Apple decided to end the honor system which for years allowed almost anyone to access its Education Retailer discounts without proving anything. Starting today, if you want to take advantage of Apple educational prices in the United States, Canada, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong and Turkey, you will have to go through a verification process. And if that were not enough, the company also announced something new that many have been waiting for for a long time.
Apple partners with UNiDAYS to verify your academic status
The most important change is clear, the verification system is now mandatory to complete any purchase in the Apple Education Retailer. Apple partnered with UNiDAYS to manage the entire process, and the operation is quite simple once you understand how it operates.
Students and teachers must create a UNiDAYS ID and then confirm your academic status in one of these ways
- Logging into the academic portal of your university or educational institution
- Uploading a photo of your student or college ID (academic private identification)
If you are a homeschool teacher, the process is a little different. You will need to present an official identification document such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport, plus a document proving your activity as a homeschooler, such as a Letter of Intent or Letter of Recognition.
The good news is that most users will be verified instantlyand those who need manual verification will receive a response within a maximum of 24 hours. In addition, the process applies to both physical stores and online purchases, so it doesn’t matter how you prefer to buy.
Why did Apple make this decision now?
Before this announcement, in the United States basically anyone could enter the Education Retailer website and access the discounts without anyone verifying anything. Skills a system based on good faithand Apple tolerated it for a long time.
This is not the first time that the company has tried to implement this system. In January 2022Apple launched verification in partnership with UNiDAYS, but pulled it just two days later after reports of technical issues, especially for homeschool teachers. Apparently, this time Apple resolved those issues before trying again.
A theory circulating among analysts points to the launch of MacBook NeoApple’s most affordable laptop that started at $599 for the classic public and $499 for education. With such a competitive price, opening that discount to anyone without verification would have been unsustainable for the company’s business model.
Apple Observe arrives for the first time with educational discount
The second big announcement of the day was that The Apple Observe is now part of the Education Retailer catalog for the first time in history. This includes the Apple Observe Collection 11, the Apple Observe SE, and the Apple Observe Extremely 3.
The educational discount prices in the United States remained like this
- Apple Observe Collection 11 from $359 (long-established price $399)
- Apple Watch SE from $229 (long-established price $249)
- Apple Watch Extremely 3 from $719 (long-established price $799)
The discount is available in more than 20 markets around the world, including Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, Mexico is not listed, but Latin American countries such as Chile are already part of the program.
As for the purchase limitsthese did not change with the new policy. You can purchase one desktop computer, Mac mini or laptop computer per year, up to two iPads and two educationally priced accessories per year.
If you are a college student, parent of one recently admitted to college, a teacher or homeschooler, The benefits of Apple Education Retailer continue to be very attractive. Just make sure you have your paperwork ready before you go shopping, because the honor system is history.
Keep reading:
• Learn how to save $100 buying almost any Apple product
• A MacBook for $499? The hidden Apple discount that will save you money on your next purchase
• Apple killed the $599 Mac Mini and now the cheapest one is $200 more
