen) or AirPods Pro (2nd gen) by covering the additional cost beyond the promotional discount. Before making that decision, evaluate if the AirPods Pro 2 suits your needs.
All that said, below is how to get Apple free airpods for students in 7 steps:
- Visit the Apple Education Store.
- Select the product you’re interested in. Ensure it’s eligible for the promotion because only a qualifying purchase can get Apple free airpods for students or other individuals.
- When you’re on the subsequent page, personalize your device by choosing its color, storage capacity, dimensions, and other specifications.
- Once done, press Continue.
- You’ll be directed to a page titled “Choose your AirPods.” To get the complimentary AirPods, pick the AirPods (2nd generation) and hit Add to Bag. If you prefer, there are options to upgrade to other AirPod versions at a reduced price.
- Click on Review Bag. This will show you everything in your cart. If you wish, scroll to the AirPods section and select the free engraving service to imprint a special message on your charging case.
- Finally, complete your purchase and enjoy your new Apple device along with the Apple free Airpods for students.
Which Apple Products Are Eligible for Free AirPods?
As mentioned earlier, the free AirPods offer is available only on certain Macs and iPads. Below are some of the Apple products:
| MacBook Air with M1 chip | From $899 |
| MacBook Air with M2 chip | From $999 |
| MacBook Pro | From $1199 |
| iMac | From $1249 |
| Mac mini | From $499 |
| Mac Studio | From $1799 |
| Studio Display | From $1499 |
| Pro Display XDR | From $4599 |
| Mac Pro | From $6599 |
Unfortunately, Apple free airpods for students offer is not available for refurbished Macs and iPads.
What is the Apple Back to School Promotion for Students?
This is an Apple promotion that starts on June 5, 2024 and concludes on October 2, 2024, in the United States of America. For your purchase to qualify, it must be made from Apple Store locations, Apple Store for Education, or 1-800-MY-APPLE.
When you buy an eligible product during the promotion period, you will receive a discount equal to the value of the promotion product. The discount depends on the product you purchase.
The Back to School promotion is available for K-12 employees, higher education faculty, staff, students, and parents purchasing on behalf of their child attending or accepted into a higher education institution.
If you return the eligible product, the promotional product (Apple Gift Card) must also be returned. If the promotional product is missing or redeemed, its full original value will be deducted from the refund.
Note that only one promotion product per qualified purchaser is allowed in this promotion. Resellers, public entities, government entities, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, enterprise purchasers, and business purchasers do not qualify.
Are There Other Back to School Benefits Apart from Free AirPods?
Yes, there are other benefits but you do not receive benefits at once. Qualified purchasers such as higher education students who buy an eligible product during the promotion period will receive a discount equal to the value of the promotion product. The discount depends on the type of product you purchase. Below are examples:
- Mac (iMac 24in, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air): $150 Apple Gift Card
- Mac mini: $100 Apple Gift Card
- iPad (iPad Pro 12.9in, iPad Pro 11in, iPad Air): $100 Apple Gift Card
Who Are the Qualified Purchasers?
This includes faculty, staff, students, and parents from K-12 institutions, Higher Education institutions, and parents purchasing on behalf of their child attending or accepted into a Higher Education institution.
[toggle title=”Countries Eligible for Apple Back to School Promotion”]
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Brazil
- USA
- South Korea
- Mexico
- UK
- Ireland
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- Austria
- Denmark
- Finland
- Norway
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Poland
- Portugal
- Czech Republic
- Netherlands
- Turkey
- UAE
- Hong Kong
- China
- India
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Final Thoughts
So, I have been able to explain what the Back to School offer is all about, and how to get Apple free AirPods for students after a qualifying purchase. Just make sure you are a qualifying purchaser, which means that as a student here, we are talking about higher education.
[toggle title=”Resource“]
- Higher Education Offer 2024 Terms and Conditions – Apple
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Read also: How to Get Apple Student Discount Without Being a Student
