Free Stuff for College Students

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Kristen Kuchar

By Kristen Kuchar

October 5, 2023

College is expensive, but fortunately there are many student discounts you can take advantage of. There are even many things you can get for free just for being a college student. You should always ask if there is a student discount on anything you are buying, from a new computer and clothes to subscriptions, dinner, and movie tickets. These are items you can get for free as a college student.

Amazon Prime

Students get Amazon Prime free for six months. This includes free two-day shipping on over 100 million items (including textbooks), unlimited streaming of Prime movies and TV shows, unlimited photo storage with Prime Photos and 20% off pre-order and new release video games. After six months, you will be automatically signed up for a Prime membership at 50% off the regular rate.

Microsoft Office

Students at eligible institutions with a valid college email address can receive Office 365 Education for free – including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Microsoft Teams.

Google Sheets

Google Sheets is a spreadsheet program included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by Google. This service is very popular among students and many educational organizations use it to improve their productivity.

The Washington Post

When you sign up for six months of free Amazon Prime, you will also get access to six months of The Washington Post online.

You Need a Budget

Get this budgeting software free for an entire year. Just email them proof you’re a student, such a copy of a student ID card, transcript or tuition statement. It’s software that teaches you how to manage your money and tackle that student loan debt. 

Spotify

Get one month free of Spotify if you’re a student. After the trial, it’s $4.99 per month.

YouTube Premium

Enjoy ad-free videos on YouTube for one month for free. After that, it’s $6.99 per month. 

LastPass

LastPass keeps track of your passwords with unlimited sync to unlimited devices, including smartphones and tablets, so you don’t forget your passwords. Students get premium membership free for six months.

JetBrains

Get free access to JetBrains for learning or teaching coding. You’ll need to be enrolled in an accredited educational program.

 

Current Card 

Current has created an all-in-one digital banking experience that allows its members to easily access their cash and grow their financial futures. This payment account and debit card works much like a checking account and allows fee-free withdrawals at 40,000 Allpoint ATMs in the United States. 

See also: Best Banks for College Students

Chime Account

With the Chime app, you can handle everything from depositing checks to paying bills to sending money to friends and family. There is no minimum deposit required to open a Chime account and you won’t pay any monthly service fees or per-transaction charges. In fact, the only fee ˜Chime charges is an out-of-network ATM fee of $2.50. That being said, Chime’s ATM network is 60,000+ locations wide, so the chances of having to use an out-of-network ATM are narrow.

Museum Admission

Many museums offer free or discounted admission with a student ID.

Professional Organizations

Check out professional organizations in your chosen career path. Many offer free memberships and are great for networking and resources. Some even have scholarships to help you attend their conferences. 

Public Transportation

Many cities offer free public transportation to college students. Denver, for example, has the CollegePass which is already factored into tuition. Students get unlimited rides on busses and the rail system.

Free non-alcoholic drinks at fast food spots

Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and Qdoba all reportedly offer free drinks with your purchase. Many fast food restaurants offer a student discount, too. It never hurts to ask.

Food at your job

One perk of working at a restaurant or fast food place through college, is many times it includes a free meal. Better yet, there are many fast food companies that will actually help pay your tuition, including Chick-fil-a, Chipotle, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Marco’s Pizza, McDonald’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Taco Bell, and White Castle.

At Savingforcollege.com, our goal is to help you make smart decisions about saving and paying for education. Some of the products featured in this article are from our partners, but this doesn’t influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.

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