Best mobile plans with student discounts
Your uni days are some of the best you’ll ever have – but they don’t exactly come cheap. From enrolment fees and textbooks to the many well-deserved post-assessment pints at the uni bar, savings can start to dwindle pretty quickly. Thankfully, the big telcos get it, and they’re offering some pretty good discounts to cash-strapped students.
Telstra student discount
Telstra isn’t exactly known for being the most affordable telco in the country, so even a small discount can make a difference. If you register your .edu.au student email address with Telstra, they’ll give you 10% off their Medium, Large or Extra Large plan. The only catch? The discount only applies for the first 12 months.
The good
- Telstra is the fastest network in Australia, with the best coverage.
- Only option offering 5G access for eligible devices.
The bad
- Even with the discount, Telstra is still one of the more expensive options.
- Discount only lasts for the first year of your plan and doesn’t apply to device repayments.
Optus student discount
Like Telstra, Optus offers a 10% discount to students. All you have to do is validate your student email with them, then apply the promo code they send you at checkout. Too easy. However, like Telstra, the discount expires after 12 months, and can only be used for select month-to-month personal plans, the cheapest being the $49 Medium Optus Choice plan at $44.10.
The good
- Optus has great coverage.
- Plans include data sharing, unlimited talk and text to 35 selected countries and an included Optus Sport subscription.
The bad
- No 5G access just yet.
- Like Telstra, the discount expires after 12 months and doesn’t apply to phone payments.
Vodafone student discount
Vodafone does things a little differently from the other big guys. Instead of a flat discount, they’re offering a small selection of phone and even handset deals. Once you’ve verified your student status with UNiDAYS, you’ll be able to nab their $55 SIM Only Super Plan for just $45 (for the first 12 months, at least). In addition to 60GB of full-speed data, if you go over, you’ll get unlimited data speed-capped at a generous 10Mbps for no extra cost.
The good
- Not just phone plans – Vodafone offers handset discounts, too.
- Use your data overseas with $5 a day Roaming.
The bad
- Discounts only last 12 months.
- No 5G access yet.
The best of the rest
Outside of the big three, you’ll get some pretty stellar deals without even needing to verify your student status. Spintel, Circles.Life, Aldi and more all offer 10GB or more for less for under $30 a month. All you’ve got to do is bring your own device and you’re set to stream, video chat and game to your heart’s content.