Prime Student strives to make life at college seamless, affordable, and enjoyable for more students everywhere. The discounted Prime membership was created with students in mind, and provides benefits—including grocery and meal delivery, travel, self-care, and entertainment—to ensure they can save, whether spending on necessities or pleasure.
When it comes to higher-level education, everyone’s journey looks different. With Prime Student, we are always eager to learn more about how college students make decisions about daily essentials and their campus lifestyle, especially if it means having access to Prime's savings, convenience, and entertainment, in a single membership. Are they more likely to spend on books or concerts? Do they prefer shopping for groceries, or getting meals delivered? How many streaming services are they paying for at once? That’s why we conducted the first “State of College Student Spending” survey by Wakefield Research for Prime Student, which reached 1,000 U.S. college students between June 26 and July 6, 2023 and highlights students’ priorities when it comes to spending and saving.
Here’s a peek at the findings and trends we found:
Students are hungry. Let’s be real—a package of ramen can be a college meal, but students are hungry for more. In fact, food is one of their biggest expenses. In a typical month, college students spend the most on food (54%), followed by personal health and well-being (11%), and technology (8%).
Want to trim your food bill without even leaving your kitchen, and get your whole list delivered quickly and easily? Prime Student members get access to one-hour grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh in select locations.
Food delivery is a click away. Whether they are busy with school or work, or maybe the dining hall is just closed, students often opt to have their food brought to them. In a typical week, college students who order from meal or grocery delivery apps will do so three times.
College life can get hectic, so don’t waste precious time waiting for your food! Members receive a one-year trial of Grubhub+ (perfect for last-minute meal deliveries!), and $0 delivery fees from hundreds of thousands of restaurants.
Bargain traveling is in. Nearly four in five college students (79%) are saving up for some kind of travel, including a trip home to see family or a friend (43%), followed by Spring Break (36%), and study abroad (21%). And students are committed to making these trips happen, with more than two in five (42%) opting to sleep in their car and more than half (51%) willing to sleep in a motel.
Thankfully, with StudentUniverse, you don’t have to resort to “van life.” Prime Student members receive 10% off the price of all flights booked through StudentUniverse, in addition to an Amazon Gift Card worth 10% off the purchase price of hotel bookings, and premium customer care through the booking process.
Sharing (streaming services) is caring. Thrifty students know how to entertain themselves on a budget. The average college student uses three streaming services they don’t pay for, and nearly three in five (55%) share three or more streaming services with others.
Love movies or binge-watching TV shows? Tired of your roommate’s true-crime obsession cluttering up your perfectly curated recommendations? New Prime Student members get a $6 credit to rent a movie of their choice on Prime Video, and access to thousands of movies and shows. Plus, you can subscribe to MGM+ for 99 cents per month (vs. $5.99) for up to a year as a Prime Student exclusive. With Amazon Music, members get a year of student-exclusive perks and special discounts from select channels for just 99 cents per month, in addition to 100 million songs and podcasts. Get your own Prime Student membership and stream your way.
Gaming is the favorite study-break activity. Mom and dad might want to start asking for receipts, because 33% of students use funds designated for their studies on video games.
Your secret is safe with us! We all need study break, and that’s why Prime Student members get instant access to exclusive video game content, free PC games, and a free Twitch channel subscription with Prime Gaming. Plus, Prime Student members get an incredible discount on the Luna Controller, and 50% off of Luna+ for up to six months. Luna+ has something for everyone, including Fortnite!
Students are lifelong learners. Once you get used to a deal, it’s tough to live without it, and students plan to keep their discounts for as long as they can. Our survey found82% of them will use their student discount for as long as their student email remains active.
College students like to have fun, but also want to walk at graduation with top marks. That’s why, with a 30-day free trial to Course Hero (and a discounted rate of just $9.95 per month after that), members have access to 24/7 schoolwork support with millions of study guides, textbook explanations, practice problems, and more.
And in the midst of a hectic semester, improve your self-care routine with Calm Premium. Taking time for your mental health is necessary, and with Prime Student, members get Calm Premium for three months free, and can subscribe for a full year for just $8.99 (regular rate is $69.99)
Move in day is almost here, what’s the deal(s)?
Check out the Move-In Day hub that will help students find and shop everything they need as they head back to school this fall. New offers are continuously being added, so make sure to check out the 2023 Off to College shopping guide! Additional terms may apply.
Ready to get started with Prime Student? Sign up today. New members can start a six-month trial courtesy of Grubhub at no cost when signing up. After that, it’s only $7.49 per month, or just $69 for the year—half the cost of a regular Prime membership.
