Do I need a school email to get student discounts?

A school email is the fastest route. Student Beans also accepts documents such as a student card, acceptance letter or transcript if you do not have one.

Are UNiDAYS and Student Beans free?

Both are free for students to join. Retailers pay to list their offers, so you should never be asked to pay to unlock a student discount.

Do the same discounts work in Canada?

Not always. Both platforms run country versions, and a brand may offer a discount in one country and not the other. Set your country in the app and check each offer.

How big are student discounts?

It depends on the retailer and changes over time, so check the current offer in the app. Compare it with any sale price, because the student code sometimes cannot be combined.

Student Discounts on Fashion: How UNiDAYS and Student Beans Work

Many fashion brands give students a standing discount, but you usually have to prove you are a student first. Two verification services, UNiDAYS and Student Beans, handle that for a long list of retailers. Here is how verification works, how to find the brands that use it, and what to expect in the US.

How student verification works

Retailers do not check your student status themselves. They use a verification platform, which confirms you once and then unlocks codes or links at partner stores.

Create a free account on UNiDAYS or Student Beans (or both).
Verify your status. The quickest way is your school email address. Student Beans also accepts uploaded documents, such as a student card, acceptance letter, transcript or a screenshot of your student portal.
Pick a retailer in the app or on its site.
Get a code or link and use it at checkout on the retailer’s site.
Re-verify when asked. Status is checked again from time to time, so keep your school email active.

Both platforms are free for students. If a site asks you to pay to unlock a student discount, or asks for your school password, close it.

Which retailers use it

The partner list changes constantly, so treat this as a guide to where to look, not a promise of a current offer.

Platform	Fashion partners seen on its pages	Verification
UNiDAYS	ASOS, Levi’s, American Eagle, Hollister, Calvin Klein, Farfetch and more	School email
Student Beans	A rotating list of fashion and beauty brands	School email or documents
Retailer’s own program	Some brands verify students on their own site	Varies

How to check a brand you like:

Search the brand name inside both apps.
Look for a “student discount” link in the footer of the brand’s site; it usually names the platform it uses.
Compare the student offer with the current sale price. Sometimes the sale is better, and many brands do not let you stack both.

US vs Canada

Both UNiDAYS and Student Beans run US versions, and US students generally see the largest number of fashion partners. Verify with your college or university email for the quickest approval.

Things that differ by country:

Partner list: some retailers only offer the discount in one market.
Shipping: a student code on a US site does not remove cross-border costs. Overseas orders may now carry import duties, since the US suspended its duty-free de minimis rule in 2025.
Eligibility: some offers are for college and university students only, others include high school or graduates. Read the terms on each offer.

Stack it with other savings

Cashback first. Start at a cashback portal, then apply your student code, if the portal’s terms allow coupon codes. See cashback apps compared.
Sale timing. Use the student code on full-price basics you need and buy everything else on sale.
Secondhand for big pieces. Coats and bags are often cheaper used than new with a discount: resale apps for clothes.
Plan the wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe under 100 keeps student discounts from turning into impulse buys.

Make the discount count

A student discount only saves money on something you were going to buy anyway. Keep a short list of the basics you actually need, check it before opening the apps, and set a monthly limit. Unsubscribe from brand emails you do not use: a constant stream of “student exclusive” offers is designed to make you shop more often, not save more.

Red flags on “student deal” sites

Asks for your school login password. Real platforms verify by email link or documents, never your password.
Charges a fee to “unlock” a code.
Promises huge discounts on luxury brands with a countdown timer.
Sends codes through social media DMs.

For more ways to spot fake offers, see SHEIN coupons that work and our guide to SHEIN free-clothes scams.