Preparing for college may be both thrilling and stressful. To make things easier, ensure you have the technology to help you compose essays, take notes in class, and relax with Netflix and games when the work is done.
The iPad has progressed in recent years to become a laptop replacement for many students, thanks to peripherals such as the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, making it one of the most flexible devices available.
Choosing the best iPad might be difficult because Apple now offers a variety of devices with varying pricing and features. But that isn’t an issue for Macworld readers. Here’s our advice to purchasing an iPad for your college years.
Before making a decision, you should know that you can save money on a new Apple product by purchasing at Apple’s school store. You can acquire an Apple Student Discount in a separate article. All year long, Apple gives students in higher education money off new iPad purchases.
Furthermore, if you are a student and purchase an iPad (or a Mac) from Apple, you may be eligible for a free gift such as a pair of AirPods or coupons while the company’s “Back To Uni” event is in effect. (This often occurs from June to September in the United States and Canada, July to October in the United Kingdom, and January to March in Australia.)
Click on the following links for the Education stores in the countries where most of our readers reside:
- Apple’s U.S. Education Store
- Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the UK you must verify your student status via UNiDAYS).
- Apple’s Canada Education Store
- Apple’s Australian Education Store
If you’re a student, you can also get Apple Music for half the price, along with free Apple TV+.
How much can students save on an iPad?
If you buy from the education store, you can save up to $50 in the United States, £60 in the United Kingdom, $90 in Australia, and $70 in Canada.
| Product | U.S. | U.K. | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPad (9th gen) MSRP | $329 | £369 | $549 | $449 |
| iPad (9th gen) Student Price | $309 | £349 | $519 | $419 |
| iPad (10th gen) MSRP | $449 | £499 | $749 | $599 |
| iPad (10th gen) Student Price | $419 | £469 | $699 | $559 |
| iPad mini MSRP | $499 | £569 | $829 | $679 |
| iPad mini Student Price | $449 | £509 | $749 | $609 |
| iPad Air MSRP | $599 | £669 | $999 | $799 |
| iPad Air Student Price | $549 | £609 | $919 | $729 |
| iPad Pro 11-inch MSRP | $799 | £899 | $1,399 | $1,099 |
| iPad Pro 11-inch Student Price | $749 | £839 | $1,309 | $1,029 |
How to get an iPad student discount
Apple provides student discounts through its country-specific school stores. To summarize:
- Apple’s U.S. Education Store
- Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the UK you will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS).
- Apple’s Canada Education Store
- Apple’s Australian Education Store
Depending on where you live, you may simply need to sign up, provide information about your student status and course, and establish your identity. Some governments impose fewer restrictions than others. To see student prices in the United Kingdom, you must first register with UNiDAYS. Our article How to Get an Apple Student Discount explains this in detail.
You must also meet Apple’s requirements to be eligible for a discount. You must be a higher education student or an instructor at a teaching institution. The only option to earn a discount for a child who is still in school is to home-school them or to be a teacher yourself.
If you can’t receive a student discount, that doesn’t mean you can’t save money on a new iPad. Check out our list of the top iPad bargains. Below you’ll also discover links to the best iPad discounts.
Best iPad for students
iPad 10.2in (9th gen, 2021): Best low-cost iPad
Because we anticipate that students would be eager to save money wherever possible, we believe that the 10.2in iPad (9th gen) is the closest thing to an affordable iPad–especially when the student discount is applied.
True, it has suffered from recent price increases implemented by Apple around the world (except in the United States, where it received a price decrease), making it no longer the bargain it once was. However, it is still the most economical alternative if you only need an iPad for the basics.
While this is the most affordable iPad, it still has sufficient performance and features to make it an ideal choice for many students. This 2021 model retains the more-than-capable A13 processor that previously powered the iPhone 11 series and considerable upgrades to the front-facing camera over the previous generation, including an Ultra-Wide lens and support for Center Stage.
If you wish to utilize Microsoft Office apps for iPad, you can do so. Still, many free productivity apps are available from Apple and others that will make taking notes and working on assignments a breeze. You have a pretty functional laptop with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse that should meet most coursework requirements. With Apple Pencil (gen 1) support, you may annotate documents, sketch, and practice handwriting.
If your requirements aren’t too stringent, the iPad 10.2-inch is an excellent choice. It will easily handle academic life and provide enough of entertainment after classes are finished. But there is one word of caution. The cheapest model only has 64GB of storage, which seems stingy in this day and age. With that in mind, we’d recommend going with the 256GB model, which is more practical and expensive.
How much can students save on the 9th gen iPad?
MSRP: $329 / £369 / AU$549 / CA$449
Students: $309 / £349 / AU$519 / CA$419
Students save: $20 / £20 / AU$30 / CA$30
iPad mini (6th gen, 2021): Most portable iPad
If portability is the most crucial factor for you, there is one iPad in particular that you should consider.
The iPad mini, which will be updated in September 2021 with an A15 Bionic processor and a new design, is the smallest and lightest iPad available. It weighs 293g, compared to 487g for the 9th generation iPad, 477g for the 10th generation iPad, and 461g for the iPad Air.
Of course, the low weight is due to the iPad being smaller because to the 8.3-inch display (which is larger than it used to be since Apple removed the Home button and moved Touch ID to the power button on the top edge). As a result, the device is compact but strong, and it does not seem too small. This screen size is good for reading books or taking notes (particularly with an Apple Pencil), so it may be ideal if that’s how you plan to use your iPad.
And don’t be fooled by the small size: the A15 Bionic chip is the same as that found in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so there’s plenty of power available. Connectivity is also excellent, with Wi-Fi 6 and LTE 5G networks supported depending on the model.
Because of Center Stage, the front-facing camera has an Ultra-Wide lens that can track you and keep you in the center of the picture during video chats, while the 12MP Wide camera on the rear can capture amazing photos and videos that may be utilized in presentations or other media-based assignments.
There are two storage options (64GB and 256GB), and as with the 10.2in iPad, the larger of the two is recommended because it allows you to store more apps, music, movies, photos, and videos.
The mini’s one limitation is that it only works with Bluetooth keyboards rather than Apple’s iPad-specific keyboards–but whether this is a substantial detriment is disputed. It will unquestionably save you money.
The 64GB variant prices start at $499/£569, with the 256GB model costing $649/£749. This is a rise over the previous model, and the late-2022 price increase outside the US doesn’t help, but the new iPad mini comes with some seriously cutting-edge technology.
How much can students save on the iPad mini?
MSRP: $499 / £569 / AU$829 / CA$679
Students: $449 / £509 / AU$749 / CA $609
Students save: $50 / £60 / AU$80 / CA$70
iPad (10th gen, 2022): Best all-rounder
The iPad 10.9-inch (10th generation), which came in October 2022 and has the same design concept as the iPad mini and iPad Air, is the newest kid on the block. This implies that the traditional Home button has been replaced with swipe gestures, and the Face ID sensor has been incorporated in the top-edge power button. This allows for a larger display than on its predecessor, the iPad 10.2-inch (9th generation). Apple has kept it in its catalog for people looking for a less expensive device with a Home button (see above).
The latest iPad has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, which is unlaminated like all other iPad devices (rather than mini, Air, or Pro). This indicates a little air gap between the glass and the digitizer beneath. You generally won’t notice anything, however if you plan to use the Apple Pencil for notes (gen 1 is supported), you may notice tiny tracking delays.
The front-facing camera is situated on the longer end of the screen, which provides a true landscape view that is centrally located. There will be no more awkward side views from the portrait cameras found on all other iPads. The new landscape 12MP Ultra Wide camera has an f/2.4 aperture and a 122-degree field of view; it also supports the Center Stage function, which maintains you in the center of the screen even if you move around during FaceTime chats. Apple equips its new iPad with the same 12MP f/1.8 back camera as the iPad Air, allowing users to take stunning photos and record 4K video at 60 frames per second. If your course includes video content, either the front or back optics of the new iPad should suffice–plus you can phone home and look good doing it.
The new iPad is powered by an A14 Bionic processor, the same chip that powers the iPhone 12 devices (including the Pros). So there’s enough of juice for word processing, note-taking, coding, and most other educational activities, not to mention gaming and entertainment. The upgrade from a Lightning port to a USB-C port also allows you to utilize numerous devices and even power an additional display if you want the iPad to function more like a PC.
As with all of the other iPads on this list, Apple equips the cheapest model with 64GB, which is still a pittance and will need to be raised in the next year or so if Apple wants to continue charging its exorbitant rates. With this in mind, we recommend the 256GB model, which raises the price from $449/£499 (64GB) to $599/£679 (256GB). The extra space will benefit you in the long run.
There are four colors to select from (Blue, Yellow, Silver, and Pink), so you should be able to choose one that matches your personality. You could invest in the new two-piece Magic Keyboard Folio for further functionality, though the $249/£279 price tag appears to be very high.
Of course, a regular Bluetooth keyboard will achieve the same results at a far lower price. As previously stated, the new iPad supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, but because the charging connector has been upgraded to USB-C, you’ll need an adaptor from Apple if you already own the Pencil. Otherwise, the dongle is now included in the box when you purchase a new Apple Pencil (1st generation).
As you can see, there are a few drawbacks (most notably the higher price), but with its modern design, powerful CPU, and larger display, the new 10.9-inch iPad (10th generation) is a fantastic all-arounder and a good buy for those heading off to study.
How much can students save on the 10th gen iPad?
MSRP: $449 / £499 / AU$749 / CA$599
Students; $419 / £469 / AU$699 / CA$559
Students save: $30 / £30 / AU$50 / CA$40
Should students buy an iPad or a laptop?
Before you buy an iPad, you should think about if it is appropriate for your needs.
As a student you probably have a few requirements:
- Low price
- Great apps for things like note-taking, recording lectures and revision
- Light enough to carry around all-day
- Keyboard and stylus support
- Suitable for making video calls home
You may be thinking whether a tablet or a laptop would be better for those requirements; if the latter, check out our guide to the best Macs for students.
However, we believe that an iPad is an excellent choice. It runs many of the same apps as a laptop, including Office software like Word and PowerPoint and their Apple equivalents, and in certain circumstances, an iPad is actually more powerful than a laptop due to Apple’s super-fast processors.
Another advantage is that you can store all of your course materials on your iPad and bring them with you to lectures and tutorials. You could even photograph pages from books at the library and save the text to your iPad using optical character recognition.
Not only do you not have to haul all of your books about with you, but an iPad is significantly lighter than even the lightest laptop, so carrying it to lectures and the library will not cause back pain.
With a battery life of 10 hours–enough for a day on campus–you won’t need to find a space next to a plug socket to get through the day.
Think of having an iPad as having to text on an on-screen keyboard. No! You could connect any Bluetooth keyboard or one of Apple’s iPad keyboards to basically transform your iPad into a laptop. There’s also the Apple Pencil, which could be great for taking notes on your iPad screen during a lecture. See also: Best iPad Stylus.
When you’re done studying, there are a plethora of games and apps for video contacting your parents.
Are iPads good for students?
The next thing you might want to know is whether the iPad is the ideal option for a student. There are numerous different tablets available, many of which are less expensive than an iPad. So you’re thinking of saving money.
We believe you will be sorry if you do. Apple’s iPads are popular for a variety of reasons, including:
- The App Store is heaving with great apps designed specifically for the iPad.
- Many of those apps will be ideal for students: note-taking apps, apps for converting handwriting to text, apps for recording lectures, timetable management, and of course video calling (so you can stay in touch with mum and dad).
- There is an ecosystem of great accessories designed to work with the iPad.
- Apple’s iPadOS is stable and easy to use, especially if you already have an iPhone.
- If you’ve got a Mac you can use an iPad as a second screen, provided you’re running Big Sur or later.
Till Then, keep yourself updated with all the latest news from our website techyember.com.
