Apple's annual Back to School promotion is expected to return around July 1, giving eligible students a timely way to offset Apple's newly announced Mac and iPad price increases.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported Thursday that Apple's Back to School offering should arrive by next week. Apple hasn't announced the promotion, though the timing would align with its typical summer Back to School schedule in the United States and Canada.
Apple raised prices on several Mac and iPad models on Thursday, June 25. If it follows its usual approach, eligible students could receive free accessories or other incentives that reduce the effective cost of buying a new device.
The company has run a Back to School promotion in the United States and Canada for years, usually beginning in late June and continuing into the fall. The offers change from year to year, and recent promotions have included free accessories or Apple Gift Cards with eligible Mac and iPad purchases.
Apple has changed the promotion several times in recent years. Its 2025 Back to School offer included up to $199 worth of accessories with qualifying Mac and iPad purchases.
Promotions in recent years have included AirPods, Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad, depending on the device purchased. Apple previously offered gift cards worth up to $150 in 2024, 2023, and 2022 after ending its long-running practice of including free AirPods with qualifying purchases in 2021.
Details of the 2026 promotion haven't been announced. The company could continue offering accessories, return to Apple Gift Cards, or introduce a different incentive.
Students now have to verify eligibility
Apple now requires customers in the United States and Canada to verify their eligibility through UNiDAYS before receiving education pricing and related promotional offers.
The company's online education store previously relied largely on customers certifying their own eligibility. The new verification process makes it more difficult for shoppers who don't qualify to receive education discounts.
College students, parents purchasing on behalf of eligible students, faculty members, and staff can still qualify for education pricing. They must now complete the verification process using school credentials or other approved documentation before making a purchase.
The verification requirement now limits education pricing and promotional offers to shoppers who can prove they qualify. For eligible students, the annual promotion could offset at least part of Apple's June 25 Mac and iPad price increases.
