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/term begins in that country.
Earlier in 2025 the offer ran in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and South Korea. Australian and New Zealand students could get AirPods 4 with ANC or Apple Pencil’s for free when they purchased an iPad Pro or iPad Air (Pencil), or a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac (AirPods). The deal ran until March 13, 2025.
Next it is the turn of North American students, with Apple’s Back to School promo starting in the U.S. and Canada in mid June. The promotion will start in July for U.K. and European students.
Based on the southern hemisphere giveaway, does it follow that U.S., Canada and U.K students will also get free AirPods and Apple Pencils in the summer of 2025? AirPods were Apple’s student giveaway of choice a few years ago, but in recent times Apple has given away gift cards in those locations, while other European countries got AirPods. Could be moving back to the incentive of free AirPods and Apple Pencil (both of which are popular with students).
Read on to find out when Apple’s Higher Education giveaway will start where you live and what the deal is likely to include. We also explain who qualifies and how to take advantage of Apple’s education deal.
What is Apple’s Back To School offer?
- January-March 2025: AirPods or Apple Pencil in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and other southern hemisphere locations.
- June-October 2025: To be confirmed. Previously Apple Gift Cards in U.S., U.K, Canada. AirPods in Europe and India.
For many years Apple gave away a pair of AirPods with qualifying sales of certain Macs and iPads as part of its education promotion, but in 2022 Apple stopped giving away AirPods in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia. Instead, Apple offered gift cards with qualifying purchases during the promotional period. Students could get different gift card denominations depending on the products purchased. Apple also offers gift cards during its Black Friday shopping event.
With Apple switching back to AirPods in the Australian Back to Uni deal for 2025 it is possible that the company will revert back to AirPods later in 2025 when the same promotion is run in the U.S., U.K. and other northern hemisphere locations.
Apple doesn’t offer the same deal everywhere though. In parts of Europe and India, for the summer of 2024, the promotion allows shoppers to get discounted AirPods or Apple Pencil with qualifying purchases. There was a similar deal in January 2024 where those based in Brazil could claim free AirPods with a Mac or free Apple Pencil with their iPad purchase in January-March 2024. So Apple has a precedent of offering gift cards to some countries and AirPods and Pencils in others.
Mahmoud Itani / Foundry
This isn’t the only education-related saving Apple offers. 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 Apple 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. We explain everything you need to know about getting a discount, including how much you can save as a student and 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.
Apple Back to School Sale Dates 2025
- Australia, New Zealand, South America, South Korea: January 8 to March 13 2025.
- U.S. & Canada: Apple’s Higher Education Offer started on June 20, 2024 and ran until September 30. Similar dates are likely in 2025.
- U.K. & Europe: The deal started on July 3 and ran until October 21, 2024. Similar dates are likely in 2025.
- India: The deal started on June 20 and ran until September 30, 2024. Similar dates are likely in 2025.
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 Apple’s deal ran from January 8 to March 13, 2025.
The same deal runs between June and late September/October in North America, and between July and October in Europe and the U.K.
Apple Back to School Sale Australia/New Zealand/South America/South Korea 2025
- January 8 to March 13, 2025 – Complete
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.
Apple Back to School Sale U.S. & Canada dates 2025
- June 19 to September 29 – Estimated
In 2024 the promotion ran from June 20 to September 30.
This start date in 2024 was a little later than in 2023 when 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 2025
- July 2 to October 20, 2024 – Estimated
The start date in 2024 was a little earlier than usual when it ran from July 3 to October 21. In 2023 the deal ran from July 13 to October 23. In 2022 Apple’s Higher Education Offer 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 India – dates 2025
- June 19 to September 29 – Estimated
The Higher Education offer dates correspond to those in the U.S. and Canada.
What is Apple’s education offer in 2025?
Apple tends to either give away vouchers or AirPods with qualifying purchases. Read on to find out what Apple’s Back To School promotion is where you are.
Apple
U.S. & Canada
In the summer of 2024, U.S. and Canadian students could get gift cards with the following qualifying Apple purchases. We expect similar in 2025, although Apple may revert to AirPods as it did in Australia.
- 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 an 11-inch or 13-inch M4 iPad Pro or an 11-inch or 13-inch M2 iPad Air 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.
In summer 2024 Apple offered the same deal as the U.S. and Canada in the U.K. We expect similar in 2025, although Apple may revert to AirPods as it has in Australia.
- Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get a £120 Apple gift card.
- Buy a Mac mini and get a £80 Apple gift card.
- Buy an 11-inch or 13-inch M4 iPad Pro or an 11-inch or 13-inch M2 iPad Air and get a £80 Apple gift card.
The voucher values were lower than summer 2023 when students could get the following with qualifying Apple purchases.
- Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get a £130 gift card.
- Buy a Mac mini and get a £100 gift card.
- Buy a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 11-inch iPad Pro, or iPad Air and get a £100 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.
Europe
In (most of) Europe in 2024 Apple gave shoppers a “promotional discount” on a pair AirPods or Apple Pencil with qualifying product purchases. We expect similar in 2025.
- Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get €199 off AirPods 3rd gen, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
- Buy a Mac mini and get €149 off AirPods 2nd gen, AirPods 3rd gen, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
- Buy an 11-inch or 13-inch M4 iPad Pro or an 11-inch or 13-inch M2 iPad Air and get €149 off an Apple Pencil Pro or €89 off an Apple Pencil USB-C.
French details here. German details here. Spanish details here. Italian details here.
In the Netherlands Apple gave away gift cards. Details here.
India
In 2024 in India the Back to University deal was the same as in Europe: AirPods or Apple Pencil discounts. We expect similar in 2025.
- Buy an iMac, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air and get ₹19900 off AirPods 3rd gen, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
- Buy a Mac mini and get ₹12900 off AirPods 2nd gen, AirPods 3rd gen, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
- Buy an 11-inch or 13-inch M4 iPad Pro or an 11-inch or 13-inch M2 iPad Air and get ₹11900 off an Apple Pencil Pro or ₹7900 off an Apple Pencil USB-C.
Details here.
Australia and New Zealand
The deal started on January 8 and ran to March 13. The offer was as follows:
- A$299 off AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation with a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac
- A$299 off AirPods Pro 2 with a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac
- A$299 off AirPods Max with a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac
- A$199 off Apple Pencil Pro with iPad Pro or iPad Air
- A$199 off Apple Pencil (USB-C) with iPad Pro or iPad Air
- 20% off AppleCare+ is also available
The AirPods 4 with ANC cost A$299. AirPods Pro 2 are A$399 and AirPods Max are A$899. So students need to spend A$100 to get AirPods Pro 2 and A$699 to get the AirPods Max.
The Apple Pencil Pro costs A$199 and the Apple Pencil (USB-C) is A$119.
When the deal kicked off in Australia in early 2024 the offer included free Apple Gift Cards. In 2024 Students could get a free gift card with the following purchases:
- AU$240 with a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac
- AU$160 with a Mac mini
- AU$160 with an iPad Air or iPad Pro
- AU$120 with an iPad 10th Gen
- 20% off AppleCare+ is also available
Visit Apple Australia’s website for more information. The terms and conditions of the deal in Apple Australia are here.
There were similar gift voucher savings in New Zealand.
Brazil and South Korea
In Brazil and South Korea Apple gave away AirPods with Mac purchases and Apple Pencil with iPad purchases from January to March 13, 2024. The deal was the same in 2025.
Which products are part of Apple’s Education offer?
- Qualifying purchases for Apple’s deal in January 2025 include: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Qualifying products may differ depending on whether Apple has recently updated them. For example, over Black Friday Apple offers gift cards with select purchases, but its newest products are always left out of the deal. Hence, if Apple has just updated the iPad or Mac you want to buy you may not be able to get the vouchers or other gift alongside your purchase.
Qualifying purchases for Apple’s deal in 2024 included: iMac 24‑inch, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iPad Pro 11- and 13‑inch, iPad Air 11‑ and 13-inch. (In Australia in early 2024 the iPad 10th generation was included, but this wasn’t the case later in 2024).
In summer 2023 qualifying purchases 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 gift cards with your purchase. 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. You can also get discounts on other products not included in the offer (although there is no education discount for the iPhone).
In the U.S. you need to visit Apple’s U.S. Education Store, but logging on from your university network may make the process easier.
In the U.K. you can visit the U.K. 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:
When you make your purchase you will be able to request the Apple Gift Card or discount depending on your location.
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 (U.S. here / U.K. here).
How much can you save with Apple’s education pricing?
Students can save up to $200/£220 on Macs and up to $100/£100 on iPads at any time of the year. More here: How to get an Apple student discount at Apple’s Education Store.
Which iPads are included in Apple’s Back to School deal?
You can get discounted Educational Pricing on all iPads if you qualify, you just won’t be able to get the freebie unless it is one of the models mentioned below.
Because Apple updated the standard iPad and iPad Air earlier in 2025 it is possible they won’t be included in the deal for northern hemisphere locations.
June/July 2024: U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, India, etc.
- M4 iPad Pro (could be the same for 2025)
- M2 iPad Air (could be M3 model for 2025)
It’s notable that Apple didn’t include the cheaper iPad 10th gen in the 2024 deal (although it did in Australia earlier that year). The iPad mini was also omitted. It’s not clear if Apple will include these popular iPads in the deal.
January 2025: Australia/New Zealand/Brazil, etc
- M4 iPad Pro
- M4 iPad Air
Britta O’Boyle
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. For more advice read Best iPad 2025.
Which Macs are included in Apple’s Back to School deal?
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. Because Apple updated the MacBook Air to an M4 in March it may not be included.
You can take advantage of education pricing for all Macs all year round.
June/July 2024: U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, India, etc.
- M3 MacBook Air (could be M4 model for 2025)
- M3 MacBook Pro (could be M4 model for 2025)
- M3 iMac (could be M4 model for 2025)
- M2 Mac mini (could be M4 model for 2025)
January 2025: Australia/New Zealand/Brazil, etc
- M3 MacBook Air
- M4 MacBook Pro
- M4 iMac
Foundry
If you don’t qualify for an education discount have a look at these round-ups of the best deals on a new Mac:
We also have this advice about which Mac is best for students. And for more help read the low down on the Best Mac 2025.
