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Crushed by student expenses? These discounts can save you hundreds in Canada this year

With Canadian tuition averaging $7,076 per year for undergraduate programs in 2024, according to Statistics Canada, finding every possible student discount can help offset living costs and reduce debt after graduation.

Students can find discounts with varioius retailers, as well as products and services aimed at helping you manage your money while you concentrate on your studies.

Here’s what you need to know about finding student discounts in Canada. Whether you’re shopping for a new laptop, looking to stream some tunes, using services to get around or looking to cut costs on essentials, here are more than a dozen student discounts to consider.

Are you eligible for a student discount?

While the eligibility for each student discount may vary, the general requirements are pretty simple:

Providing proof is pretty simple. Either show your student ID card or any other documentation from the school to show you are a current student.

Also, many retailers partner with verification services like SheerID and ID.me to confirm your student status online. This means you can access discounts without visiting a store, as long as you have a valid school-issued email address or enrollment documents.

Student discount programs

One of the best options for student discounts are designated student discount programs. These programs provide you with a loyalty card that comes equipped with discounts for a variety of things at multiple businesses.

Here are some of Canada’s top rated student discount programs you might want to check out:

Student Price Card (SPC)

The Student Price Card, or SPC, has more than one million Canadian members and offers 450+ student-exclusive deals, discounts, giveaways, contests, and limited-time offers, including partnerships with Indigo and DoorDash. At the membership cost of $10/year, this card will grant you access to discounts on things like food, tech, clothing, travel, and more. You can use the SPC to redeem discounts both in-person and online

UNiDAYS Canada

UNiDAYS is a discount website for students that directs you to a variety of affiliated retailers offering discounts. Any student aged 16 or older can register for free. Membership gets you access discounts on a variety of brands, from clothing to tech to health and fitness. In 2024, UNiDAYS expanded its partner list to include name brand stores, including Simons and Lululemon.

StudentBeans

The StudentBeans student discount program connects you to a variety of student deals offered on things like health, beauty, and tech. The program is accompanied by an app to make utilizing discounts and finding the best deals for you as easy as possible. The best part is that this program offers Canadian students targetted deals, meaning you can expect to shop, get a deal and pay in Canadian funds.

ISIC (International Student Identity Card)

Probably the most well-known student program, the ISIC card provides global discounts on travel, shopping, and more — around the neighbourhood and across the globe. The global scope of ISIC is helpful if you live in one area of the country or world and go to school in another region of if choose to travel for the summer trip or spend a semester abroad.

Campus resources

Almost all post-secondary campuses will have a student campus office where you can ask for guidance on how the school works, as well as discounts and freebies offered around campus. For instance, many student unions often negotiate exclusive deals and discounts on a variety of products and services that include big brand names as well as local companies.

The student office is also a great place to learn about targetted campus-only sales and giveaways. You never know but you could walk away with some free swag.

Retail discounts

Many retailers and brand-names offer unique discounts just for students. For example:

Local and online retailers

Brand name stores often roll-out annual student discount pricing, starting in July or August (before the new school year starts). However, to fight back against the big brands, many local and online-only retailers are now offering their own student discount incentives.

To find the best options, go to your local store, coffee shop or pub and ask if the business supports student discounts. Chances are you’ll find out when and where it costs less to enjoy local business goods and services.

For online retailers, includin Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart, sign-up for email newsletters and scan subject-lines for student-specific pricing. Like big brands, these online retailers typically offer discounts at specific times of the year.

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Food, restaurants, and groceries: Food and dining student discounts

Not only are there plenty of discounted offerings to accompany you on a night out with friends at a restaurant, but there are plenty for essential grocery purchases too! These discounts are sure to help you cut costs and get the ingredients you need to stay healthy amidst the stress of school.

Public transportation and travel discounts

Many students commute to school or rely on public transportation to get around. Check with your local public transit provider to see if there are student discounts. Here are some companies that offer student discounts to help you get around without breaking the bank.

Electronics and technology discounts

Nowadays, school supplies go far beyond pencils and paper. Having the software and tech necessary to succeed in your studies is important, and these retailers offer great deals to help you do just that at a fraction of the price.

Entertainment and cultural discounts

There’s no point spending all your time and money focused on your studies if you can’t unwind or take in the sights and sounds. The good news is that many large and small cultural and entertainmnent venues will offer student pricing. For instance, many museums and attractions offer reduced or free admission for students. Plus, most streaming services offer a student account. To save, look into the student pricing offered by Spotify, Netflix, or Apple Music.

Everything else

Just because you’re a student, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat yourself sometimes! You can get discounts on things like clothing, shoes, subscription service, beauty products, wellness, books, and more without worrying about overspending on non-essentials. Here are a few examples you might want to check out:

Student credit cards

Beginning to build your credit while you’re a student is a great idea and pretty simple to accomplish with student-specific credit cards. These cards are designed with student finances and lifestyles in mind in order to make them easy to use and qualify for.

One of the greatest things about student credit cards is the money-saving perks that come along with them like cash back on purchases. If you’re going to be spending money anyways, it doesn’t hurt to build a positive credit history, earn money, and benefit from exclusive discounts all at once.

If you want to discover the right student credit card for you, check out the Money.ca credit card comparison tool. Compare more than 140 cards in just 5 seconds.  

Student banking and financial services

Many banks offer special accounts with no fees or perks tailored for students. Since a bank account is critical — you need to pay bills and deposit funds — it’s best to consider promotions from bank providers that offer the services that you require. To find options that fit your needs, read the Money.ca guide on student day-to-day bank accounts, or read more on student loans.

Memberships and subscriptions

One final place to look for student discounts is through membership and subscription services. For instance, Costco offers student discounts on their annual membership fees through their ID.me shop. You can also find discounts at many local and franchise-chain gyms.

Final thoughts

Despite the stereotypes, being a student does not inherently mean you have to be constantly struggling and broke. By keeping an eye out for student discounts and rewards opportunities you can cut costs, save money while you’re in school, and sometimes even earn more than if you weren’t taking advantage of these savings opportunities. Do yourself a favour and take advantage of these types of rewards while you still can.

— with files from Renee Williams

Sources

1. Student Price Card: All kinds of deals for all kinds of students

2. UNiDAYS: Students save on Fashion , Food , Technology , Travel , UNiDAYS

3. Student Beans: The best student discounts from your favourite shops

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.