How to find the best student discounts

Going to university is expensive but hunting down the best student discounts can help cut the costs. 

Once you account for student loans, many undergraduates finish university owing more than £50,000, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The cost of living crisis is also "squeezing student budgets", according to the Office for National Statistics, with students cutting down on food, using savings and working extra hours to "make ends meet". 

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Most undergraduates are paying £9,250 in tuition fees per year for a degree, so "deserve to get at least something in return, other than the education, of course",  said Save The Student.

Every penny counts when you're studying. But beyond student finance there are lots of discounts and perks that could help with the cost pressures of student life. 

The importance of your student ID

Bringing your student ID "wherever you go" can be handy, said MoneySuperMarket, as you can access discounts at well-known brands such as Boots, KFC and Pizza Express, as well as smaller outlets. Students can usually get up to 10% off "or an extra treat on top of your purchase". 

Websites such as UniDays and Student Beans list "scores of student discounts on everything from takeaways to tech", added The Guardian, and you can also get reduced prices using the National Union of Students' Totum card or app. 

Student rates

Students can get discounts on a range of streaming sites and for everything from clothes to cinema tickets. 

One "great student perk", said Save The Student, is six months of free Amazon Prime, while Spotify Premium is also available free for one month followed by a monthly payment of £5.99, compared with the standard £10.99 rate. 

These types of deals are available to anyone who can verify their student status, and it could even secure discounts on big-ticket items such as laptops.

Deals can be "brilliant", said Which?, but just because something is labelled as "exclusive to students", it doesn't mean that it’s the best deal available so make sure you shop around.

Check your bills

Households where everyone is a full-time student "do not have to pay council tax", said The Guardian, so make sure you apply for an exemption if you get a bill. 

You may even be able to "legally avoid" paying the TV licence fee, said MoneySavingExpert. There is a "loophole" if your parents have a TV licence, you live with them outside of term time and only watch at university "on a device that isn't plugged into an aerial or a mains socket at the time". 

Railcards

If you are studying away from home, you may spend a lot of time travelling to and from family and friends. 

A 16-25 National Railcard will save you "tons of money", said MoneySuperMarket. You can apply via the National Rail website and it costs £30 for one year or £70 for three years, giving users a third off the price of tickets and typical annual savings of £159. 

With the cost of train travel constantly rising, said UniversityCompare, "it's good for students to have a cheaper, more affordable means of travelling". 

Bank accounts

Finding a decent bank account is also an "important first step" for a student, said YourMoney. Banks such as NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland offer £100 cashback for signing up as well as a Tastecard membership worth £34.99 and other discounts. 

Banks often "roll out the red carpet" for university students, explained MoneyWeek, as "many people stick with the same bank" for decades after they graduate. 

Other account perks range from cash to railcards and "much larger than normal free overdraft facilities", the financial website added, "but don't be swayed by the freebies". The account needs to support your needs "throughout university and beyond". 

Calculate the value of the perks, said MoneySavingExpert, and compare that with the best overdraft on offer. Additionally, as a "lifelong rule", don't go beyond your overdraft limit as charges "shoot up" and you may be left in a "vicious cycle that's tough to escape".