Heading back to college is stressful for a lot of reasons, including the fact that back-to-school shopping can be quite expensive.As a college student, you need more than just books and supplies — you’ll also have to shop for dorm essentials, bedding and bath, tech tools, under-bed storage for your room and more.
With that in mind, it’s worth knowing that there are a lot of brands and retailers that have dedicated, college-exclusive memberships and deals for students.Whether you’re shopping for your freshman year or going back as an upperclassman, there are lots of sales from our go-to brands like Apple, Adidas, Dyson, Garmin and retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Amazon.Target’s College Student Appreciation program and Amazon’s Prime for Young Adults membership, which is for students between the ages of 18 and 24, are just the beginning.
Both are less than the traditional membership and you can sign up after verifying eligibility.Below, I break down these programs and others, as well as the best back-to-school deals and sales for college students for more than 20 retailers and brands.
I also highlight noteworthy student memberships, like UNiDAYS, that offer deals at many brands.The best college student memberships to sign up for in 2026I rounded up a list of college-exclusive memberships from our favorite brands and retailers that provide deals, discounts and sales only for eligible students.Amazon: Amazon’s Prime for Young Adults membership is exclusive to students between the ages of 18 and 24.
It’s half the price of a regular Amazon Prime membership and still includes free and expedited shipping, Prime Video and 5% cash back.It includes a free six-month trial that costs $7.49 a month thereafter (which is 50% of the usual $14.99 price).
While the membership isn’t the cheapest of all the major retailers, it’s arguably the best option for college students given its six-month trial and Amazon’s extremely reliable, trackable and...