Apple Back to School Deal 2026: Dates, Free AirPods Offers & Student Discounts

Apple has not yet confirmed whether its annual Back to School promotion will return in 2026 or announced when it will begin.

In June, shortly after increasing Mac and iPad prices in both its standard online store and the Education Store, Apple refreshed the artwork on the U.S. Education Store, leading some to expect the promotion was about to launch. However, while the store’s appearance changed, no Back to School offer accompanied the redesign.

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This wasn’t the only change to Apple’s Education Store. Earlier in the year, Apple also tightened the eligibility process for education discounts. U.S. students and qualifying education staff must now verify their status through UNiDAYS before they can access Education Store pricing, replacing the previous honor system. Verification can be completed by signing in through an eligible institution or by uploading supporting documentation, such as a student ID.

With these changes to the Education Store, coupled with Apple’s warning that rising memory costs had forced it to increase Mac and iPad prices, it began to look as though the company might have cancelled the Back to School promotion for 2026.

However, that may not be the case. On July 12, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple retail stores were putting up Back to School promotional materials and reorganising displays around a dedicated education table. While he did not give a launch date, the retail preparations suggest the promotion could begin as early as the week commencing July 13.

When does Apple’s “Back to School” deal start?

In North America, the “Back to School” deal would usually run from mid-June through the end of September. In 2025 the promotion ran from June 17 to September 30 in the U.S. and Canada, so a mid-June launch was expected this year. However, in 2026 the start date has been delayed, possibly in connection with Apple’s need to increase iPad and Mac prices in June.

Because the academic summer break begins and ends later in Europe, the promotion is expected to launch in the U.K. and across Europe in mid-July. In 2025, for example, the offer began on July 10 and ended on October 21.

The deal ran from January 7 to early March 11 this year in the Southern Hemisphere. Similar timings are expected in 2027.

Who can get Apple’s “Back to School” give-away?

• Current and newly accepted higher education students – and their parents

Apple

If you are enrolled at a higher education institution (post-K12 education, such as a university or college), or are the parent of a student who is enrolled, you qualify for Apple’s year-round education pricing as well as the “Back to School” promotion while it is running.

You will need to verify your eligibility before you can access the offer. Prior to May 2026, verifying student status in some countries – including the U.S. – only required an .edu email address and the name of a higher education institution. Apple has since tightened its verification requirements.

As a result, shoppers now need to verify their student status through UNiDAYS (as was already the case in the U.K.). Students are typically required to provide their name, date of birth, and school email address, then search for their institution and wait for their student status to be confirmed.

Apple’s education pricing is not available to parents buying for school-age children, but it is available to parents who are homeschooling their children.

What is Apple’s “Back to School” deal this year?

• Free AirPods/Apple Pencil/keyboard/mouse were offered with qualifying purchases in the Australian promotion earlier in 2026.
• The same giveaway is expected to launch later in 2026 in North America, the U.K., and Europe.

Foundry

During the Australian promotion, which ran from January 7 to March 11, 2026, Apple offered free or discounted accessories – including AirPods, AirPods Pro, Apple Pencil models, and Apple Keyboard, Mouse, or Trackpad products – with the purchase of qualifying Macs and iPads.

The following products were offered for free or discounted, earlier in 2026:

• AirPods 4
• AirPods Pro 3
• Magic Mouse
• Magic Trackpad
• Magic Keyboard
• Apple Pencil Pro
• Magic Keyboard (for iPad Air/iPad Pro)

Apple also offered similar giveaways during its 2025 promotion, and, previously, Apple also included a discount for the AirPods Max.

However, this has not always been the company’s approach. From 2022 to 2024 in the U.S., U.K., and some other regions, Apple instead offered gift cards worth up to $150/£130, depending on the products purchased during the promotional period. While Apple could return to that format, it is not currently expected to do so.

As of May 2026, Apple has yet to officially confirm this year’s promotion in North America or Europe, but the company is widely expected to continue offering AirPods and the other accessories listed above as part of the deal.

Can students qualify for other savings at Apple?

Yes. Apple’s “Back to School” promotion is not the only education-related discount the company offers. Macs and iPads sold through Apple’s Education Store are discounted year-round, so qualifying students and educational institutions can save up to $100/£100 of a Mac or iPad at any time of the year.

The summertime Back to School promotion is offered in addition to these ongoing education discounts. We explain everything you need to know about qualifying for Apple’s education pricing – including how much you can save and how to shop through the Apple Education Store – in our Guide to shopping in the Apple Education Store.

If you are unsure which device to buy, we also have guides to the Best Mac for Students and the Best iPad for Students.

Students can also take advantage of the discounted Apple Music Student Plan, which includes access to Apple TV+ at no extra cost. Read: How to get the student deal for Apple Music and free Apple TV+.

How to get Apple’s “Back to School” deal

In order to get Apple’s “Back to School” Deal you need to purchase a qualifying Mac or iPad from your local Apple Education Store during the promotional period.

You will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS, as explained above.

Visit the Apple Education Store for your region using the links below:

Logging in from your university network may help simplify the verification process. 

When you purchase a qualifying Mac or iPad, you will then be able to claim the promotional freebie or discounted accessory.

You can choose which of the giveaway product you want to receive when you make your order. In some cases the freebee comes with an additional cost, we include details of how much more you may need to pay in the tables below.

Which products qualify for Apple’s “Back to School” deal this year?

Apple

Apple has yet to confirm which products will qualify for the the 2026 promotion in North America, the U.K. and Europe.

However, during the Australian promotion earlier in 2026, the following products qualified:

• MacBook Air
• MacBook Pro
• iMac
• iPad Pro
• iPad Air

Will Apple include the MacBook Neo in the 2026 “Back to School” promotion?

Since the Australian promotion ended, Apple has launched the MacBook Neo, a new laptop aimed specifically at students.

As for whether Apple will offer free AirPods or other accessories with purchases of the MacBook Neo, we think that is unlikely.

While the new MacBook is clearly targeted at students, we do not expect Apple to include it in the promotion because of its already relatively low starting price.

Will Apple include the Mac mini in the 2026 “Back to School” promotion?

Apple has previously allowed the purchase of a Mac mini to qualify for the promotion, but not in 2025 or, so far, in 2026.

In recent times, the Mac mini has surged in popularity, especially among AI developers looking for a relatively inexpensive Apple Silicon machine capable of handling local AI workloads. This popularity, combined with ongoing global component shortages, has left Mac mini supply constrained as of May 2026, so we do not expect Apple to include it in the “Back to School” promotion.

Apple could also launch an updated Mac mini in the coming months, but even if it does, we still think it is unlikely to be included in the student deal.

Will Apple include the iPad A16 in the 2026 “Back to School” promotion?

Apple has previously allowed entry-level iPads to qualify for its Back to School promotion, but that was not the case in 2025 and, so far, it has not been the case in 2026 either.

With a new entry-level iPad expected later in 2026 – and the current iPad A16 lacking support for Apple Intelligence — our recommendation would be to choose an iPad Air instead.

Will Apple include the iPad mini in the 2026 “Back to School” promotion?

Apple has included the iPad mini in some Back to School promotions in the past. A new iPad mini is expected to launch in 2026 and that may affect Apple’s decision to include it in the deal.

Will Apple include the iPhone in the 2026 “Back to School” promotion?

Apple has never included the iPhone, Apple Watch, or any products other than selected Macs and iPads as qualifying purchases for its “Back to School” promotion.

How much can you save in Apple’s student deal?

Apple

Students can already save up to $200/£220 on Macs and up to $100/£100 on iPads year-round through Apple’s Education Store. Read more here: How to get an Apple student discount at Apple’s Education Store.

The additional savings available through Apple’s “Back to School” promotion depend on both the product purchased and the promotional accessory being offered.

In previous promotions, students could save up to $199 by choosing a free Magic Keyboard, up to $179 by selecting AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, or up to $129 by choosing an Apple Pencil Pro.

If you select one of the more expensive accessories offered as part of the promotion, you typically need to pay the difference above the promotional discount amount. For example, in 2025, choosing AirPods Pro 3 required an additional payment of $70.

Below, you can see the kinds of savings Apple has offered in previous years. Once Apple confirms the 2026 promotion details for North America, the U.K., and Europe, we will update these tables accordingly