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CNET
7 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
The Best Student Discounts, Deals and Freebies for 2025
If you hadn't noticed, life is expensive these days. Now imagine trying to get by as a college student. Between the cost of room and board and food, it's hard to imagine being in the position to splurge on extracurriculars and fun. Luckily, there are plenty of student discounts out there to help lighten the financial burden of going to a college or university. If they're willing to do a little work to verify on the front end, students can actually save quite a bit on plenty of everyday items and services. Streaming platforms like Spotify, Hulu and YouTube Premium offer discounts to students with a valid .edu school email or proof of enrollment (usually through a service like SheerID or UNiDAYS). There are also deals out there on services like Babbel, Headspace and Amazon Prime. We've rounded up some great discounts for students, but also be sure to check for more perks offered through individual campuses. Student discounts on food, fitness, travel and entertainment DashPash for Students Every once in a while it's nice to treat yourself to takeout, especially if you're in the dorms or living off Top Ramen. With DashPass for Students, college students can skip the delivery fee on restaurant orders (on purchases over $12) or grocery orders (on purchases over $25) and will have lower service fees in general. After verifying their student status, college students can enjoy DashPass at 50% off, which is $4.99 a month or $48 annually instead of the normal $9.99 a month or $96 a year. Depending on your order frequency, the delivery savings can really add up. Details 50% off student discount See at Doordash Close Amtrak Amtrak can be a great way to travel, and it's even better when it's at a discount. Students between the ages of 17 and 24 with a valid student ID can save 15% on regular-priced fares when booking travel at least one day in advance. Get a head start planning that cross-country spring break train trip with friends. Or why not finally book a weekend trip to a neighboring town you want to explore? Details 15% off See at Amtrak Close Blue Apron If you're living off campus and have access to a kitchen, Blue Apron can be a great way to make fast, healthy meals each week. Students who verify through can save 25% on the first order of a new subscription, as well as get free shipping the first week. One of the great things about Blue Apron is that you can choose meals that are deemed "fast & easy," which are perfect for students and involve low prep and quick cook times. Your friends will be so impressed! Read our Blue Apron review. Details 25% off your first order See at Blue Apron Close United Airlines If you're traveling for fun or even back home for school breaks, you can take advantage of United's young adult discount of 5% on United Economy and Basic Economy seats if you're a MileagePlus member. The only stipulation is that you must be between 18 and 23 at the time of booking -- you don't actually have to be a verified student for this discount. Note that this discount is valid on flights within the U.S., select international flights departing the U.S. and some partner airline flights (booked as "UA" flights). Details 5% off See at United Airlines Close Health-Ade Love kombucha but not the price tag? Fear not: Students can use their UNiDAYS account to receive 25% off orders of Health-Ade Kombucha, Health-Ade Glow Up Kombucha or the brand's SunSip prebiotic soda. Improving gut health may not be at the forefront of your college pursuits, but when it tastes this good, it doesn't feel like work. And with a great discount, it's an even sweeter deal. Details 25% off See at Health-Ade Close Paramount Plus Dying to watch the Frasier reboot but can't afford Paramount Plus? College students no longer need to worry about that. Paramount Plus offers all college students 50% off any Paramount Plus subscription. All you have to do is verify your student status before signing up for a subscription. Details 50% off student discount See at Paramount Plus Close Peloton You don't need a Peloton bike in order to take Peloton classes, which include not only cycling, but also HIIT, running, strength training, yoga and more. The Peloton app offers all that via phone, tablet and most streaming devices. The regular subscription price is $13 a month and verified students with a valid college ID can get it for $6.99 per month. If you're going for the full app experience, App+ (with access to bike, treadmill and rower workouts) is $12.99/month or $75/year with the student discount. Additionally, you get the first month free if you've never tried Peloton before. Details $7 a month after a 30-day free trial See at Peloton Close Nike Need a pair of shoes or some athleticwear for the new school year? How about a bag or backpack? Nike's offerings span far and wide. Students over 16 (who've verified through SheerID) can get a discount code for 10% off most items on or through the Nike app. The code is for one-time use, but you can get a new discount code every seven days if you want to make another purchase. Details 10% off See at Nike Close Apple Music In addition to hardware discounts (see below), Apple offers its Music subscription service for students for up to 48 months. That subscription nets you access to some 50 million songs, and it's accessible on all your Apple devices. You also get Apple TV Plus at no extra cost. Details $6 a month See at Apple Close YouTube Premium Normally $13.99 a month, YouTube Premium is a two-fer: You get ad-free YouTube videos (including the option to download them for offline viewing) and unlimited access to YouTube Music for just $8 a month. Just want YouTube Music? That service is $5.49 a month for students (regularly $10.99). Both options allow for a free one-month trial if you want to test the waters first. Details $8 a month See at YouTube Close Amazon Music Unlimited Not to be confused with the Prime Music benefit, which is included with an Amazon Prime subscription, or Prime Student, which you can read about below. Music Unlimited is Amazon's full-on, massive-library music service, which rivals the likes of Apple Music and Spotify. Anyone who has a student subscription can get Music Unlimited for just $6 a month after a free 30-day trial -- by far the cheapest music-streaming option anywhere. Details $6 a month See at Amazon Close Spotify Premium Student with Hulu Arguably the best student deal in the history of student deals, Spotify Premium offers a $6 ad-free plan that includes Hulu (ad-supported). Nonstudents pay a minimum of $10 and $8 a month, for a grand total of $18. That's an awful lot of entertainment for $6. If you already have a premium account, it's easy enough to convert to the student version. If you're part of a family plan, however, check into whether it would be cheaper for the family to keep you on the $16 plan. Just want Hulu? Keep reading. Details $6 a month See at Spotify Close Hulu If you don't need or want Spotify or Showtime, Hulu proper now offers a dirt-cheap deal for students: Just $2 monthly for the standard plan (meaning with commercials), $6 off the regular price. As with most any discounted membership, you just need to prove your eligibility with a valid student ID. Thankfully, this offer is good even if you're already a Hulu subscriber. It's not just for newcomers. Details $2 a month See at Hulu Close The Wall Street Journal Keeping up with the news as a college student can be particularly challenging as online newspapers begin to up their subscription prices and print newspapers go out of business. If you want to stay in touch with what's happening in the world but don't want to pay outrageous subscription prices, The Wall Street Journal has the package for you. For $4 a month full-time students can gain unlimited access to all articles and podcasts on The Wall Street Journal website. Prefer to read a physical newspaper? The WSJ also offers a Student Digital and Print Pack for $10 a month. Details Student Digital Pack, $4; Student Digital and Print Pack, $10 See at The Wall Street Journal Close The Economist Learn about the world and the forces that shape it with a subscription to UK-based news magazine The Economist. Sign up now to get 75% off annual and monthly subscriptions ($62.25/year with the discount). Looking for something totally free? Students over 16 can get the Espresso app free of charge (normally $89/year), which includes four full-length articles each week, plus daily and weekly newsletters, weekly quizzes and more. Details Students and educators take 50% off See at The Economist Close Alo Moves At-home workouts are hard, but Alo Moves helps to make them easy. Alo Moves offers guided classes in everything from pilates to yoga to dance cardio and even just announced their new running series, "Ready, Set, Run." After a month-long free trial, the subscription costs $5 per month or you can do the annual subscription for $49 per year. With this subscription, you'll also get 20% off your next in-app Alo Yoga purchase. Details Free month trial, then $5 per month See at Alomoves Close Student discounts on money management Capital One Savor Student Card For students going the credit card route, Capital One has two options: Savor Rewards and Quicksilver Rewards. Both cards have a $0 annual fee, a one-time cash-back bonus (once you spend $300 on purchases within three months of opening the account) and cash-back percentages on various goods and services. While you may have reservations about handing over a credit card to a college kid, it's a good way to build credit, instill fiscal responsibility and give you peace of mind that they'll be able to use it in case of emergency. Details No monthly fees, cash back on purchases See at Capital One Close You Need a Budget You Need a Budget offers a wealth of tools and classes to that end. It normally costs $99 a year or $15 per month, but as a student you can get the first year absolutely free. But be warned, unlike a lot of other digital services, the only way you get this discount is by submitting physical proof of enrollment to the company. Details First year free See at You Need a Budget Close Bank of America Student Banking Financial institutions may offer student deals as well. Bank of America, for example, will waive monthly maintenance fees and overdraft fees if you're under 25 and you do all your banking through its banking app and ATMs. Details No monthly fees See at Bank of America Close Wells Fargo Student Checking Wells Fargo offers a similar deal to Bank of America's and will waive monthly service fees and overdraft fees for students 13 to 24 years old (teens 13 - 16 need an adult co-owner). Details No monthly fees See at Wells Fargo Close Student discounts on apps and software Headspace Taking care of students' mental health is important too. Headspace offers an 85% discount on college student subscriptions (verified through SheerID), making an annual plan $9.99 -- which is 83 cents per month! With the subscription, they'll have access to more than 1,000 meditations and mindfulness resources that can help lighten the load that comes with stressful classes, exams, relationships and more. Details 85% off See at Headspace Close Babbel If the college student in your life needs a little help in French class or wants to learn a new language for fun, they can take advantage of Babbel's student offer (verified through and get three months of lessons for $15.99. Lessons are available in 13 languages and they go beyond the basics too -- courses are available in specific themes like travel, family, work and cuisine. Whether a student is looking to become proficient or just dabble in a new language, they can't go wrong at just over $5 a month. Details 65% off for 3 months See at Babbel Close Evernote Premium Evernote gives students 40% off the professional version for a year. That works out to $6 a month for industrial-strength note-taking. After that first year, however, the price goes back to the regular $11 monthly. Details 40% off See at Evernote Close The Complete Resoume AI Assistant Resumé Writer: Lifetime Subscription A resume is one of the most important aspects of an initial job or internship application so make sure you have it done right with Resoume, the AI resume writer. It's simple all you have to do is import your information from LinkedIn, choose the resume theme and let Resoume do the rest. You can get this helpful tool for 77% off, taking the initial price tag of $180 all the way down to $40. Details 77% off $40 at StackSocial Close Student discounts on shopping and tech Amazon Prime Student With an Amazon Prime for Young Adults (18 - 24) membership, you can all get the benefits of a Prime subscription for half the price of the regular service. The program includes free one- and two-day shipping, video streaming via Prime Video, Prime Reading, Prime Music, discounts at Whole Foods, and unlimited online photo storage through Prime Photos. Amazon Prime for Young Adults starts with a free six-month trial and then goes for $69 a year (half the cost of a regular Prime subscription). You can participate for four years. Plus, if you rent or buy or sell textbooks through the Amazon textbook store, you can get free two-day shipping. Another perk? 5% cash back on beauty, apparel, electronics and more. Details 6 months free, then $69 a year See at Amazon Close Lenovo laptops Students, teachers and administrators can all score an extra 5% off Lenovo's laptops and that's on top of any existing sales or bundles (with a few exclusions, of course). You'll have to provide verification at checkout. Details Save an extra 5% See at Lenovo Close Apple devices Apple offers modest discounts on Macs, iPads and more through its Education Store. The discounts are for current and incoming college students and their parents, as well as educators. Discounts typically are around 10% off the retail price. Students who purchase a Mac or iPad, can also receive AirPods or an eligible accessory (like a Magic Mouse) free. Details Save 10% + $150 gift card See at Apple Education Store Close Adorama Students GearUp Adorama's Classroom Connect program promises exclusive discounts on video, audio and photography gear, from brands like Sigma, Sony and Fujifilm. To sign up, just set up an Adorama account and then use Sheer ID to verify your student status. Details Exclusive discounts See at Adorama Close
Forbes
18-07-2025
- General
- Forbes
The Best Mattresses For College Students That Prioritize Comfort
The mattresses that typical dorm rooms, off-campus apartments and other student housing spaces are furnished with tend to prioritize durability and support over cushioning; this often results in a very firm, uncomfortable mattress. For a better night's rest, you might want to update your college bedroom setup with a new mattress that accommodates your sleep posture, body type and other specific needs. The best mattresses for college students have simple but comfortable constructions that include conforming foam and/or coils—and are priced affordably. The Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress is our editors' pick for the best choice overall, thanks to of its supportive, conforming profile, plus a wallet-friendly price tag (under $600 for a twin XL size). Whether you're looking to furnish your new dorm or campus apartment, these are our editors' picks ... More for the best mattresses for college students. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: NECTAR We considered entry-level mattresses from top-rated brands we know and have tested firsthand, especially those that excel in important categories, like pressure relief, support, edge support and ease of movement. See our choices below, along with a detailed guide on how to pick the right mattress. For a complete bedding setup that will make you feel right at home, see our cozy picks for the best sheets and best pillows too. Our Top Recommendations Best Affordable Mattress For College Students: Allswell Luxe (Twin XL) Best Hybrid Mattress For College Students: Helix Midnight (Twin XL) Best Soft Mattress For College Students: Puffy Cloud (Twin XL) Best Firm Mattress For College Students: Bear Original (Twin XL) Best College Mattress For Side Sleepers: Nolah Original (Twin XL) Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm (6.5) | Delivery: Free | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime Best for: Back, stomach and combination sleepers People under 250 pounds Isolating movement across the bed Skip if: You sleep hot You're predominantly a side sleeper The Nectar Classic Mattress is an all-foam choice made from a blend of three layers stacked on top of one another. Although it has a simple construction, each layer plays a role in maintaining support, pressure relief and comfort. With a medium-firm profile, the bed helps promote spinal alignment in back, stomach and combination sleepers. 'Back-sleeping on the Nectar Classic feels awesome,' says one of our testers. 'It's firmer than the Nectar Ultra , so my back feels much more supported yet still hugged. It also feels like it elongates my spine and relieves the pressure I previously felt from other mattresses.' While typical memory foam mattresses are known for retaining heat, the Nectar Classic has cooling fibers woven into the top cover, which helps draw heat away from the body. With that said, students who live in a warm climate or those who are prone to sleeping hot should consider a hybrid mattress with better airflow. See more of our thoughts on this mattress in our full Nectar Mattress review . Type: Hybrid | Firmness rating: Medium or extra firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: None offered | Warranty: 10 years Best for: Back, stomach and combination sleepers Petite to plus-size body types Those who want good edge support while sleeping on a small bed Skip if: You're predominantly a side sleeper The Allswell Luxe is one of Walmart's bed-in-a-box mattress offerings, a step up from the entry-level Allswell model with a price tag that's still lower than all of the beds recommended in our list. The Luxe model is slightly softer than the original Allswell, with a more durable 12-inch profile. It's designed with copper-infused foam to help regulate temperature and a pocketed coil layer with enhanced edge support to help keep you from feeling like you're going to roll off the side—always a plus when you're sleeping on a smaller-sized mattress. Since this mattress contains a spring base layer, it's more likely to hold up for longer and is supportive for heavier body types. We recommend the medium model for most sleepers, unless you're looking for something that's at the firmest end of the spectrum. Type: Hybrid | Firmness rating: Medium | Delivery: Free | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years Best for: Most body types Side, back and combination sleepers Those who want solid lumbar support Hot sleepers (with cooling cover upgrade) Skip if: You favor sleeping on your stomach The Helix Midnight is the base model of the Helix Midnight Luxe , our pick for the best mattress overall in our guide to the best mattresses . The Midnight's construction is more burly than others on our list, as it contains five layers (not counting the cover), including a pocketed coil layer with denser edges for better perimeter support and three layers of comfort foam, including ones infused with gel to help regulate temperature. If you experience regular back pain or you want to prevent it from flaring up, you might want to upgrade your bed to include the ErgoAlign layer, which adds more support and lift under the spine. Due to its medium firmness level, we think this mattress suits side, back and combination sleepers best. You can also add a GlacioTex cooling cover for an extra cost, a feature that makes the bed physically cool to the touch and benefits hot sleepers. Puffy Mattress Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: 101 nights | Warranty: Lifetime Best for: Side, back and combination sleepers People under 250 pounds Those who want good motion isolation Skip if: Edge support could be better The Puffy Cloud is just as soft and inviting as its name suggests, an ideal choice for those who enjoy a squishy and cushioned mattress—like side sleepers or those who weigh under 150 pounds. Although it's rated around a medium-firm on the firmness spectrum, we think it leans more toward medium. This all-foam mattress utilizes six foam layers that contour under the weight of your curves and ease pressure on the hips and shoulders. It also contains a cooling layer that helps draw heat away and evenly disperses it throughout the bed (rather than letting it all collect in one place underneath you). The memory foam design makes this mattress excellent at isolating motion across the mattress, but note that it doesn't have stellar edge support, if that's a priority. Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime Best for: Back and stomach sleepers Those under 250 pounds College athletes (performance fabric upgrade) Anyone who values edge support Skip if: You sleep on your side You aren't prepared for a very firm bed If you're looking for a firm mattress with minimal give and ample support, the Bear Original has a straightforward but comfortable construction. It's stacked three layers high, at 10 inches tall, and includes dense memory foam layers that only start to give after your body heat warms up the foam. It's not squishy like the Puffy Cloud (above), meaning you'll feel more so like you're sleeping on top of the foam rather than cradled within it. 'When I press my hand into the bed, it doesn't sink as far as some of the other memory foam mattresses I tested. Instead, it provides a nice lifted feel,' says one of our testers. As such, this profile is ideal for back and stomach sleepers who can benefit from proper spinal alignment. College athletes may also appreciate the Bear Original for its Celliant-infused cover upgrade, which is a performance fabric that helps boost recovery and sleep quality, according to the brand. Read more details about this mattress in our full Bear Mattress review . Nolah Mattress Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium | Delivery: Free | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime Best for Anyone who wants a soft, contouring feel Sleepers under 250 pounds Those with joint pain Skip if: You prefer strong edge support Nolah is one of our favorites when it comes to mattresses for side sleepers —and its flagship model, the Nolah Original Mattress, is a solid, affordable pick if you're looking for a mattress that provides gentle and cozy contouring for your joints. According to the brand, it's rated around a 5 to 6 on the firmness scale, the sweet spot for side and back sleepers. The bed's top comfort layer is zoned to offer more pressure relief for the shoulders and lift underneath the spine; it also contains copper-infused foam to help you sleep more comfortably without overheating. The brand's AirFoam material lends a soft and cushioned feel without making you feel like you're stuck, as it bounces back to its normal shape faster than traditional memory foam does. The Forbes Vetted mattress and sleep team not only regularly conducts hands-on testing of mattresses but also spends hours thoroughly researching and reporting each story to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, we consult with medical professionals and experts in the field to help educate our choices. We have published a robust library of sleep and mattress guides, including the best mattresses for back sleepers , the best mattresses for combination sleepers and the best cooling mattresses. The author of this story, McKenzie Dillon, is a mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with a sleep science coach certification and over six years of experience testing and researching consumer products. She has tested over 100 different mattresses, including the Bear Original and Allswell Luxe on this list. Bridget Chapman is the senior mattress and sleep editor and oversees the category. She also has earned a sleep science coach certification and has tested over 100 beds. This article was edited by Emmy Favilla , Forbes Vetted's managing editor, a 20-year industry veteran who has been covering commerce content for over eight years and has tested dozens of mattresses firsthand as well. Each mattress selection and associated superlative was hand-selected or approved by our mattress and sleep editors. We first identified top-rated, reputable brands in the industry that have garnered overwhelmingly positive customer reviews. We also took into consideration the brands our editors have personal experience with. We looked at entry-level and affordable mattresses from each brand that don't sacrifice on quality. We considered mattresses that perform well across important metrics like overall comfort, pressure relief and perimeter support. We also chose mattresses that cater to a variety of sleeping positions and body types. Mattresses are offered in a variety of firmness levels ranging from soft to firm, and some firmness levels suit certain sleep postures better than others. Side sleepers typically require a medium to soft mattress that properly gives underneath the shoulders and hips. Otherwise, a mattress that's too firm presses against the joints, which may lead to a misaligned spine and even joint pain. typically require a medium to soft mattress that properly gives underneath the shoulders and hips. Otherwise, a mattress that's too firm presses against the joints, which may lead to a misaligned spine and even joint pain. Back sleepers usually need a mattress with a medium to firm profile, and the firmer the mattress, the more lift it has. Medium-firm beds tend to be the sweet spot for many back sleepers, especially those who live with back pain. usually need a mattress with a medium to firm profile, and the firmer the mattress, the more lift it has. tend to be the sweet spot for many back sleepers, especially those who live with back pain. Stomach sleepers usually need a medium-firm to firm mattress that properly supports the spine without letting it sag into the mattress, which can ultimately lead to back pain . Construction The mattresses included in this roundup either have an all-foam design crafted from memory foam or a hybrid construction. Hybrid mattresses contain a blend of foam and steel coils, a design which offers the best of both worlds thanks to cushion from the foam and added support from the springs. They also tend to be more breathable than all-foam beds since the coils promote more airflow. contain a blend of foam and steel coils, a design which offers the best of both worlds thanks to cushion from the foam and added support from the springs. They also tend to be more breathable than all-foam beds since the coils promote more airflow. Memory foam mattresses are generally better for those who prefer contouring around the joints. They typically have a doughy, marshmallowy feel and excel at isolating motion. Memory foam beds are also usually more affordable than hybrid mattresses. Size Most college dorm room and student housing beds are a twin XL size, but you may want to do the research and contact the school or housing company where your student is staying to confirm what size mattress you'll need. Most brands offer a twin XL size, which has more legroom than a standard twin. Body Type Your body type is one of the most important factors when choosing a mattress, because it influences how firm or soft a mattress feels to you—and should also be taken into consideration when choosing your ideal mattress construction. Those with more weight benefit from beds made with innersprings, which can help prevent the mattress from prematurely sagging. What Is A Good Mattress For A College Student? We think the Nectar Classic is the best mattress for college students because of its comfortable and contouring design, medium-firm profile that suits a variety of sleep positions and low price. We also recommend the Allswell Luxe, Helix Midnight, Nolah Original, Puffy Cloud and Bear Original in our roundup of the best mattresses for college students. What Type Of Mattress Is Best For A Teenager? The best mattress depends on your sleeping position and body type. However, medium to medium-firm mattresses tend to be the best for teenagers because they offer a balance between pressure relief and support. Consider a hybrid mattress if you're looking for additional support. Do You Really Need Twin XL Sheets For College? Yes, twin XL sheets will likely be a necessity as most beds in college dorm rooms and student housing come furnished with twin XL mattresses. A twin XL mattress is longer than a standard twin-size bed but measures the same width.
