Let's be real: being a student in Australia is bloody expensive. Between rent, ridiculously priced textbooks, and the occasional smashed avo toast, your bank account probably looks a bit tragic. But here's the good news: some of the biggest global brands will give you a serious discount just for being enrolled in a course. We're talking streaming, software, and shopping essentials that you're probably paying full price for right now.

This isn't a dodgy list of coupon codes that don't work. This is the real-deal guide to the best student discounts in Australia for massive digital brands like Amazon, Spotify, Microsoft, and Adobe. We'll break down exactly what you get, how much you save, how to prove you're a student, and which "deals" are actually a bit of a rip-off. Think of this as your bible for cutting costs without cutting back on the good stuff.

How Student Status Verification Actually Works

Before you can get your hands on these discounts, companies need to know you're a legit student. They're not just going to take your word for it. Most major brands in Australia use a third-party verification service to handle this. The most common one you'll encounter is UNiDAYS.

Here’s the basic process:

1. Sign up to UNiDAYS: You create a free account using your personal email address.
2. Provide your institution details: You'll select your university or TAFE from their list.
3. Verify your enrolment: This is the key step. You usually have two options:
   • Student Email: Log in with your official university email address (e.g., s1234567@student.rmit.edu.au). This is the fastest method.
   • Student Portal: If you don't have a student email or prefer not to use it, you can log in to your university's student portal through UNiDAYS. They simply check that you can log in successfully to prove you're enrolled.

Once verified, your UNiDAYS account acts as your digital student ID, unlocking discounts across hundreds of stores and services. It’s worth setting this up before you do anything else. Some companies, like Microsoft, might have their own direct verification system using your .edu.au email, but UNiDAYS is the big one.

Amazon Prime Student: The Best Deal in Streaming & Shopping?

Amazon finally brought their "Prime Student" offering to Australia, and it's arguably one of the best value packages you can get. It’s not just about free shipping; it’s a whole bundle of services.

What You Get with Prime Student

Instead of the standard 30-day trial, students get a 90-day free trial. After that, you pay 50% of the regular price. As of 2026, standard Prime is $9.99/month, so you'd be looking at $4.99/month.

For that price, you get:

• Free & Fast Delivery: Free one-day delivery on millions of eligible items in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
• Prime Video: Full access to their streaming service, with shows like The Boys, Fallout, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
• Prime Gaming: Free games to keep each month and a free Twitch channel subscription.
• Amazon Music: Access to a library of 2 million songs (note: this is not the full "Unlimited" library).
• Prime Reading: A rotating selection of free ebooks and magazines to read on your Kindle or the Kindle app.
• Exclusive Deals: Access to special offers, particularly around sale events like Prime Day.

How to Sign Up

1. Go to the Amazon Prime Student landing page.
2. You'll need to provide proof of enrolment. Amazon has its own system for this.
3. You’ll be asked for your university email address and the year you expect to graduate.
4. They will send a verification email to that address. Click the link, and you're in.

Verdict: For $4.99, this is a no-brainer. The free trial alone will get you through a whole semester. The combination of fast shipping for last-minute essentials and a solid streaming library makes it incredible value.

Spotify Premium for Students: Your Study Soundtrack Sorted

Nothing fuels a late-night study session like the perfect playlist. Paying full price for Spotify Premium, however, is a classic student mistake. The student discount is generous and easy to get.

As of 2026, a standard Spotify Premium plan costs $13.99/month. The Spotify Premium Student plan is $6.99/month.

What You Get

You get all the features of a regular Premium account:

• Ad-free listening: No more annoying ads interrupting your focus.
• Download tracks: Save your playlists offline to save data on your commute.
• Unlimited skips: Skip any song you're not feeling.
• High-quality audio.

How to Sign Up

Spotify uses UNiDAYS to verify your student status. If you already have a UNiDAYS account, it takes about two minutes.

1. Go to the Spotify Premium for Students page.
2. You’ll be redirected to log in and verify with your UNiDAYS account.
3. Once verified, you'll be able to subscribe at the discounted rate.

You have to re-verify your student status once every 12 months, for a maximum of 4 years. If you graduate or can't re-verify, your plan will automatically switch to the full-price Premium subscription.

Verdict: If you use Spotify, you should be on this plan. It’s half the price for the exact same service. It's that simple.

Apple Music Student Subscription: The Spotify Alternative

If you're more embedded in the Apple ecosystem, their student discount is just as good as Spotify's. A standard Apple Music plan in 2026 costs $13.99/month, but the Student Subscription is $7.99/month.

Interestingly, the student plan also includes free access to Apple TV+. This is a huge bonus, giving you access to acclaimed shows like Severance, Ted Lasso, and Slow Horses.

How to Sign Up

Like Spotify, Apple uses UNiDAYS for verification in Australia.

1. Open the Apple Music app (or iTunes on older devices).
2. Go to the subscription options and select the Student plan.
3. You will be prompted to verify your eligibility through UNiDAYS.
4. Log in with your UNiDAYS account to confirm your student status.

Just like Spotify, you can keep the student pricing for up to 48 months (4 years), and you'll need to re-verify annually.

Verdict: The inclusion of Apple TV+ makes this arguably better value than Spotify's offer if you're not tied to their playlists and interface. For an extra dollar a month compared to Spotify Student, you get a whole extra streaming service.

Microsoft 365 for Students: Is it Free?

This is a big one, because Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are non-negotiable for uni. The good news is that you almost certainly DO NOT need to pay for Microsoft 365.

Most Australian universities and many TAFEs have an institutional agreement with Microsoft. This means they pay a license fee that covers all their enrolled students.

For most students, Microsoft 365 is completely free.

What You Get

You get the full-fat version of the Microsoft 365 suite, which includes:

• Desktop Apps: The downloadable versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams.
• Web Apps: The ability to use these programs in your browser.
• OneDrive Storage: A massive 1TB of cloud storage, which is perfect for backing up all your assignments, notes, and readings.

How to Get It

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 Education page.
2. Enter your student email address in the sign-up box.
3. Microsoft's system will check if your institution is part of the program.
4. If it is (and it probably is), you’ll be guided through setting up your free account.

Don’t get tricked into buying a "Microsoft 365 Personal" subscription for $109/year. Check for your free access first. Your access lasts as long as you are an enrolled student.

Verdict: It’s free. It’s essential. There’s no catch. Just make sure you grab all your files from your OneDrive before you graduate, as you will lose access once your enrolment lapses.

Adobe Creative Cloud for Students: A Must-Have for Creatives?

If you're studying design, film, marketing, or any creative field, Adobe Creative Cloud is the industry-standard software. Unfortunately, it's also incredibly expensive. The standard price for the full suite of apps is a painful $87.99/month.

The Adobe Creative Cloud for Students and Teachers plan is a lifesaver. It brings the price down dramatically.

• First Year: $21.99/month
• After First Year: $43.99/month

This is a massive discount of over 60% for the first year. Even the ongoing price is a 50% saving.

What You Get

You get everything. The full suite of over 20 apps, including:

• Photoshop: For image editing and graphic design.
• Illustrator: For vector graphics and illustration.
• Premiere Pro: For professional video editing.
• InDesign: For layout and page design (e.g., magazines, portfolios).
• Lightroom: For photo editing and management.
• After Effects: For motion graphics and visual effects.

You also get 100GB of cloud storage for your projects.

How to Sign Up

Adobe has its own verification process, similar to Microsoft.

1. Go to the Adobe Education pricing page.
2. When you go to purchase, you’ll be asked to provide your school details.
3. You must use your student email address to sign up.
4. Adobe will send a verification link to that email. Once you click it, the discount is applied.

Verdict: If your course requires you to use Adobe software, this is a non-negotiable purchase. The discount is huge. However, if you only need one app (e.g., just Photoshop), check your uni first. Some universities provide free access to Adobe software on campus computers in libraries and labs, which might be enough to get you by.

Student Discount Comparison Table (2026 Prices)

Service	Student Monthly Price	Standard Monthly Price	Saving	Key Benefit
Amazon Prime	$4.99	$9.99	50%	90-day trial + delivery + video
Spotify Premium	$6.99	$13.99	50%	Music and podcasts ad-free
Apple Music	$7.99	$13.99	43%	Includes Apple TV+ subscription
Microsoft 365	Free	$10.99 (Personal)	100%	Essential apps + 1TB storage
Adobe Creative Cloud	$21.99 (Year 1)	$87.99	>70%	Full suite of pro creative apps

Which "Student Deals" Aren't That Great?

Not every discount with the word "student" attached is a winner. Here are a couple to be wary of.

• YouTube Premium Student: While it exists ($8.99/month vs $14.99 standard), Spotify and Apple Music offer better overall value for music streaming. Ad-free YouTube is nice, but for most students, the music/video combo from Apple or the shopping/video combo from Amazon is a smarter way to spend your money.
• Newspaper/Magazine Subscriptions: Many publications offer student rates, but you can often get free access through your university library's online portal. Check your library website for services like ProQuest or Factiva before paying for a digital subscription to The Australian or The Economist.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting to Cancel Trials: That 90-day Amazon Prime trial is amazing, but if you decide you don't need it, put a reminder in your calendar to cancel it before you get charged.
2. Paying for Microsoft Office: We can't stress this enough. Go to the Microsoft 365 Education site and check your eligibility before you even think about paying for it.
3. Staying on a Full-Price Plan: If you're already paying for Spotify or Apple Music, go and switch to the student plan right now. They won't do it for you automatically.
4. Not Using Your Uni Library: Your library is more than just books. It provides free access to expensive journal databases, streaming film libraries (like Kanopy), and software that can save you hundreds of dollars.
5. Letting Your Verification Lapse: Spotify, Apple, and Adobe will all bump you up to the full-price plan if you don't re-verify your student status each year. Keep an eye out for the reminder email.

Being a student is about being smart with your money, and these discounts are the lowest-hanging fruit. A few minutes of setup can save you hundreds of dollars a year that you can put towards more important things, like instant noodles and weekend beers. Good luck!

Related reading

• The Ultimate Cost of Living Guide for Students in Australia
• How to Find the Best Student Bank Account in Australia
• A Student's Guide to Finding Part-Time Jobs in Australia