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Apple is offering free AirPods to students who buy an eligible Mac or iPad

Published Jun 15th, 2020 7:08PM EDT
Free AirPods
Image: Apple

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  • As part of Apple’s ‘Back to School’ promotion, the company is offering students a free pair of AirPods if they purchase a new Mac or iPad.
  • Students can also upgrade to AirPods Pro or AirPods with a wireless charging case.
  • Students eligible for free AirPods will also receive a full free year of Apple TV+, a three-month trial of Apple Music followed by a monthly student subscription rate of $4.99.

While it remains to be seen how the coronavirus impacts the upcoming school year — some colleges have been contemplating online-only classes for the fall semester — one thing that won’t change much is Apple’s always-alluring Back to School promotion. Apple typically runs its big Back to School promotion in July, but with the entire world having been turned upside down in recent months, it’s perhaps not surprising to see Apple launch it a few weeks early.

As to what Apple’s offering, the company is offering free AirPods to students who purchase a Mac or iPad with education pricing. That’s a solid deal given that AirPods cost $159 and can sometimes be hard to find. Apple also notes that eligible students will be able to upgrade to AirPods Pro if they so choose. Students, of course, would have to split the difference which would see them pay $90 for Apple’s top of the line AirPods.

The devices that support the promotion include the iPad Pro, the iPad Air, various MacBook models, and the iMac. Note that the deal doesn’t include the recently released Mac Pro, which is a bit curious given how pricey the machine is.

Beyond the free AirPods, buying a qualifying Mac or iPad will also get you 20% off of AppleCare+, a full year of originals on Apple TV+, and a free three month trial of Apple Music followed by a $4.99 monthly rate after the trial period runs out.

The full list of hardware eligible for the free AirPods and the other freebies is listed below:

  • iPad Pro from $749
  • iPad Air from $479
  • MacBook Air from $899
  • MacBook Pro 13-inch from $1199
  • MacBook Pro 16-inch from $2199
  • iMac from $1049
  • iMac Pro from $4599

Apple is also offering free engraving for iPad buyers.

The deal is only for students in the United States, and some of the fine print reads as follows:

  • Qualified Purchasers can receive Promotion Savings when they purchase an eligible Mac or eligible iPad with AirPods at a Qualifying Location. Only one Promotion Product per eligible Mac or eligible iPad per Qualified Purchaser. Offer subject to availability. While supplies last. Subject to terms and conditions herein.
  • Apple Education Pricing. Available to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels. Quantity limits apply. Visit Sales & Refund Policy for full terms and conditions.

All told, this is arguably the best Back to School promotion we’ve seen from Apple in quite some time. There’s no telling when the promotion will end, but previous promotions have ended around mid-September. Still, with AirPods sometimes in short supply, interested students will want to jump on this deal as soon as possible.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.