Every student should take advantage of this great Amazon Prime program — it doesn't cost anything for 6 months

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Your college ID and e-mail address can do a lot more than grant you access to your dorm building or dining hall. They can help you save money, too. There are tons of restaurants, movie theaters, and stores that offer steep, year-round discounts to college students. Amazon is one of them.

You probably know the basic benefits of becoming an Amazon Prime member: Free two-day shipping and exclusive access to lightning deals are just two of them. Through Amazon's Prime Student program, college students can receive most of those perks, and a few more, for less. 

To get started, enter your university e-mail and intended graduation year. The offer is available to anyone who has access to their college email address, so if you still use your .edu address, now is a great time to jump on the deal.

From there, Prime Students can enjoy a no cost six-month trial, which is six times longer than Amazon Prime's regular 30-day trial period. Once the trial period is over, Prime Student will cost students $49 per year, or half the cost of a regular Prime membership. Your annual subscription rate will jump up to $99 per year after four years or after you graduate — whichever comes first. 

In addition to the benefits a regular Prime membership offers, like access to Prime Video, free two-day shipping, and discounts on video games, Prime Student has a few exclusive perks that will come in handy during your time at school. Below, we take you through the extra benefits that come with a Prime Student membership.

Sign up at no cost for Amazon Prime Student's six-month trial here. 

Get exclusive access to college-specific deals on things like tech and accessories for a dorm.

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Amazon offers great discounts daily but through "College Deals," Prime Students can take advantage of tons of college-related discounts. Whether you're looking to buy a mattress pad or computer software for your "Intro to Photography" class, "College Deals" has you covered.

As a Prime Student, you'll also receive notifications when Amazon holds a giveaway or sweepstakes. Previous giveaways have included a laptop, electric shaver, and Nintendo Switch console.

Trade in used textbooks and get up to 80% of their value in an Amazon gift card.

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If you're looking for an easy way to save major bucks on textbooks — and possibly make some money back when you're finished with them — have a look at the Amazon Textbook Store. 

Amazon carries hundreds of thousands new, used, rental, and digital textbooks that are likely a lot cheaper than your college bookstore's marked-up prices. Not only will you save money by ordering online, you can also avoid those chaotic checkout lines that tend to appear at the beginning of a new semester. 

Once you’re finished with your textbooks, you can trade them in and get up to 80% of their value in an Amazon Gift Card. In fact, you can trade your used textbooks for an Amazon Gift Card whether you bought your books from Amazon or not.

 

Win a $5,000 scholarship.

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Amazon knows that college is expensive and wants to help you make these four years a little lighter on your wallet. In 2016, Amazon gave 50 Prime Students a $5,000 scholarship toward tuition, plus a $500 Amazon gift card to spend on textbooks.

The company has yet to release information about a 2017 scholarship, but we will update this story as new details emerge. 

 

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