Getting an Apple Education discount in the United States used to be as simple as claiming you’re a student or a teacher; it didn’t need a formal verification. That era is officially over.
Starting May 8, 2026, Apple now requires formal identity verification for all Education Store purchases in the US, ending the informal honor system that was in place for years (via MacRumors).
What does the new verification process involve?
Apple has partnered with UNiDAYS to handle the Education Store eligibility test. To avail the Education Store discount, students and teachers must create a UNiDAYS ID and verify their academic status either by logging into their school’s academic portal or uploading a picture of their identity card (issued by the educational institute).
Homeschool teachers need to provide a government-issued identity document, such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport, alongside a homeschool document like a Letter of Intent or Letter of Acknowledgement.
Once buyers provide the required details, UNiDAYS will verify them almost instantly. If someone requires a manual review, they should receive a response within a day of submitting the documents. It’s worth mentioning here that the same process applies, whether you buy online or walk into an Apple Store.
Who qualifies for the Education Store discount?
The change in the process also applies to markets like Canada, Chile, Australia, Hong Kong, and Turkey.
While the verification process is a bit more tedious than it used to be, the eligibility criteria remain the same: current and newly accepted college students, their parents, faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers across all grades.
The purchase limits remain unchanged. Eligible buyers can only buy one MacBook, one iMac, one Mac mini, up to two iPads, and two accessories every year. On a related note, the Apple Watch is now available at a discounted price via the Education Store, including the Series 11, SE 3, and the Ultra 3.