UPDATE 4:30 P.M. ET: Apple appears to have reversed course on this. As 9to5Mac reports, citing Reddit users who noticed the switch, the UNiDAYS link (as seen in the photo above) has been removed from the Apple education website, with no mention of needing to verify eligibility (see below). Purchasing limits remain, however.
Original Story:If you’re a student or teacher looking to get education pricing on Apple’s devices, be warned that the process is now more difficult and limited.
Apple’s education pricing allows students, teachers, and eligible staff to enjoy lower prices on hardware such as a new Mac or iPad. However, first Apple needs to ensure you qualify, and as AppleTrack reports, the process of verification has recently been handed over to a third party. Before now, no such formal verification process was required.
Just like the IRS now relies on ID.me for verification, Apple decided to pick UNiDAYS for its verification needs. Anyone who wants to take advantage of Apple education pricing will need to create a UNiDAYS account, which comes with its own terms of service and privacy policy. The sign-up page also carries the message “Register now to get free, exclusive offers from your favorite brands,” suggesting you’ll be shown offers for other, non-Apple products after registration.
The other big change Apple introduced is a limit on the amount of hardware you can purchase at the lower education pricing rate. It’s quite generous, though, allowing each verified user to buy one desktop, one Mac mini, one laptop, two iPads, and two accessories per year. That should be more than enough for one person, and should curtail any friends or relatives asking you to help get them a cheap iMac.
