The main student discounts on Spotify, YouTube Premium and Amazon Prime each cost under $10 a month in the US as of October 2026. Spotify Premium Student is $6.99 a month and includes Hulu (With Ads). YouTube Premium’s student plan is $8.99 a month. Amazon’s Prime for Young Adults is $7.49 a month or $69 a year after a 6-month trial.
Spotify and YouTube check you’re a college student through SheerID. Amazon accepts college students or anyone aged 18 to 24. All three switch to full price when your eligibility ends, unless you cancel.
Student plans are some of the best legitimate discounts around: you get the same service for roughly half price. The catch is the fine print. Each company verifies you differently, makes you renew, and moves you to the regular price later. Here’s how each one works, step by step.
Student discounts on Spotify, YouTube and Prime compared
| Plan | Student price (US) | Regular price | Free trial | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify Premium Student | $6.99/mo, with Hulu (With Ads) | $12.99/mo | 1 month, if you’ve never had Premium | Up to 4 years, renew every 12 months |
| YouTube Premium student | $8.99/mo | $15.99/mo | For eligible new members | Up to 4 years, re-verify every year |
| Amazon Prime for Young Adults | $7.49/mo or $69/yr | $14.99/mo or $139/yr | 6 months at $0 | Students: 4 years or end of studies. Age route: until 25 |
US prices as of October 2026, before tax. Prices and trial offers change, so check each company’s student page before you sign up.
Spotify Premium Student
You qualify if you’re 18 or older and enrolled at an eligible US Title IV accredited college or university. High school students don’t qualify. The free month is only for people who haven’t tried Premium before. The plan currently includes Hulu (With Ads), subject to eligibility, on one $6.99 bill.
How to sign up
- Go to spotify.com/us/student and select Get 1 month on us or Get started.
- Fill out the SheerID verification form. If your school isn’t on the list, Spotify says you aren’t eligible at this time.
- Log in to your school’s portal when asked, or upload proof of enrollment.
- Wait for SheerID’s confirmation email. Spotify says this can take several days.
- From that email, apply the discount to a new or existing Spotify account, then subscribe to Premium Student.
- Follow Spotify’s steps to activate Hulu. You can create a new Hulu account or log in to an existing one.
You can’t pay for Premium Student through your phone bill or another company, such as your internet provider. If you already have Hulu (With Ads) with no add-ons and pay Hulu directly, you can move that account onto your Spotify bill.
What happens later
You must renew and re-verify every 12 months, for up to 4 years. Spotify emails you about 4 weeks before your discount expires. If you don’t renew, Premium continues automatically at the full price. You can still renew from your account page after the discount ends, and the student price returns on your next payment.
YouTube Premium student plan
YouTube’s student membership gives you ad-free YouTube, background play and YouTube Music Premium at a lower price. There’s also a cheaper student version of YouTube Music Premium if you only want music.
To qualify, you must be enrolled at a higher education institution in a country where YouTube offers student plans, and your school must be approved by SheerID. If you already pay for YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium, YouTube says to cancel that first, then sign up for the student plan.
How to sign up
- Go to youtube.com/premium/student and select the button to start.
- Type your school into the SheerID form. If it’s listed, student plans are available at your school.
- Complete SheerID’s verification. For help, YouTube points you to SheerID’s customer service.
- Add a payment method and confirm. YouTube reminds you 7 days before a trial ends.
What happens later
You can keep the student plan for up to 4 years, but you must re-verify every year. When you’re less than 30 days from your student status expiring, you can renew at youtube.com/purchases. If you stay subscribed but no longer qualify, YouTube moves you to a full-price membership automatically. Google lists the regular individual plan at $15.99 a month, so the student plan saves about $7 a month.
Amazon Prime for Young Adults (Amazon’s student plan)
Amazon’s student discount now comes as Prime for Young Adults, which is open to higher education students and to anyone aged 18 to 24, student or not. You get a 6-month trial at $0, which Amazon says is courtesy of Grubhub, then Prime at half price: $7.49 a month or $69 a year. It includes fast free delivery, Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime and Amazon Photos, plus 5% cash back on eligible items (terms apply).
How to sign up
- Go to amazon.com/amazonprime and select Are you 18-24 years old or a student?
- Choose age verification or student status verification.
- For age verification, submit proof of age, such as a passport, driver’s license or ID card.
- For student verification, fill in the sign-up form, use your .edu email address, or upload proof of enrollment such as a student ID or an acceptance letter for the upcoming term.
- Start the trial. If you already pay for Prime, you can switch, and Amazon says you’ll get any eligible refund for your old membership.
Prime for Young Adults can’t be shared with an Amazon Household, and some Prime benefits aren’t available during the $0 trial.
What happens later
If you joined as a student, your plan converts to regular Prime after four years or when your studies end. If you joined by age, it converts when you turn 25. Amazon emails you several weeks before your discounted renewal if it thinks you no longer qualify, then enrolls you automatically in regular monthly or annual Prime ($14.99 a month or $139 a year), matching your current billing.
What happens after graduation
- None of these plans stop on their own. They all roll into full price.
- Spotify: continues as regular Premium if you don’t renew your student status.
- YouTube: moves to a full-price membership when you can’t re-verify.
- Amazon: moves to regular Prime, monthly or yearly, at the end of your studies, after four years, or at 25.
Put your graduation month and each plan’s renewal date in your calendar. A month before, decide whether to keep paying, switch to a cheaper plan, or cancel.
Other student deals worth checking
- AI and Office: Google offers a student deal on its Google AI plans, and Microsoft gives college students 50% off Microsoft 365 Personal. Our guide to AI subscription prices covers both.
- Design tools: Canva’s free education plan is for K-12 only, but there are other legit options. See how to get Canva Pro free.
Only verify your student status from the company’s own sign-up page. Scammers send texts and emails about “student discounts” and “free Premium” that lead to fake login pages built to steal your school or bank login. Learn how to spot a phishing link, and watch for deal scams around the holidays with our Black Friday scams guide.
More app guides are in our Apps section.
FAQ
Can high school students get Spotify Premium Student?
No. In the US, Spotify requires you to be 18 or older and enrolled at an eligible Title IV accredited college or university.
Do I need a .edu email address?
Not always. Spotify and YouTube use SheerID, which may ask you to log in to your school portal or upload proof of enrollment. Amazon accepts a .edu email, its sign-up form, a student ID or an acceptance letter, or proof of age if you’re 18 to 24.
Can I use Prime for Young Adults if I’m not a student?
Yes, if you’re 18 to 24. You verify with proof of age instead, and the plan converts to regular Prime when you turn 25.
Which student plan is the best value?
It depends on what you use. Spotify Premium Student at $6.99 includes Hulu (With Ads). Prime for Young Adults is cheapest per month on the yearly plan at $69. YouTube Premium’s student plan at $8.99 also includes YouTube Music Premium.
What if I already pay full price?
You can usually switch. YouTube asks you to cancel your current membership first. Spotify applies the discount to an existing account after SheerID approves you. Amazon lets current Prime members switch and refunds any eligible amount from the old plan.
Sources
- Spotify: Premium for Students (US)
- Spotify Support: Premium Student
- Spotify Support: Renew Premium Student
- YouTube Help: Get a student discount for YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium
- YouTube Help: Manage your student membership
- Google One: Google AI plans (US), with YouTube plan prices
- Amazon: Prime for Young Adults
- Amazon: Join Prime for Young Adults
- Amazon: Prime for Young Adults Graduation
