Apple Back to School FAQ: Who’s eligible, can parents buy, which devices, best time to buy?

The Apple Back to School promo has officially launched with the main change being the shift from free AirPods to a $150 gift card. Here’s a detailed look at everyone who is eligible (more than students and teachers/professors), how parents can use it, limits on the promo, how long it runs, which devices are included, and the best time to buy.

Note: these details are specifically for the US Apple Back to School promotion, different terms and conditions may apply for other countries.

Who is eligible for the Apple Back to School promo?

It’s much more than just university students and staff that can take advantage of the Apple Back to School promo.

All K-12 employees at public or private schools, as well as homeschool teachers, are eligible. Parents of students heading to college/university can also use the offer.

And school board members and PTA or PTO executives are also included in the promo. Here’s the fine print on who is eligible:

“Those eligible for this promotion include faculty, staff, students, and parents as follows (each a “Qualified Purchaser”): 

K–12 – An employee of a public or private K-12 institution in the Qualifying Country is eligible, including homeschool teachers. In addition, school board members who are currently serving as elected or appointed members are eligible. PTA or PTO executives currently serving as elected or appointed officers are eligible. 

Higher Education – Faculty and staff of Higher Education institutions in the Qualifying Country and students attending or accepted into a Higher Education institution in the Qualifying Country are eligible. Purchases from the Apple Store for Education by individuals are not for institutional purchase or resale. 

Higher Education Parents – Parents purchasing on behalf of their child, who is a student currently attending or accepted into a public or private Higher Education institution in the Qualifying Country are eligible.”

Can parents buy for students?

As detailed above, parents of students who are attending or accepted to a public or private higher education institution can buy a Mac or iPad and get the $100 or $150 gift card, 20% off AppleCare, and the education discount.

Apple appears to be using the honor system when buying through its Education website, but if you’re a parent heading to an Apple Store, you may want to bring proof of acceptance or your student’s ID just in case.

In the fine print, Apple does note: “You must demonstrate that you meet the Qualified Purchaser requirements prior to your purchase.”

When does the promo end?

The 2022 Apple Back to School promotion runs from June 24 to September 26.

Where is the Apple Back to school promo available?

Apple says “Apple Store locations, Apple Store for Education, and 1-800-MY-APPLE” are the three places to get the special offer.

Which Macs and iPads are included?

The following Macs are eligible for the $150 gift card and the iPads are eligible for the $100 gift card.

• MacBook Air
• MacBook Pro (13, 14, and 16″ models)
• 24″ iMac
• iPad Air
• iPad Pro (11 and 12.9″ models)

Apple also offers the standard education discounts of $100 and $50 off Mac and iPad, respectively plus 20% off AppleCare.

Limit on how many Macs and iPads?

The Back to School promo is limited to purchasing 1 Mac and 1 iPad for those eligible.

“For eligible Mac purchases, only one (1) Promotion Product per Qualified Purchaser may be obtained during this promotion. For eligible iPad purchases, only one (1) Promotion Product per Qualified Purchaser may be obtained during this promotion.”

Apple Back to School: Best time to buy?

For those looking to get a new MacBook Pro or iMac, there’s no reason to wait. But if you’re wanting to get the new MacBook Air, you’ll need to wait until the 2022 M2 MacBook Air arrives in July to take advantage of the promo.

Fortunately, with it being a $150 gift card promo this year, there’s no risk of Apple running out of those like it could with Airpods.

Check out our detailed comparison for everything you need to know about the difference between the new and old MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and more.

• Difference between MacBook Air and Pro: How the redesigned lightweight MacBook stacks up
• Which MacBook Pro should you buy in 2022? Here’s how they compare

Apple Card Monthly Installments

For those who use Apple Card Monthly Installments, Apple says the $100 or $150 gift card value will be applied immediately as an “instant credit.”

“Important notice regarding the checkout receipt and monthly statement for Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) purchases with this promotion: A purchase of an Eligible Product made when selecting ACMI (a 0% APR payment option) as the payment type at checkout will receive an instant credit of $100 or $150 (depending on the type of Eligible Product purchased), which is the cost of the applicable Promotion Product (Apple Gift Card) deducted from the price of the Eligible Product at the time of purchase.”

Return policy

Here’s the fine print on the return policy for the Back to School promo:

“Returns and exchanges are subject to the policy of the Qualifying Location where the purchase was made. The Promotion Product received with the purchase of an Eligible Product must be returned with such Eligible Product in order to receive a full refund for that purchase. If the Promotion Product is missing, is not returned, or has been redeemed, the full original value of the Promotion Product will be deducted from the exchange or refund of the Eligible Product.”