Apple Requires Verification for Education Discounts

Apple has begun requiring customers in the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Turkey, Canada, and Chile to verify their eligibility as students or educators before accessing discounts through its Education Store, ending a long-standing honor system that allowed purchases without proof. The change, which applies to both online and in-store transactions, took effect this week and uses the third-party UNiDAYS service already in place in markets such as the United Kingdom.

Eligible buyers include current and newly accepted college students, parents purchasing for such students, faculty, staff at higher education and K-12 institutions, and homeschool teachers. Verification typically occurs instantly via a school email, login to an academic portal, or upload of a student or faculty ID. Homeschool teachers must submit a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license or passport, along with homeschool documentation like a Letter of Intent or Letter of Acknowledgment. Manual reviews, when needed, take up to 24 hours. Customers can complete the process in advance to speed up in-store purchases.

The policy addresses concerns over abuse of the discounts, which previously enabled anyone...