THE BEST STUDENT DISCOUNTS 2023

By Student Cribs | February 26, 2024 | Reading Time: 11 minutes

Being a university student is hard. Many of us will be living away from home for the first time and having to fend for ourselves, and the burden of having to handle your finances is a notoriously difficult job. Students often have to spread their money across rent, food shops, books, socialising and the list goes on! So, what can you do to save yourself some money here and there? Well luckily being a student also means there is a wide range of special deals and discounts on offer to you whilst you hold student status. In fact, there are so many on offer it can be difficult to know where exactly you’ll get the best deal from. So to make things easier, we’ve compiled all the best student deals here so you can see who’s offering the best student discounts of 2023, including where you should be looking on Black Friday.

Unidays

Unidays is one of the best apps out there when it comes to student deals. They compile discounts from shops in all areas, including technology, food and drink, health and fitness, and beauty. It features big brands, including LNER, UberEats, MyProtein, Virgin Experience Days and H&M. Keep your eyes peeled, and you may even notice that Santander and Unidays often advertise giveaways on the app! Not only is this good for finding the best student discount codes, but also for finding the many places who offer a student discount, such as pubs, hairdressers, or even high street shops. All you have to do to claim these student discounts is show your Unidays ID on the app as proof you’re a student. Overall, this is one of the most highly rated student discount apps and one of the best places for students to find the best deals this year.

Student Beans

Student Beans works very similarly to Unidays, providing you with a great compilation of student discounts across big name shops. Additionally, it offers a ‘Brand of the Week’, which is a great opportunity to see what products are trending, and get direct access to discounts on them. A real selling point of this app is its access to discounts across a variety of theme parks, including Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Legoland and Chessington World of Adventures. So, if you’re a thrill-seeker, or just someone who needs to save a few quid here and there, get this app on your phone and start claiming the best student discounts Student Beans has to offer!

Amazon – Prime Student

If you’re a student you’re probably a member of at least one or more subscription services. Amazon is one that has a whole host of offers for students. They are currently offering a 6-month trial of Prime Student, after which being a member costs just £3.99 a month. Benefits include free Prime next-day delivery, an extra 10% off selected Amazon fashion, 10% off Amazon Fresh stores, Prime Video and Prime Music. This is particularly useful for any Premier League fans out there, with Amazon Prime now showing a lot of the games through their platform. Prime Student also offers discounts for external companies, such as National Express, Chrome, Tile and Philips, so if you’re looking at value-for-money, Prime Student is a great membership option.

Save the Student

Save the Student has everything. Not only do you have discounts, deals, and even freebies advertised, but they also provide tips and advice on finance, banking, accommodation, bills, shopping, and studying. What’s more, they provide a job search, where you can find part-time, full-time and graduate roles, and they also advertise ways to both make and save money. They even have a Facebook page called ‘Student Deals, Freebies & Competitions Group’, so you can keep in the loop and get notified about all the most recent offers. This website should be an essential tab on any student’s internet browser!

MoneySavingExpert

MoneySavingExpert is another good choice when you’re looking to save cash as a student. Whilst the list of offers is less extensive than most of the other student deals apps or websites, it does have its benefits. For one, it is reliable. It clearly states any T&C’s that might normally catch people out on the special offers made to students, and their discount codes always work. Another benefit is that it is current. The website is regularly updated, so you can be sure you’re getting accurate and up-to-date information on the best deals of the moment.

Which?

Which?, offers a great rundown of student discounts everywhere. Whilst Which? itself doesn’t offer any discounts, it provides all the information a student will need on who can access them, where you can access them, and a summary of the main shops, websites, companies and organisations offering student discounts.

International Student Identity Card (ISIC)

This one is pretty self-explanatory. So many places offer a student discount, and whilst your University ID Card or your Unidays/Student Beans ID might normally suffice, particularly in the UK, having an ISIC will meet everyone’s standard for demonstrating you’re a student. If you are an avid traveller, or go abroad a lot, it might be worth investing in one of these, so you can access all the best student deals, home and away.

TOTUM

The TOTUM card, previously known as the NUS Extra card, offers hundreds of discounts. Depending on which option you buy, you can also get a free ISIC card, PASS-approved proof of age Student ID card, and a free Tastecard. There are 3 different card options:

TOTUM Digital

• This card is completely free and virtual
• Offers 300+ student discounts, access to the TOTUM app, access to giveaways, and discounts at local/independent stores
• No ISIC, no PASS-approved proof of age Student ID card, and no Tastecard
• Also no access to premium discounts, such as Co-op, Boots and Fender

TOTUM

• £14.99 (1-year), £24.99 (2-years or 3-years)
• The standard membership, with access to 350+ student and premium discounts, including Apple, ASOS and Amazon, and access to giveaways, cashback offers and freebies.
• This package does come with a 12-month ISIC card, and a free Tastecard for up to 3 years (RRP £39.99)
• No PASS-approved proof of age Student ID card

TOTUM + AGE ID CARD

• The recommended offer right now, as it currently costs exactly the same as the TOTUM card, has all the same benefits of the TOTUM card, but also comes with a PASS-approved proof of age student ID on the reverse of the physical card. So if you’re a student looking to benefit from virtually all the student discounts out there, this will be the option for you.

BLACK FRIDAY

Black Friday can be a fantastic opportunity for everyone to grab the things they have been wanting all year at a discounted rate. But students are in an even better position to grab the best possible deals as you get Black Friday Deals + Student Discounts. Not sure where to start? Here’s your rundown:

Unidays

Not only does this app work brilliantly all year round, but it is especially useful for Black Friday. This app categorises all the best Black Friday deals in one place, so you can find the best options for you without having to scroll through the internet for hours. In the lead up to Black Friday they even have a page dedicated to pre-Black Friday deals, including discounts off food Sun-Thurs and a free cocktail at Las Iguanas, up to 40% off at HP, 40% off LNER and discounts of 50% or more at ASOS, T.K.Maxx and Dickies etc.

Student Discount Squirrel

This website also has a page purely dedicated to student Black Friday deals, with brands such as Argos, Currys, Amazon, JD Sports and Boots making the list. It also offers advice on the best ways to tackle Black Friday, so you can prepare in advance and find the best deals on the day.

There are loads of other places to access Black Friday hacks but we’ve summarised the top tips to tackle Black Friday for students:

Prepare, prepare, prepare!

It may sound obvious, but if there is something you really have your eye on, check beforehand so you can find the best possible discounts. You don’t want to spend your whole Friday scrolling through a whole host of websites to try and scrape some cash back here and there. Find a good rundown of the best deals, check them out for yourself, note them down, and your Black Friday will be a breeze.

T&C’s

We’re not suggesting you spend hours scrolling through the fine print of every offer you see, but if something looks too good to be true, chances are it might be. Take the time to have a quick glance at the requirements of the deal, and make sure you are eligible to claim, and that it applies to the product you are wanting.

Budget

Perhaps another obvious one, as budgeting is definitely a buzz word among students, but it is easy to get carried away when all the discounts come flying out. Be realistic about how much money you are prepared to spend, and keep track of what you’ve brought and how much it costs.

And there you have the best student discounts on offer this year. As you can see, as a student you’ll rarely have to pay full price for almost anything. So make sure you’re aware of the best student deals and where to find them. Now get spending, and get saving!

This blog was written by Rebecca Hamer at the University of Leeds.