College student streaming deals: Check out discounts from Amazon, Hulu, Apple, and more --[Reported by Umva mag]

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College is expensive, but there are fortunately a number of streaming services that offer substantial student discounts that can help give your wallet a break. Students on a budget can take advantage of several deals from popular streaming services, including film, TV, and music offerings. If you plan out your spending and snag the right discounts, you can now enjoy several streaming services without breaking the bank.

To help you decide what to sign up for, we rounded up the best streaming service deals that are currently available for college students in the US. We've also compiled a list of popular streaming services that don't offer any sort of student discount so that you don't waste your time trying to find one.

Verification procedures vary from service to service, with most now using third-party verification platforms like SheerID or UNiDAYS to look into your student status. Be sure to check each platform's website for full details. Many of the discounts have a time limit before you start getting charged a standard rate, even if you're still in school.

Amazon Prime

Amazon offers a discounted plan for college students called Amazon Prime Student. The program includes a six-month free trial for new members and each month after the trial costs $7.49. An individual membership to Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month, so by claiming the student membership, you get 50% off the standard price.

The student plan includes access to Prime Video where you can watch shows like "Fleabag," "Invincible," and "The Boys." Prime Video is also the home to several original films, like "Being the Ricardos" and "Air." 

In addition to Prime Video, student members receive fast and free shipping on millions of eligible items, discounts on services like three months of Calm for free, and more exclusive deals that are further explained in our breakdown of Amazon Prime Student.

Max

Max didn't start offering a student discount until recently, but college students can now get Max for 50% off for up to 12 months. Subscriptions for Max's ad-supported base plans typically cost $9.99 per month, but eligible college students can get access to this tier for just $4.99 per month.

Max, formerly HBO Max, is the prestige cable network's streaming counterpart. New episodes from nearly all HBO shows are released on Max at the same time that they air, and the service has a comprehensive back-catalog of almost all past HBO shows, including "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City."

It carries tons of other programming, including original Max series like "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin" and "Hacks," in addition to recent Warner Bros. film releases, like the "Dune" and "Harry Potter" movies. Plus, Max includes the B/R Sports add-on, which carries live sports events, for free right now (although this will eventually cost extra).

Paramount+ 

Similar to Hulu, Paramount+ offers their ad-supported plan to college students at a discounted rate. You can claim a 25% discount on the Essential Plan, which brings the price down to around $4.50 a month. Unlike most streaming service deals, current college students can lock in this discount for four years, even if they graduate.

With Paramount+, you can watch CBS shows like "NCIS," "Criminal Minds," and "Ghosts," along with movies like "Mean Girls," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning." This is also the streaming service where you'll find all of the "Yellowstone" prequels. The service features content from Paramount, CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and The Smithsonian Channel. 

The platform also includes original series like "The Good Fight" and "Star Trek: Discovery." Take a look at our full guide to original shows and movies on Paramount+ for more information about current and upcoming titles.

Peacock

Peacock has a student deal that reduces the monthly cost by 75% of what it normally would be. The Peacock Student Discount goes for $1.99 per month, as opposed to the standard monthly rate of $7.99. Notably, Peacock's student discount didn't increase in price when the rest of the plans saw a price hike in 2024, meaning that there's even more of a discount than before, but the deal now caps at 12 months.

A Peacock account comes with access to several beloved sitcoms, including "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and "30 Rock." The streaming service also has a variety of original TV shows, like "Poker Face" and "Apples Never Fall," as well as several top-rated films, including all eight "Harry Potter" movies. 

Hulu

Hulu offers their basic ad-supported plan to college students for $1.99/month until they graduate as a part of their Hulu Student Deal plan. The Hulu Basic Plan normally costs $7.99 a month, so the student discount saves you about 75%. 

Hulu Basic offers access to Hulu's full catalog of movies and original series. Hulu also features a big selection of network shows, including popular series like "Grey's Anatomy," "The Bachelor," and "Bob's Burgers." You'll also be able to stream Emmy Award-winning Hulu originals, like "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Great," and "Shogun."

Apple

Apple's student streaming plan combines subscriptions to Apple Music and Apple TV+ for just $5.99 per month. With Apple Music at a regular monthly rate of $10.99 and Apple TV+ at a rate of $9.99, this student deal is more than 70% off in total. College students are eligible for this discount for up to four years as long as they remain enrolled in school.

With Apple TV+ you can stream original series like "Ted Lasso," "For All Mankind," and "The Morning Show." Apple Music allows you to stream over 75 million songs from your favorite artists without any interruptions from ads. You can also download music to supported devices for offline listening.

Spotify

Spotify is another company offering an exclusive deal for college students that combines music with streaming services. You can get Spotify Premium Student for $5.99 a month after a one-month free trial. The discount also comes with Hulu's ad-supported plan thrown in, so it's a great deal.

The student plan is $5 cheaper than the individual Spotify Premium plan which costs $10.99 a month. To retain access to Spotify Premium at this discounted rate, students must verify they are still enrolled in college every 12 months. The Spotify Premium Student bundle is valid for a maximum of four years and you're only eligible for it if you haven't tried Premium before.

YouTube Premium

YouTube Premium offers $6 off their individual plan to students, along with a one-month free trial for new customers.

This streaming service doesn't offer many original movies or shows, but for a discounted rate of $7.99 a month you can watch YouTube without ads, keep videos running in the background, and use the YouTube Music Premium app. The regular individual YouTube Premium rate is $13.99, so this isn't a bad deal.

Annual verifications are required to keep the student discount.

Streaming services without student deals

Though student discounts have become common, there are a few streaming services that don't currently offer any student deals. The following services don't have any active student discount offers: 

• Disney+
• Netflix
• ESPN+
• Discovery+

It's worth noting that Discovery+ only removed its student discount in June 2023, but subscribed students were allowed to keep the discount for the remainder of their verified year. So, if you've recently started getting charged $4.99 per month, it's because your year was up.

Additional streaming deals

For more streaming recommendations, take a look at our guides to the best streaming services and the best streaming deals and bundles, which can help you find savings even if you're not a college student. And, if you're looking for a compact smart TV or media player ideal for watching any of these apps in a dorm or apartment, check out these home entertainment gift ideas for college students.

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon offers a discounted plan for college students called Amazon Prime Student. The program includes a six-month free trial for new members and each month after the trial costs $6.49. An individual membership to Amazon Prime costs $13 a month, so by claiming the student membership, you get 50% off the standard price.

The student plan includes access to Prime Video where you can watch exclusive movies like "The Tomorrow War" and critically acclaimed series like "Fleabag."

In addition to Prime Video, student members receive fast and free shipping on millions of eligible items, deep discounts on services like Amazon Music Unlimited ($1/month instead of $8/month), and more exclusive deals that are further explained in our breakdown of Amazon Prime Student.

Prime Student members can also pay a discounted $1/month rate (for up to 12 months) to add select Prime Video channels, like Showtime, Epix, and Shudder.

The discounted Amazon Prime rate for students is valid until graduation, for a maximum length of four years.

Hulu

Hulu offers their basic ad-supported plan to college students for $2/month until they graduate. The Hulu Basic Plan normally costs $6 a month, so the student discount saves you about 65%. 

Hulu Basic offers access to Hulu's full catalog of movies and original series. Hulu also features a big selection of network shows, including popular series like "Atlanta," "The Bachelor," and "Bob's Burgers."

You can find more information about pricing for all of Hulu's regular plans here.

Paramount Plus

Similar to Hulu, Paramount Plus offers their ad-supported plan to college students at a discounted rate. You can claim a 25% discount on the Essential Plan, which brings the price down to around $3.74 a month. Unlike most streaming service deals, current college students can lock in this discount for four years, even if they graduate.

With Paramount Plus, you can watch shows like "RuPaul's Drag Race," and "Love Island," along with movies like "The Ring," "Minority Report," and the "Indiana Jones" series. The service features content from Paramount, CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET, and The Smithsonian Channel. 

The platform also includes original series like "Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years" and the reboot of "iCarly," as well as blockbuster new releases like "A Quiet Place: Part II." Take a look at our full guide to original shows and movies on Paramount Plus for more information about current and upcoming titles.

Discovery Plus

For students enrolled in college, Discovery Plus offers $2 off their ad-supported plan, bringing the price down to just $3 a month. 

While the service doesn't have many scripted offerings, viewers who enjoy cooking shows and reality TV will find numerous options, including "Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations," "Man v. Food," "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," "Sister Wives," and "90 Day Fiancé."

Discovery Plus also includes many original programs developed exclusively for subscribers. Check out our full guide to streaming Discovery Plus here.

Apple TV Plus and Apple Music

Though Apple TV Plus doesn't offer a specific student plan, Apple Music does and, for a limited time, this discounted plan includes Apple TV Plus for free.

The Apple Music Student Plan costs $5 a month. That's $5 off the regular Apple Music price and the same cost of Apple TV Plus on its own. College students are eligible for this discount for up to four years as long as they remain enrolled in school.

With Apple TV Plus you can stream original series like "Ted Lasso," "Dickinson," and "The Morning Show." Apple Music allows you to stream over 75 million songs from your favorite artists without any interruptions from ads. You can also download music to supported devices for offline listening.

Spotify Premium with Hulu and Showtime

Spotify is another company offering an exclusive deal for college students that combines music with streaming services. You can get Spotify Premium Student for $5 a month after a one-month free trial and, in addition to music, subscribers receive Showtime and ad-supported Hulu for free.

The student plan is $5 cheaper than the individual Spotify Premium plan which costs $10 a month. To retain access to Spotify Premium, ad-supported Hulu, and Showtime at this discounted rate, students must verify they are still enrolled in college every 12 months. The Spotify Premium Student bundle is valid for a maximum of four years.

YouTube Premium

YouTube Premium offers $5 off their individual plan to students, along with a one-month free trial for new customers.

This streaming service doesn't offer many original movies or shows, but for a discounted rate of $7 a month you can watch YouTube without ads, keep videos running in the background, and use the YouTube Music Premium app.

Annual verifications are required to keep the student discount.

Streaming services without student deals

Though student discounts have become common, there are a few streaming services that don't currently offer any student deals. The following services don't have any active student discount offers: 

• HBO Max
• Disney Plus
• Peacock
• Netflix

In addition, even though there are multiple offers you can claim for live TV services like Sling TV, none of the deals we found are exclusive to college students.

Check out these additional streaming deals

For more streaming recommendations, take a look at our guide to the best streaming services. And, if you're looking for a compact smart TV or media player ideal for watching any of these apps in a dorm or apartment, check out these home entertainment gift ideas for college students.

For all your in-class and remote learning needs, read our roundup of back-to-school essentials and essential gear for college.

Check out more streaming deals coverage from Insider Reviews:

• Discovery's streaming service, Discovery Plus, is free for an entire year for some Verizon Unlimited customers
• Claim 3 free months of Xbox Game Pass for PC with a Crunchyroll Premium trial
• New Apple Music subscribers can get 6 months free from Best Buy, no purchase necessary
• New subscribers can get 4 months of Apple Music for free with the purchase of Beats headphones
• You can get HBO Max for free with select AT&T and DirecTV plans
• New subscribers can get 3 months of both Amazon Music and Paramount Plus for $3
• New and returning Starz subscribers can stream 3 months of service for only $8 a month
• Get 3 months of Apple TV Plus for free when you buy select Apple devices, or 6 months if you own a PS5
• You can save 16% off the monthly price of Paramount Plus if you sign up for an annual plan
• You can get up to 6 months of Disney Plus for free with an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription

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