Higher Education Discount UK

[JDee]

Hi there,

I am looking to purchase a MacBook 2.4GHz laptop and am looking to know if I can get the HE discount without asking for any identification through this store page:

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_77705/

My sister is going in to university this year although she has not yet picked her university although has got a letter from UCAS saying that four universities have decided to pick her and she has to choose which one to go from.

Would I be asked for identification I purchased through this store? Anyone with previous experiences and any more information you guys are willing to give to me/
Thanks.

 

[annk]

I'm confused. Are you asking if your sister can make use of the edu discount before she chooses her university, knowing that she WILL be a student in the fall? Or are you asking if you (and you don't say whether or not you're a student) can buy a computer online using the edu discount?

 

[JDee]

I'm confused. Are you asking if your sister can make use of the edu discount before she chooses her university, knowing that she WILL be a student in the fall? Or are you asking if you (and you don't say whether or not you're a student) can buy a computer online using the edu discount?

I am wondering if Apple actually checks for identification if you purchase something through the HE store.

 

[Saladinos]

Once your sister has picked a university, she will get a confirmed offer. This might be after her exam grades are released and she's met the conditions if its a conditional offer.

With that confirmed offer, she is just like a uni student. She can use it to open a student bank account or get student discount at the apple store.

Make sure she's not planning to do do the same though, as Apple only let you buy one discounted Mac (laptop or desktop) per academic year, and she might want that for her first year.

 

[annk]

If the person purchasing is a student, it shouldn't matter whether or not they check, I guess.

I have no idea if they do or don't check. But this is clipped from their terms of use for the edu discount:

How to receive the education discount

If you are a student, teacher, lecturer, administrator or other staff member in education you qualify for special discounted pricing on Apple computers, software and select third party products. Quantity limits apply. See terms and conditions.



If you click on "see terms and conditions", you find this:

2.1 To place an Order you must be 18 years of age or over and be accessible by non cellular telephone. In order to be entitled to benefit from the special discounts on the Apple Store for Education you must be either a registered student and possess a valid student I.D. or accepted into an educational establishment or you must be engaged as a teacher or lecturer at an education institution and must require the Product for your own use or for your classes or for research. Apple is entitled at any time to require that you produce evidence of your entitlement to purchase under this provision. Apple reserves the right to cancel your order in its absolute discretion if we should determine that you are not a student, teacher or lecturer and/or that you do not require the Product for your own use or for teaching or research purposes. We will inform you if we cancel your order on the above basis. Any payments you have made will be refunded to you.

 

[Saladinos]

Yes, but I believe the actual process involves sending or faxing them a copy of your student ID or acceptance letter. Or showing it at an Apple Store.

 

[DavidR91]

Indeed, I had placed my offer from Durham as firm when I wanted to use the store for exactly this reason, but I was unable to use HE discounts because it was a conditional offer (and the site requires details only available to you once accepted, so unless you're already at the uni, or have an unconditional offer, you can't use it)

 

[antdgar]

I'm from UK and I just gave them a copy of the UCAS letter. In fact, the UCAS letter didn't even say that I attended a university. It just said about the five universities I applied to Not dissimilar to your sister's situation.

This is from the Apple Store in London btw.
I'm not sure about ordering online though. My experience may give you an idea...

You don't need any super ID B.S - The UCAS letter should be fine. Although, some people have been declined...
I just know that the person who viewed my UCAS letter took a 5 second look at it
online process may be different.

 

[u49aa2]

I have ordered online few times, and they never asked for proof. however i always used university email so this maybe why they never asked.

 

[JDee]

I'm from UK and I just gave them a copy of the UCAS letter. In fact, the UCAS letter didn't even say that I attended a university. It just said about the five universities I applied to Not dissimilar to your sister's situation.

This is from the Apple Store in London btw.
I'm not sure about ordering online though. My experience may give you an idea...

You don't need any super ID B.S - The UCAS letter should be fine. Although, some people have been declined...
I just know that the person who viewed my UCAS letter took a 5 second look at it
online process may be different.

That was really helpful - thanks!!

 

[Aboo]

I'm from UK and I just gave them a copy of the UCAS letter. In fact, the UCAS letter didn't even say that I attended a university. It just said about the five universities I applied to Not dissimilar to your sister's situation.

This is from the Apple Store in London btw.
I'm not sure about ordering online though. My experience may give you an idea...

You don't need any super ID B.S - The UCAS letter should be fine. Although, some people have been declined...
I just know that the person who viewed my UCAS letter took a 5 second look at it
online process may be different.

Are you sure that this method gives you the full HE discount? There are several tiers of HE discounts in the UK. The highest level is the one offered when you purchase from your campus network I believe.

 

[PDE]

Ordering from within a UK university network gives you the greatest discount and ensures that you get the free 3-year Higher education extended warranty...I've heard that if you buy in the store you won't get the extended warranty.

 

[Darkwater]

Are you sure that this method gives you the full HE discount? There are several tiers of HE discounts in the UK. The highest level is the one offered when you purchase from your campus network I believe.

There are two tiers - Education Store/Further Education Store and the Higher Education Store. The former is for schools and Sixth Forms, the latter is for universities. Any student with a UCAS letter or using their campus network, or using a university campus link (e.g. this one) gets the higher discount; which varies on around 15% depending on product (Macbooks are about 14%).

As to whether you get checked - I believe not. You need to use either a campus network or one such as above, but they don't ask for faxing in of proof in my experience. Having said that, obviously they have the right to do so and abusing the system if you're not a student is a dangerous thing to do. It's not like it's hard to find a student who can help you out.

 

[iZac]

I ordered my Mac Pro a couple of years ago over the phone, while i was in work (part time) but I was a student in my 5th year in architecture at the time. I simply mentioned the university I was studying with, and ordered it with the discount. I was never asked for proof, but maybe its different now.

If i recall i mentioned i looked at the prices when accessing Apples Edu store from a uni computer, so i knew exactly how much discount I got with it. (i believe it differs from institution to institution) Perhaps its down to the employee to judge if you sound genuine, or perhaps it is just a random lucky dip who gets checked or not.

 

[marold280]

I have just spoken to apple via their website now.
They told me that you can get the extra years, but for about 43 quid.
a dramatic discount.

Fortunately my brother is at uni. im getting him to do it

 

[KBV1]

Hey

my sister is currently at College and she said she will use her discount to get me a macbook, but one thing has crossed my mind. If she then decided to buy a macbook in a few months time.. could she still get her student discount on another macbook?

I know i get discount for working for the NHS but i dont get as much and my sister would. ive just clicked the link above giving me the Uni prices.. anyone got the link for college prices and my sister cant get it to work at college

Cheers

 

[macgrl]

When I ordered online last year using the higher education discount in the UK I had to use a university email address i.e @xxx.ac.uk and they also made me email over a scan of my university id.

 

[PDE]

I have just spoken to apple via their website now.
They told me that you can get the extra years, but for about 43 quid.
a dramatic discount.

Fortunately my brother is at uni. im getting him to do it

Do not buy the extra applecare unless you need three full years of telephone support! THe higher education extended warranty is FREE and covers one year telephone support and three years hardware. That's the deal, but Apple routinely misleads HE customers to make it seem like you need to buy the extra.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Do not buy the extra applecare unless you need three full years of telephone support! THe higher education extended warranty is FREE and covers one year telephone support and three years hardware. That's the deal, but Apple routinely misleads HE customers to make it seem like you need to buy the extra.

True, however, it does raise the resale value a little if you sell before those three years are up.

 

[marold280]

Do not buy the extra applecare unless you need three full years of telephone support! THe higher education extended warranty is FREE and covers one year telephone support and three years hardware. That's the deal, but Apple routinely misleads HE customers to make it seem like you need to buy the extra.

WOW thanks so much ! i definitely fell for that !
3 years coming my way then

 

[PDE]

WOW thanks so much ! i definitely fell for that !
3 years coming my way then

Just make sure that you buy it online through your university's HE apple store, because I think that's the only place you get the special HE deal. Also, don't be alarmed if you don't get any confirmation of the deal -- it takes a few months before they send you an email confirming the agreement and in the meantime your warranty will show up on their site as a standard 1 year warranty.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Just make sure that you buy it online through your university's HE apple store, because I think that's the only place you get the special HE deal. Also, don't be alarmed if you don't get any confirmation of the deal -- it takes a few months before they send you an email confirming the agreement and in the meantime your warranty will show up on their site as a standard 1 year warranty.

Very true. Apple Retail does *not* give the same deal. Apple Retail will usually bring the price of the hardware down to a similar level but then it only has one year's Applecare and full 3 year Applecare costs a good extra £60 or so. Order online or over-the-phone only.

Edit: As for whether they ask for proof, well I've ordered five machines through the Higher Education store and I've never once been asked to supply them with any form of student identification.

 

[shoppy]

Just make sure that you buy it online through your university's HE apple store, because I think that's the only place you get the special HE deal. Also, don't be alarmed if you don't get any confirmation of the deal -- it takes a few months before they send you an email confirming the agreement and in the meantime your warranty will show up on their site as a standard 1 year warranty.

I used to think that and it was written in the terms and conditions however I ordered a new machine today and looked at the terms and conditions it says just one year hardware.

However my wife brought a base macbook back in march and they sent her an email last week saying she has 1 year phone support and 3years hardware. I did not want to take the chance and so paid for the extra £57.

 

[KBV1]

Edit: As for whether they ask for proof, well I've ordered five machines through the Higher Education store and I've never once been asked to supply them with any form of student identification.

Are you actually a student or did you buy throught the website above from home? IF apple did ask id.. what would happen if you could not provdive it you were a student?

 

[costabunny]

I used to think that and it was written in the terms and conditions however I ordered a new machine today and looked at the terms and conditions it says just one year hardware.

The nice american chappy at apple confirmed to me that it is three years HW, one yr Telephone. (But if it goes wrong you gotta get it to apple yourself, whereas he says they'll collect it if you pay the extra ££).