Student Discounts Beyond Travel: Supermarkets, Tech, and Subscriptions Across Europe
By Muntasir • Published Jul 31, 2024 • Updated Aug 08, 2026 • Student Life, Study in Europe, Money & Budgeting
A verified student profile gets you savings on software, streaming, and shopping across Europe, not just trains and museums. Platforms like UNiDAYS, Student Beans, and ISIC check your student status once, then apply discounts at hundreds of brands without more paperwork.
💶 The ISIC card works at supermarkets, electronics stores, and online shops in many European countries.
Adobe, Microsoft, and GitHub give students free or reduced access to core software.
Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Prime run separate discounted student plans.
ESN membership adds local discounts in your exchange or host city.
Verify once with your university email or a NARIC document, then reuse the discount all year.
How student discount verification works
Most student discounts run through a verification platform rather than a card check at the till. Sites like UNiDAYS and Student Beans ask you to sign up with your university email address or upload proof of enrolment. Once approved, you get a personal discount code or link for each partner brand, and the verification stays valid for the length of your course or the current academic year.
The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) works differently: it is a physical and digital card issued by your university or a national student union, accepted as proof of status at thousands of partner locations, including many outside the travel sector. Keep both a UNiDAYS/Student Beans account and an ISIC card active, since brands rarely partner with every platform.
Software and cloud tools
Software is where student pricing saves you the most relative to the regular price. Adobe offers a discounted Creative Cloud plan for students and teachers, and many universities include a full Microsoft 365 Education license, covering Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive storage, for free through your student account. Check with your IT department before paying for Office separately.
The GitHub Student Developer Pack bundles free or discounted access to dozens of developer tools, including cloud hosting credits, code editors, and design software, for anyone with a verified school or university email. Canva also runs a free Canva for Education tier for students, and JetBrains gives free licenses for its IDEs to students with a verified academic email.
Streaming and subscriptions
Spotify Premium Student, Apple Music for students, and YouTube Premium Student all offer a reduced monthly price compared with the standard individual plan, verified through SheerID or a similar service tied to your enrolment. Amazon Prime Student gives you a free trial period followed by a discounted ongoing membership, covering the same delivery speed and Prime Video access as regular Prime.
Check the offer page for each service directly in your country, since the discount period, price, and eligibility rules vary by national storefront.
Where to find each type of discount
| Category | Main platform | Example brands |
|---|---|---|
| Software and cloud | Direct from vendor, plus GitHub Student Pack | Adobe, Microsoft 365, JetBrains, Canva |
| Streaming and music | SheerID verification on provider site | Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Premium |
| General retail and tech | UNiDAYS, Student Beans | Electronics stores, clothing, some supermarkets |
| Local city discounts | ESN card | Restaurants, gyms, local shops |
| Global ID discounts | ISIC card | Museums, shops, some supermarkets abroad |
Supermarkets and everyday shopping
Grocery discounts are less centralised than software or streaming and depend on the country and even the individual store chain. Check for a loyalty app from your local supermarket first, since some chains run rotating student promotions or app-only coupons that beat any general discount platform. Use UNiDAYS or Student Beans as a second layer, since electronics retailers, clothing stores, and some supermarket-linked pharmacies list offers on those platforms in most European markets.
Local discounts through ESN
If you study abroad on Erasmus+ or another exchange program, an Erasmus Student Network (ESN) card adds a separate layer of local discounts specific to your host city and country, covering restaurants, gyms, and phone plans. ESN sections negotiate these deals directly with local businesses, so the list differs in every city and updates through the year.
How to stack discounts without wasting time
Set up one UNiDAYS or Student Beans account with your university email as soon as you enrol.
Order an ISIC card if your university does not issue one automatically.
Join your local ESN section if you study on exchange.
Check your university IT portal for included Microsoft or Adobe licenses before buying software.
Recheck offers each semester, since brands rotate partnerships and prices change.
Student bank accounts and mobile plans
Banks in most European countries offer a specific student account with reduced or waived monthly fees, sometimes bundled with cashback on card purchases or free international transfers, useful if you study away from home. Mobile network operators also run separate student tariffs with extra data at a lower monthly price, usually verified the same way as other student discounts, through your university email or a national student ID scheme. Compare the base account or plan cost against the discounted student version before switching, since some standard promotional deals for new customers beat the advertised student rate anyway.
Print, library, and campus discounts
Your university library card and student portal often carry their own discounts, printing credit, reduced entry to local museums or galleries through partnerships specific to your city, and lower rates at university-run cafes and gyms. Check your student portal directly, since these deals rarely appear on UNiDAYS or Student Beans and depend entirely on your specific institution.
Before you rely on a discount, check the fine print
Most student discount schemes cap eligibility at a certain age, commonly around 26, and require full-time enrollment, so confirm you still qualify each year rather than assuming automatic renewal. Some retailers also limit the discount to online purchases only, or exclude sale items already marked down, read the terms on the discount page before you count on the saving at checkout.