College Freebies: Best Free Stuff for Students in 2026

Here’s a well-known fact: College is expensive. And we’re not just talking about tuition. There are textbooks, school supplies, room and board, and many other expenses to consider when you’re striking out on your own in pursuit of higher education. Even with scholarships, college still isn't cheap. Fortunately, when it comes to finding college freebies and student discounts, there are plenty of options if you know where to look.

With that idea in mind, we've created a list of free stuff for college students that’ll save you loads of money. We're talking college freebies for entertainment, tech, tuition, shopping, and more.

The best freebies for college students in 2026 include a free Amazon Prime Young Adults trial, Microsoft 365, Autodesk software, free career tools, student checking accounts, tuition reimbursement programs, and free budgeting tools. Most require a valid school email address or student verification through platforms like SheerID, UNiDAYS, or Student Beans.

Be sure to download  The Krazy Coupon Lady app  to learn more ways to save every day.

Free Tech Tools for College Students

Amazon Prime Young Adults: 6-month free trial with student verification

• What you get: First six months of Amazon Prime Young Adults (formerly Prime Student) free, unlimited Prime Video streaming, free 2-day shipping, free Grubhub+ membership, Prime-exclusive deals, and loads more.

• Who qualifies: You must be a student or 18 - 24 years old to take advantage of the perks.

• How to get it: Check your eligibility and join Amazon Prime Young Adults.

• What to watch for: Your free trial will convert to a paid student membership (reg. $7.49 per month/$69 per year) unless you cancel before the trial ends.

Apple: Select AirPods or an Eligible Accessory With a Student Purchase

• What you get: Free select AirPods or an eligible Apple accessory, like an Apple Pencil, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Keyboard, with the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad.

• Who qualifies: College students or parents buying for eligible college students can shop Apple’s Education Store when you verify with UniDays.

• How to get it: Select an eligible Mac or iPad through the Apple Education Store, and add one of the eligible promotional accessories during checkout.

• What to watch for: This offer is usually only available during Apple’s back-to-school promo window (mid-June through Sept), plus you’ll need to show that you meet the qualified purchaser requirements before buying.

Microsoft 365 Premium: One year of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint free with a school email

• What you get: Free access to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Plus, you'll get 1 TB cloud storage for one year.

• Who qualifies: Students

• How to get it: Create a Microsoft account and sign up for Microsoft 365 Premium using a school email address or other verifiable student information (like an acceptance letter, dated class schedule, dated student ID, enrollment details, or verification code).

• What to watch for: Once you're no longer eligible you'll be charged $19.99 per month/$199.99 per year.

Autodesk: Free design software if you’re a student

• What you get: Over 50 different software downloads for free through Autodesk for a year.

• Who qualifies: Students who are conducting their master's or thesis work or are in apprenticeship work. Those who are registered and accepted in Autodesk-sponsored competitions.

• How to get it: You must be a new Autodesk subscriber need a valid school email address to sign up with.

• What to watch for: As long as you’re a qualified student, your plan won’t expire, but they can re-verify your eligibility at any time, so heads up about that.

Free Student Discount Platforms

Want access to a variety of student discounts on clothing, food, and more? Sign up for these platforms and verify your student status. That gets you access to hundreds of deals.

UNiDAYS: Student Discount Platform with Brand Deals

• What you get: Free access to exclusive student discounts and promo codes from hundreds of brands.

• Who qualifies: Current students at eligible schools or institutions who can verify their student status.

• How to get it: Create a free UNiDAYS account, verify your student status, then shop student deals online or in store using your UNiDAYS ID.

• What to watch for: Discounts vary by brand and can change without much notice, so check the offer terms before shopping. You’ll need to re-verify your student status every 12 months.

Student Beans: Student Discount Platform for Verified Students

• What you get: Free access to student discounts, promo codes, app-exclusive offers, and daily deal alerts on products and services.

• Who qualifies: Students in full-time education who have a personal institution email or student ID.

• How to get it: Register for a free Student Beans account, verify your student status, then search for brands and copy the code at checkout or use your Student Beans ID in store.

• What to watch for: You’ll need to re-verify your student status annually, and discount amounts vary by brand.

Free Career Resources for College Students

Handshake: Career Platform for College Students

• What you get: Free access to verified job and internship listings, personalized job recommendations, career events, employer pages, and career resources.

• Who qualifies: College students seeking an internship or job.

• How to get it: Join Handshake with your .edu or personal email and create a profile, listing your studies, locations you'd like to work in, and roles you're interested in.

• What to watch for: Some jobs, events, and school-specific postings may only be available if you’re connected to a participating school.

The Ladders: Free Resume Review for Job Seekers

• What you get: A free professional resume review with feedback on how your resume performs with recruiters and applicant tracking systems.

• Who qualifies: Anyone who has a resume can use this free review tool.

• How to get it: Upload your resume to the Ladders site.

• What to watch for: Ladders may provide generic AI-generated feedback and push their paid services.

Coursera/Skillshare/LinkedIn Learning: Online Classes

• What you get: Access to online classes in career skills, tech, business, design, AI, productivity, and more. Depending on the platform, you may also find certificates, learning paths, or professional certificate programs.

• Who qualifies: Eligibility varies. You may get access through your college, university, employer, or library, while some platforms offer free trials for new users.

• How to get it: Search your school’s student portal, library website, or career center resources to see if your school offers access to Coursera, Skillshare, or LinkedIn Learning. You can also check each platform directly for current free trial options.

• What to watch for: Free trials usually automatically change to paid memberships unless you cancel in time.

Free Tuition Help Through Employers

Amazon: Tuition Assistance Through Career Choice

• What you get: Pre-paid tuition and reimbursement for approved books and fees up to an annual amount for eligible education programs, including associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, certificates, industry certifications, and more.

• Who qualifies: Most hourly full-time and part-time Amazon employees after 90 days of employment.

• How to get it: Check out the over 400 schools through Amazon Career Choice and enroll through the program.

• What to watch for: While you can use this program as long as you work at Amazon, the annual limit you can receive is $5,250 for full-time employees and $2,625 for part time.

Chick-fil-A: Scholarships for Eligible Team Members

• What you get: Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Scholarships of $1,000, $2,500, and $25,000. Since these are paid upfront, you can use them at any accredited college, university, or technical/vocational school.

• Who qualifies: Full and part-time employees who work at a company-owned, franchised, and/or affiliated Chick-fil-A restaurant. There are no requirements for hours worked or length of employment to apply. You'll need to show financial need and how you have demonstrated care and service over the previous year.

• How to get it: Once you are an employee you can apply for a Chick-fil-A scholarship in the fall.

• What to watch for: Chick-fil-A scholarships are not guaranteed to fully cover your tuition.

Papa Johns: Dough & Degrees Tuition Assistance

• What you get: Pre-paid tuition, books, and fees up to $5,250 per calendar year.

• Who qualifies: Eligible Papa Johns corporate team members who have been employed at least 60 days and have to work a minimum of ten hours per week.

• How to get it: You must first get a position at Papa Johns and meet the above work requirements. Then you can apply for the Dough & Degrees Tuition Assistance Program.

• What to watch for: This tuition program is only available to corporate employees and at nine universities and organizations

Starbucks: Tuition Coverage Through Arizona State University

• What you get: 100% tuition coverage for eligible online bachelor’s degree programs through Arizona State University.

• Who qualifies: Eligible U.S. Starbucks employees who don't already have a bachelor’s degree can apply on your first day of work.

• How to get it: Starbucks employees will have to apply to an eligible ASU Online bachelor’s degree program, complete the FAFSA and required ASU/Starbucks program documents.

• What to watch for: Since Starbucks only covers tuition and fees, you're responsible for the cost of books and supplies.

Walmart: Tuition Help Through Live Better U

• What you get: 100% paid tuition and books through Live Better U

• Who qualifies: Eligible full- and part-time hourly and salaried Walmart and Sam’s Club associates can start the program on their first day at Walmart.

• How to get it: Create a free Workforce Edge account, explore eligible programs, connect with a coach, and enroll.

• What to watch for: The Live Better U program excludes temporary employees and salaried associates at market level and above. It is only offered at eight academic institutions and there are no Masters Degree programs.

Free Banking and Budgeting Tools for Students

Banks: Free student checking accounts

• What you get: A checking account at banks, including Capital One, Fifth Third Bank, and Wells Fargo, with no monthly maintenance fee, plus basic banking tools like a debit card, mobile banking, direct deposit, bill pay, and ATM access.

• Who qualifies: Eligibility varies by bank, but many student or young adult checking accounts are designed for teens, college students, or customers under a certain age.

• How to get it: Compare student checking accounts at banks and credit unions and sign up for an account. If there are age requirements, you may need a parent or guardian to open the account with you.

• What to watch for: “Free” does not always mean fee-free. Check for overdraft fees, out-of-network ATM fees, minimum opening deposits, paper statement fees, and whether the account starts charging a monthly fee once you reach a certain age or graduate.

YNAB: Get One Free Year of Budgeting Tools as a College Student

• What you get: One free year of YNAB’s budgeting app, including tools to track spending, plan for expenses, and manage your money.

• Who qualifies: College students.

• How to get it: Sign up for the free one year of YNAB and verify your school enrollment through SheerID.

• What to watch for: You’ll need to pay $14.99 per month/$109 per year if you don't cancel before your student offer ends.

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