Free Stuff for College Students (& Student Discounts!)

Good news! While you’re busy studying for your college classes, you can snag some excellent freebies (and some great student discounts!) from companies and organizations around the United States. It’s no secret that college students are notoriously broke… but now there’s help!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

…and if you’re looking to earn some extra cash, check out these 30 ways to earn money with your smartphone!

Food

Rumor has it that you can score student discounts from Arby’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Dairy Queen, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, Qdoba, Subway and Waffle House. However, I wasn’t able to verify these discounts because they (allegedly) vary by location.

My suggestion? Keep your student ID in your wallet and always ask if you can get a student discount (especially if you live near a major college or university)! No harm in asking, right?!

Get FREE drinks at Chipotle!

In the month of September, you can show your student ID for a free drink at Chipotle! It does require the purchase of a meal, however. For more information about this student discount, click here.

Use the Pocket Points app to earn free food!

If you install the Pocket Points app and then don’t check your phone during class, you can earn points that can be redeemed at participating restaurants! The app uses location services to verify that you’re in a classroom – and it rewards you for paying attention and not using your phone during class. You can also get bonuses for referrals! Check it out here.

Use the FREE Food Finder to find events on campus!

The Free Food Finder website locates events on campus that are offering free food. Click here to go to the Free Food Finder website!

Free Fun

Visit museums, zoos and other cultural attractions for free!

Many museums, zoos, arenas, concert halls and events offer free or seriously discounted admission for students. If there’s a place you’ve been wanting to go, look into student pricing. You might be surprised!

There are way too many offers to include in a nationwide post like this, but if you’re interested in a more detailed list for your local area just leave a comment below and I’ll see what I can do. 🙂

Get discounted tickets to movie theaters!

Amazing student discounts are available from Marcus Theaters  and Cinemark Theaters. Marcus Theaters, which are located in the Midwest, invite students and faculty to $5 movies on Thursdays – and they even include 44 ounce popcorn! There may be an extra showing for 3D and other extras. Cinemark’s student discounts vary by location, but you can find a list of participating locations at this link.

Free Software

Adobe Creative Cloud – HUGE Discount

College students can save approximately 60% on their Adobe Creative Cloud subscription! It’s just $20 per month for hte first year and $30 per month after that! That’s a huge savings off the standard price.

AutoCAD and other Autodesk software is FREE for students!

Autodesk seeks to inspire would-be designers, digital artists and engineers by providing them with the tools required to learn their craft. Students, teachers and academic institutions can obtain free licenses to over 100 different pieces of Autodesk software!

JetBrains has a free all products pack for students.

If you’ve got a .edu email address, you download the award-winning All Products Pack of developer tools from JetBrains! Click here to see what’s included.

Microsoft has free software deals for students, too!

All students can acquire OneNote and Imagine software (for coding) for free. However, students who attend qualifying institutions can download the Microsoft Office suite for free! Check it out on their student portal.

On the Hub is the free software directory you’ve been waiting for.

If you want free software and you don’t want to have to visit 100 different websites to find it, you’ll love On the Hub. It collects information about all the software students can get for free! Visit their website and find more free software!

You Need a Budget! And now you can figure one out for free!

Students can get free access to the You Need a Budget financial software. Just click the link for more information!

Free Memberships

Get a free 6 month trial of Amazon Prime!

In addition to unlimited, free two-day shipping, you’ll also enjoy access to Amazon’s Instant Video streaming service. Prime members also get a free Audible download, access to a Kindle lending library, photo storage and more.

If you don’t cancel within the six month trial period, you’ll be billed just $49 per year to continue the service. That’s 50% off the normal rate! This is my absolute favorite student discount. Click here to sign up on the Amazon website!

Try Apple Music for almost 50% off!

Interested in the Apple Music subscription service? Students pay just $4.99 instead of $9.99 for up to four years! Please note that the service will periodically verify your enrollment and you may be kicked off the student discount program if they discover you aren’t currently enrolled.

Get a $15 Sam’s Club gift card.

Do you shop at Sam’s Club? When you begin or renew your membership, show your student ID and provide your .edu email address. You’ll be rewarded with a $15 Sam’s Club gift card.

Join a professional organization for free (or cheap)!

Students can join professional organizations for free or cheap! Some of the participating associations include the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Planning Association, the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Free Digital Subscriptions

Get free digital access to the National Review!

Enter your valid .edu email address to receive 12 months of free access to National Review. Your subscription can be renewed at the end of 12 months, as long as you still have access to your .edu email.

Get free digital access to the Washington Post!

Newspapers are a dying breed. To keep revenues up, the Washington Post has instituted a paywall that prevents non-paid users from reading more than 20 articles per month. Fortunately, students get free unlimited access to the Washington Post! That’s a $9.99/month savings!

Get free checking accounts from major nationwide banks!

Nobody wants to pay a monthly fee for their bank account. Students can get free checking accounts from US Bank, Bank of America and Chase.

What are your favorite student discounts?
Did we miss any?
Let us know in the comments!