Every Deal and Freebie Canadian Students Should Know About
Being a student in Canada comes with a surprisingly large stack of freebies and discounts that most students never bother to claim. A few hours of setup can unlock hundreds of dollars in annual savings -- on software, subscriptions, food, retail, and more. Here's the complete rundown.
Free Software: The High-Value Stuff First
Microsoft 365: $0 (Worth $100+/Year)
This is the highest-value student freebie available. Full Microsoft 365 -- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Teams, and 1TB of OneDrive storage -- is completely free for Canadian students with a valid school email.
Microsoft 365 for Students
Get Microsoft 365 including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams completely free
Works on up to 5 devices simultaneously. No credit card required. Just sign up at the Microsoft Education portal with your institutional email.
GitHub Student Developer Pack
The GitHub Student Pack bundles dozens of developer tools, cloud credits, and software subscriptions worth $200,000+ per year (by their own estimate, though actual value depends heavily on what you use). Standouts include free GitHub Copilot, free domain names, free cloud credits from Azure and DigitalOcean, and JetBrains IDE licenses.
GitHub Student Developer Pack
Free developer tools, cloud credits, and domains for students worldwide
Essential if you're studying computer science, data science, engineering, or anything adjacent. Verify with your student email at education.github.com.
Other Free Software
- Autodesk (AutoCAD, Maya, Fusion 360): Free for students via Autodesk Education Community
- Adobe Creative Cloud: Discounted ~60% for students (~$20/month vs. $55/month)
- Notion: Free Pro plan for students
- Figma: Free Professional for students and educators
Student Discount Programs
UNiDAYS: 800+ Brands, Free to Join
UNiDAYS gives verified students access to discounts at over 800 brands worldwide. Verify with your school email once and access discounts indefinitely while enrolled.
UNiDAYS
Verified student discounts at hundreds of popular brands worldwide
Notable Canadian-relevant discounts include Apple education pricing (10-15% off Macs and iPads), Samsung student discounts, Nike, Adidas, ASOS, and Planet Fitness. Browse by category in the app to find relevant deals before any purchase.
SPC Card: Canada's Original Student Discount Card
The Student Price Card ($10/year) is Canada's most established student discount program, with 450+ partner brands and heavy restaurant representation.
SPC (Student Price Card)
Canada's #1 student discount card with 450+ partner brands
CIBC Dividend Visa for students includes a free SPC membership -- if you're opening a no-fee student credit card (which you should), this makes the SPC effectively free. Apply for the CIBC card first, then use the included SPC rather than purchasing one separately.
Amazon Prime Student: 6 Months Free, Then Half Price
One of the most underrated student perks. Canadian students get a 6-month free trial of Amazon Prime, then pay $4.99/month (vs. $9.99/month for regular Prime).
Amazon Prime Student
Get Amazon Prime at 50% off with a 6-month free trial for Canadian students
The 6-month trial alone covers free shipping, Prime Video, Prime Gaming free games, and Amazon Music -- worth well over $60 in value. Stack with Prime Day for additional savings during the trial.
Streaming Discounts
Most major streaming services offer student pricing:
- Spotify: $5.99/month for students (vs. $10.99 regular) -- includes Hulu in the US but Canada gets a straight discount
- Apple Music: $5.99/month for students (vs. $11.99 regular)
- YouTube Premium: Student discount available through UNiDAYS (~40% off)
- Crave: Student discount available through UNiDAYS
Verify once, save for up to 4 years. These add up fast -- Spotify + Apple Music student pricing saves ~$120/year vs. regular pricing.
Food Discounts
- McDonald's: 10% off with SPC card at most locations
- Burger King: 10% off with SPC at participating locations
- Pizza Pizza: Student promotions and SPC discounts
- Second Cup: Student discount with proof of enrollment
- Many local restaurants: Ask -- many offer unlisted student discounts
Banking for Students
No-fee banking is essential when you're a student. The Big 5 banks have student accounts, but they typically have monthly fees after a grace period.
Better options:
- Tangerine: No monthly fees forever, not just while a student
- EQ Bank: High-interest savings for your emergency fund or tuition savings
- Wealthsimple Cash: Free prepaid Visa with 1% cashback
For credit: a no-fee student credit card with a low limit is the right tool for building credit history. Use it for regular purchases, pay it off monthly, never carry a balance.
Back-to-School Is the Best Time to Grab Deals
Back-to-school season (August-September) is when student discounts are most aggressive. Apple regularly runs a back-to-school promotion with a free AirPods offer on Mac and iPad purchases. UNiDAYS and SPC partners run seasonal promotions. Microsoft 365 signup is straightforward year-round, but laptop deals and tech discounts peak in late August. If you're buying a laptop, computer, or tablet for school, August is the best month to buy.
The Setup Checklist
For a new Canadian student, run through this list in order:
- Sign up for Microsoft 365 with school email (free)
- Join UNiDAYS with school email (free)
- Get GitHub Student Pack if studying tech (free)
- Start Amazon Prime Student trial (free for 6 months)
- Sign up for Spotify or Apple Music student plan (~$6/month)
- Get SPC card free through CIBC student Visa, or pay $10 directly
- Open Tangerine account for no-fee banking
- Check your school's software portal -- many institutions offer additional licensed software (Adobe, Matlab, etc.) directly
Most of these take under 10 minutes each. The combined annual value easily exceeds $500.