Apple is a bit behind the game, but its Apple Music streaming service just launched a student discount. If you're currently a student in an eligible country, like with Tidal and Spotify, you can now get 50% off your Apple Music subscription. That brings the price down to US$4.99 per month, which is pretty amazing for unlimited music streaming.
If you don't have an Apple Music account, just go to apple.com/music, click Try , and you will be redirected to the appropriate registration page. However, I found the sign up process if you already have an Apple Music account quite cumbersome. If you want to upgrade to a student account, here are the steps to follow. (You will need to verify that you are a student at some point in the process, so be prepared with your institution information as well.)
Note: The Apple Music Student Discount is only available in the US, UK, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, and New Zealand.The easiest way to sign up for the Apple Music Student Plan is actually through iTunes on your Mac or PC rather than iOS. I've had trouble doing this a few times from my iPhone, so make sure you're on a computer.
Open iTunes on your computer and make sure you're signed in with your Apple ID. (If you are not, click Login in the top right.) Click your account name in the toolbar, then choose Account Info from the menu.
Now that's a bit murky, but you're going to want to find your Subscriptions on the Account page. It's under Settings down. When you find it, click Make sure To the right. Optionally click on Edit next to Apple Music if you have multiple iTunes subscriptions.
In your renewal options, you must be currently enrolled in an individual or family plan. Below, a new link says Student (1 month) Verification required . Click on it.
Now, you'll need to check your eligibility as a student through UNiDAYS, a separate online store for students that uses its own system to check if members are enrolled at the university. Click Check Eligibility in iTunes to access the UNiDAYS website.
On UNiDAYS, enter your personal email address and start entering the school you are currently attending.
Note: Not all schools are supported, so if you don't see your school listed, unfortunately you won't be able to sign up for a student discount.
Continue to enter your school's email address. You will receive an email asking you to confirm your student account with UNiDAYS by following a link. UNiDAYS asks for a bit more information like your major and the number of years in your program as well. When you are done filling out the form, you should see that you are verified for a full year, after which you will need to start the verification process again if you are still a student.
Now go back to iTunes to your subscriptions from the account page. You should see that Student is now your selected plan for half the standard price.
If you're still not on the Apple Music Student Plan, return to UNiDAYS and verify that you've successfully completed the verification process. Hover over Account at the top right of the page and click on Student Status .
Here you should see a green banner that says "Verified Student" with your institution and your verification expiration. If you see anything other than this scrolling green banner, retrace your steps to ensure you are correctly registered and eligible.
ALSO SEE: How to share Apple Music and app purchases with your friends using iCloud Family Sharing
