Part one of the ultimate list of student discounts covered a range of discount offers available to students with just the use of your student ID or your .edu email address. Digital subscriptions, software and app discounts, shopping discounts, and special discount sites were shared in part one. Part two shares just as many resources for students to save money when it comes to traveling and live entertainment. Keep reading to see what you can save money on next!
Service Discounts
Amtrak
Traveling by train is a little bit of a throwback in ways of travel. It has a lot of bonuses such as taking in a picturesque view, more space to sit than on a plane, and did I say CHEAPER?! Amtrak offers a student discount in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin starting at 15% off travel. In student speak: You can travel from Lansing or Grand Rapids to Chicago for less than $100. And you don’t have to drive!
How to get the discount: Book your ticket online here. Be prepared to show your valid student ID on board the train if requested.
Museums
Most museums offer some kind of student discount (or even free admission to students on certain days).
How to get the discount: Check the museum’s website for details. Usually, all you have to do is show your student ID.
Public Transit
In many cities, students can get a discount on public transit services.
How to get the discount: Check the website of your local public transit provider. You may have to send in a scanned copy of your student ID or otherwise prove that you’re a student.
- Cata Student (Lansing Area)
- Ride the Rapid (Including Grand Rapids area and other colleges and universities)
Movie Theaters
NCG Cinema and Celebration Cinema both have student discounts available at participating locations. Many theaters also run discounted “College ID Nights” once a month or so. And, of course, see if your local indie theater offers discounted student tickets.
How to get the discount: Check the website of your local movie theater (or ask at the box office).
Moving Truck Rentals
- Penske offers a 10% discount on reserving a truck for students. A great way to start off moving away to college. Reserve your truck online here to enjoy 10% off.
- Budget also offers a couple of discounts: get 20% off local moves and 15% off one-way moves (such as moving to or from college). Make sure to enter STUDENT for the discount code and have your student ID at pick up.
Car Insurance
Most major auto insurance providers offer a student discount. Note that in many cases these won’t be discounts you can claim if you’re paying for the insurance yourself. Rather, they’re discounts that your parents can get for having a student on their policy.
To qualify for the discount, you generally have to be under a certain age and “get good grades” (a 3.0 GPA or higher in most cases). These discounts aren’t available in all areas, so it’s best to check with a local insurance agent to find out what discounts you qualify for.
Here are the major insurance providers that offer some kind of student discount, along with the requirements for claiming it:
- State Farm: Several discounts are for students at State Farm. Make sure you contact your local agent for specifics and pricing. The first option is the Student Away at School Discount for students under 25. The second is the Good Student Discount. Get 25% off car insurance just for getting good grades Learn more here.
- Progressive: There are two different discounts offered for students with Progressive. The first is the Good Student Discount which you can get as long as you maintain a B average or better. The second is a Distant College Student Discount which applies to being over 100 miles away from home and you must be 22 or under. Check out the details here.
- Esurance: Full-time students under 25 years of age with a 3.0 GPA or better can get up to a 10% discount. Get the details.
- Nationwide: If you’re under 24 and a full-time student with a B average or better, you may be eligible for a discount (they don’t say how much, so talk to an insurance agent for details). Find out more.
- Allstate: If you’re under 25 and getting good grades, you can save up to 25% on car insurance. Get that sweet discount.
- Farmers: Full-time high school or college students under age 25 may qualify for a discount for getting good grades. Learn how.
- Geico: Geico’s requirements are a bit convoluted, so I’ll just quote them directly: “Full-time students with a good academic record could be eligible for up to a 15% discount on certain coverages. In most states, policyholders between the ages of 16 and 24, who are full-time students with a “B” average or better, are eligible for this discount.”
Insurance providers also include things like rental insurance that may be beneficial to look into. Also, if you use a different insurance provider not mentioned above, it won’t hurt to ask if they also offer any student-related discounts.
Cell Phone Service
Certain cell service providers offer discounts to students. Here are a few we found:
- Verizon: The Verizon student discount is a little vague but they do offer a substantial discount for international students and several others that you can check out here.
- AT&T & Sprint: They both offer several discounts but we could not specifically locate Davenport University as being a specific recipient. Check out AT&T here and Sprint here if you would like to chat with them and see your eligibility.
Brick and Mortar stores & Online Shopping
Goodwill
Goodwill is a great place to check out home furnishings, clothes, and so much more. Student discounts vary by location. To get a student discount, ask the cashier for their specific policy and make sure you have your Student ID on hand.
Sam’s Club
Looking to buy your groceries or toilet paper in bulk? You can probably do this just as easily on Amazon, but if you are interested in shopping at Sam’s for a bit of a discount, you can get a $15 gift card when you sign up for a membership here. With Sam’s Clubs’ memberships, just remember that to receive their discounts, you will pay full price but receive a gift card for the difference. The membership fee is only once a year. Show your student ID at the service counter or sign up online with your .edu email.
J. Crew
Get 15% off in-store purchases at J. Crew when you show your student ID.
How to get the discount: Visit a local J. Crew store and show your student ID at checkout.
Topshop
Get 10% off online purchases at Topshop, just for being a student.
How to get the discount: Verify your student status with Student Beans.
Club Monaco
Students get 15% off purchases online and in-store.
How to get the discount: For online purchases. sign up with your .edu email address to automatically get the discount. For in-store purchases, simply show your valid student ID.
Aeropostale
Aeropostale stores also offer a 15% discount to students. You can verify with UNiDAYS, or show your student ID in-store.
Local Businesses
There are too many of these to count, and many will be specific to your college town. Coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and even “boring” services like dry cleaning are just a few businesses in a college town that may offer student discounts. Also, even if a business doesn’t advertise a discount, it’s worth asking. You never know, they might just be feeling generous (especially if it’s a mom-and-pop operation).
Event Discounts
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster offers a student discount at many of the venues they sell tickets for. If you are purchasing your ticket online, there is a drop-down menu that allows you to click STUDENT. If a student discount is not available directly from the website: “When available through Ticketmaster, student discounts will be part of your ticket type options. If no information is present concerning student tickets, we recommend that you contact the venue directly. Many venues offer this type of ticket for sale only through the venue box office. Click the more info button next to your events name and then on the venue name to find contact info. Or visit your venue’s official site.” Click here to read more.
Concerts, Performances, and Arts Events
How to get the discount: Just check the website of local arts organizations. Or, ask the arts faculty at your college, as they can sometimes get you exclusive discounts. Usually, all you need is a student ID.
Sporting Events
Both the MLB and NHL offer discounted student tickets in some cities. If you are out in the Grand Rapids area, you can always catch a university game on campus depending on the season. Check out the schedule here for the DU Panthers!
Campus Events
Along with the library, campus events are the Holy Grail of student discounts. Your college brings all sorts of acclaimed lecturers, performers, activists and more to campus. These events are usually free! Check out posted flyers around campus, check those emails that get sent by your academic advisor, and check out student life here. This will direct you to events, student organizations, and volunteer work opportunities.
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