Apple Music costs less if you are a student, but you have to prove it first

Apple Music offers a reduced monthly rate for full-time students through a program called Apple Music Student. The standard plan costs $10.99 per month, but the student plan costs $5.99 per month — roughly half price. You get the same service: ad-free streaming, offline downloads, spatial audio, and access to the full Apple Music catalog. The main catch is that Apple verifies your student status through a third-party service called SheerID, and you have to re-verify every 12 months.

The student discount is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and several other countries. If you live outside these regions, the discount may not be available to you. You also need an Apple ID and a valid payment method to set up the subscription.

Key Takeaways

  • The Apple Music Student plan costs $5.99 per month instead of $10.99, and you verify your status through SheerID during signup.
  • You must be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college or university to may have access to; high school students and part-time students are not may be able to access.
  • Your student status expires after 12 months, and you will need to re-verify to keep the discount active.
  • If you lose student status or fail to re-verify, your subscription automatically moves to the full-price plan.

How to sign up for the student plan on your device

Start in the Apple Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Tap or click the "Listen Now" tab at the bottom, then look for a banner or link that says "Apple Music Student" — it usually appears near the top of the screen. Tap it and select "Try it Free" or "Get Student Plan".

Apple will ask you to sign in with your Apple ID. If you do not have one, you can create it during this step. Next, you will be sent to SheerID's verification page. This is where you prove you are a student. You will need to provide your name, date of birth, and school email address, or upload a photo of your student ID or tuition bill. SheerID verifies this information when ready in most cases.

Once SheerID confirms your status, you return to Apple and complete your payment setup. Apple will charge your first payment to your Apple ID payment method. If you have a free trial available, it may start when ready; otherwise, the first charge happens right away.

What documents SheerID accepts as proof

SheerID can verify your status in several ways. The fastest is a school email address — if you provide one that ends in .edu or your school's domain, SheerID often confirms it when ready without asking for anything else. If you do not have a school email, you can upload a photo of your student ID card, a tuition bill, a class schedule, or an enrollment letter from your school's registrar.

The photo must be clear and show your name, the school name, and the current or upcoming term. If you upload a document, SheerID usually reviews it within a few minutes, though it can take up to 24 hours. If your document is rejected, you can try uploading a different one or contact SheerID support through the app.

What happens when your student status expires

Apple Music Student plans last for 12 months from the date you verify. About a month before your plan expires, Apple sends you a notification reminding you to re-verify your status. You go back into the Apple Music app, tap your profile, and select "Manage Subscription" or "Student Plan". From there, you can re-verify through SheerID using the same process as your initial signup.

If you do not re-verify by the expiration date, your subscription automatically switches to the full-price plan ($10.99 per month) on your next billing date. You will receive a notification about this change. If you re-verify before the important date, your plan stays at the student rate and your 12-month clock resets.

Signing up on the web or through iTunes

You can also start the signup process on Apple's website. Go to apple.com, sign in with your Apple ID, and navigate to your account settings. Look for "Subscriptions" and select "Apple Music". From there, you can choose the student plan and follow the same SheerID verification process.

On older Macs with iTunes, the process is similar: open iTunes, go to Account, and look for subscription options. However, Apple has moved most subscription management to the web and the Music app, so the web method is usually faster and more reliable.

What to do if SheerID rejects your verification

If SheerID cannot verify your status, you will see a message explaining why. Common reasons include a blurry photo, a document that does not show the current term, or a school that SheerID does not recognize. You can try uploading a different document — for example, if your student ID was rejected, try a tuition bill or class schedule instead.

If you have tried multiple documents and SheerID still rejects you, contact SheerID support directly through the verification page. They can sometimes manually review your case or ask for additional information. This process can take a few days. In the meantime, you can still use Apple Music on a free trial if one is available to you, or sign up for the full-price plan and downgrade later once your status is verified.

Other ways to get Apple Music at a lower cost

If you do not may have access to for the student plan, Apple offers other discounts. The Apple Music Family plan costs $16.99 per month and covers up to six people, which works out to about $2.83 per person if split evenly. Some carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon include Apple Music subscriptions with certain phone plans, so check your current plan to see if you already have access.

Apple also offers a free trial period — usually three months — when you first sign up for any plan. This gives you time to decide if the service is worth the cost. If you have an Apple One bundle subscription (which combines Apple Music, iCloud storage, Apple TV+, and other services), the music portion costs less than buying Apple Music alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a high school email address to verify?

No. SheerID only recognizes accredited colleges and universities. High school students are not may be able to access for the Apple Music Student plan. Once you enroll in a college or university as a full-time student, you can sign up.

What if I graduate or drop out during my 12-month plan?

Your plan remains active until the 12-month period ends. When it comes time to re-verify, you will no longer be may be able to access, and your subscription will move to the full-price plan. You can downgrade to a free tier or cancel anytime.

Can I use someone else's student ID to sign up?

No. SheerID requires the name on the document to match the name on your Apple ID. Using someone else's credentials violates Apple's terms of service and can result in your account being suspended.

Does the student plan include Apple Music Voice Plan?

No. The student plan is the standard Apple Music plan. The Voice Plan, which costs $4.99 per month and uses Siri voice commands, is a separate offering and does not have a student discount.

What if I switch schools during my 12-month plan?

You can stay on the student plan as long as you remain a full-time student at an accredited school. When you re-verify after 12 months, you can use your new school's email address or student ID. There is no penalty for changing schools.