It can be tough to be a student, especially when it comes to managing your finances. Because of high tuition costs, minimum wages, and little time to work, many students can struggle to make ends meet. This is why student discounts are such a great option for all students in Canada.
If you’re currently a student and looking to save some money and take advantage of great deals and offers, we’ve compiled a list of all the best student discounts.
Generally speaking, the major requirement for a student discount is to be enrolled as a student in a post-secondary institution and have a valid student ID. Some places may also require you to provide your school email address. Keep in mind that most companies that offer student discounts have their own set of requirements.
For students who are interested in discovering new businesses and taking advantage of a wide variety of offers, student discount programs are definitely the way to go. In Canada, there are four major programs all students should be aware of.
The Student Price Card (SPC) is a membership card that is exclusive to students. It costs $10 per year and offers over 450 discounts at participating retailers in Canada. Students can redeem these discounts both online and in-store. Whether you’re shopping for food, clothes, tech, or any other item, you can use your SPC card to claim discounts, enter contests and take advantage of limited-time special offers.
Students can sign up for the card online or purchase it from a participating merchant. To gain access to your account, you’ll need to activate it by creating an account through the SPC app. To be eligible for the card, you must have a valid student ID and be over the age of 12. You can also get the SPC membership for free if you’re enrolled in a CIBC student or youth bank account.
UNiDAYS is a student discount platform that students can join to get access to exclusive deals and discounts on fashion, health and fitness, lifestyle, and tech products. When you sign up with UniDAYS, you’ll never have to pay full price. Save money on great deals like 10% off on ASOS, 6 months of free Amazon Prime, 15% off Corsair and more. Moreover, it is free to sign up for an account.
To create an UniDAYS account, you must be over the age of 16 and need a school-issued email address from your college or university. You’ll need to provide both your school and personal email address to create an account.
Looking for more savings? Try using a price comparison site.
StudentBeans is an online platform that catalogues discounts for students. It was first established in the UK in 2005 but now has expanded to over 50 countries around the world. As a global student loyalty program, they’ve partnered with numerous merchants to offer students great deals, including Amazon Prime, Mcdonalds, Hello Fresh and other big brands. You can redeem discounts both in-store and online, you simply need to sign up for an account to get access to the discounts. To redeem discounts online, you simply need to add the code given to you to your basket. If you’d like to redeem a discount in-store, you’ll need to show the cashier your student beans ID.
To sign up for Student Beans, you’ll need to register with them by creating an online account and verifying your student status. To be eligible, you must be over the age of 16 and be a full-time student in university, college, high school or sixth form.
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is a product of the non-profit organization ISIC Association. Established in 1953, the ISIC membership card now offers over 150,000 students discounts in around 130 countries and territories. Students can redeem discounts on various purchases including restaurants, cafes, bookstores, transportation, and software licenses. Moreover, you can download their app to browse and filter discounts according to your location. You can also set up notifications so that you get updated with offers on your favourite stores.
To create an ISIC account, you’ll need to be a full-time student who is over the age of 12. To apply, you can either go online and order a card or visit a local ISIC office. To order online in Canada, it’ll cost you $20, and you’ll need to provide a photo ID, proof of student status and a passport-style picture. Once you’ve completed your application, you should receive your card in the mail within 3-4 weeks.
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Travelling, seeing new places, and heading back home for the holidays are all part of the student experience. But unfortunately, travel comes with a pretty big price tag, especially in Canada. Check out these student discounts to help make travel more affordable.
| GO Transit | – Save up to 22.5% off the full adult cash fare- 8% off the Adult PRESTO fare if they already have a PRESTO card | Learn More |
| Via Rail | – Via Rail Student Pass: 6 travel credits (one-way trips) at a discounted price | Learn More |
| Toronto Transit Commission | – Discounted monthly pass | Learn More |
| Air Canada | – Air Canada Student Pass: Discounted pre-paid package of four or six one-way flight credits | Learn More |
Have a gift to purchase or want to do some back-to-school shopping? Check out these retail discounts for students.
| H&M | – SPC members save 10% | Learn More |
| Banana Republic | – 15% off full-priced purchases | Learn More |
| Adidas | – 30% off regular priced items – 15% off outlet items | Learn More |
| Nike | – 10% off via UNiDAYS | Learn More |
| Roots | – SPC members save 10% | Learn More |
| Levi’s | – SPC members save 15% off regular and sale items at select locations only | Learn More |
| American Eagle/ Aerie | – SPC members save 10% | Learn More |
| BookOutlet | – Student Beans members save 5% | Learn More |
| SoftMoc | – ISIC members save 10% | Learn More |
| New Balance | – SPC members save 15% on regular priced items, 5% on clearance items |
* To take full advantage of all the retail student discounts available in Canada, your best option is to sign up for one or more of the four most popular student discount programs (SPC, ISIC, Student Beans, and UNiDAYS). Browse the sites of these programs for full lists of all the available discounts.
As a student, you’ll likely be tempted to eat out with friends or after a long day at school. While savings on small snacks and drinks may not seem like much at first, it can lead to a lot of savings in the long run. Here are some student discounts on foods and drinks that can help you save money.
| Bulk Barn Student Discount | – Students get a 10% discount at Bulk Barn every Wednesday. Simply bring in a valid student ID card. | Learn More |
| Metro Student Discount | – From Mondays to Wednesdays, students get a 10% discount when they spend $50 or more. | Learn More |
| St. Louis Bar & Grill Student Discount | – SPC holders can upgrade their regular fries to poutine for free if they purchase a meal that includes fries. | Learn More |
| Chipotle Student Discount | – During the month of September, students can get a free drink with their purchase when they show their student ID. | Learn More |
| Zehrs Student Discount | – Students get a 10% discount at Zehrs every Tuesday if they bring in their student ID card. | Learn More |
| Dairy Queen Student Discounts | – Students can get a 10% discount at participating Dairy Queen locations when they present their student ID. | Learn More |
Being able to rely on your tech is an integral part of being a student in 2023, no one wants to miss a deadline because of a broken computer or a faulty program. If you’re looking to upgrade your tech this school year, make sure you take advantage of these discounts.
| Apple Student Discounts | – Apple offers university students and their parents a student discount, trade-in credit and free shipping through their education pricing program. | Learn More |
| Dell Student Discounts | – Students save an extra 10% on Dell University PC offers and some Dell-branded accessories. – The Dell University PC offers also come with a 1-year Accidental Damage Warranty. | Learn More |
| Microsoft Student Discounts | – Students and their parents can save up to 10% on select Microsoft products on the Microsoft website. | Learn More |
| Samsung Student Discounts | – Students save up to 10% on certain Samsung Products- Students can finance their item for up to 36 months with as low as 0% interest. – Students get access to Samsung Care+, which protects their electronics against physical or liquid damage and mechanical issues. – Students also can get free Galaxy Buds or a Book Cover with their purchase. | Learn More |
| HP Student Discounts | – Students have access to exclusive deals and savings through the HP Academy. | Learn More |
| Lenovo Student Discounts | – Get an extra 5% off select items at Lenovo | Learn More |
| Adobe Student Discounts | – Save over 60% on Adobe Create Cloud subscription. | Learn More |
| Prezi Student Discounts | – Students can get EDU Plus for US$3/mo or EDU Pro for US$5/mo – A discount of over 70% from their corresponding individual plans. | Learn More |
| Telus Student Discounts | – Telus regularly offers student discounts on phone and Internet plans around September when students are returning to school. However, student deals are currently over until the next school year. |
There are numerous subscription services that students use on a day-to-today basis. But do any of them have a student discount?
Students have a number of ways that they can take advantage of discounts to save them a little money. Besides the many discounts offered by individual merchants, students can sign up for programs that will give them access to a wealth of discounts from the network of participating merchants. It never hurts to save some money, so all students should take a look to see if they can get themselves a deal.
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Matthew joined the Loans Canada writing team in 2021 while was finishing up a Bachelor's degree at the University of Saskatchewan. It was there that he discovered his love of writing. His work has appeared in several publications, including the Canadian Student Review and NewEngineer.com. In his spare time, Matthew enjoys reading, geocaching, and spending time with his family and pets.
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