Apple Launches 2014 'Back to School' Promotion with Apple Store Gift Cards Up to $100

As indicated yesterday, Apple today launched its annual Back to School promotion offering qualified educational purchasers an Apple Store gift card of $100 with the purchase of a new Mac or a $50 gift card with the purchase of an iPad or iPhone. This year marks the first time that Apple is giving out Apple Store gifts cards with purchases, as the company has usually offered iTunes Store/App Store/iBookstore gift cards in years past.

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Get a $100 Apple Store Gift Card when you buy a Mac for college. Or a $50 gift card when you buy an iPad or iPhone.* You’ll also save on a Mac or iPad with education pricing.

Eligible devices include all Macs except the Mac mini, all iPads (fourth-generation, iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina Display, iPad mini), and all iPhones (5s, 5c, and 4s). The full eligibility requirements for the program can be found in Apple's terms and conditions (PDF).

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New Apple Store graphics (Image Credit: IFOAppleStore)

Apple has also updated its in-store graphics at its various locations, with IFOAppleStore noting that the photography style of the newer images used are richer and darker than the previous ones. The new graphics are also said to be based on the recent "Your Verse" iPad ads which featured music composer Esa-Pekka Salonen and travel blogger Chérie King.

Apple's Back to School promotion runs from today through September 9 and is available in the United States. The program is expected to also be made available in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Update: For those purchasing through authorized campus stores, Apple is offering the traditional iTunes/App/iBooks Store gift card rather than an Apple retail/online store gift card.

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Top Rated Comments

12dylan34 Avatar
147 months ago
All I can say is this to everyone tempted by this offer......

DO NOT BUY!!!! I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY!!!! WAIT TILL THIS FALL AFTER THE PROMO.

Why?!?! Of course, new iPods, iPhones and iPads this fall. And another MacBook Pro refresh.

Trust me, owning new device is much better than getting $100 in gift card as return.

$100 isn't worth an imperceptibly faster processor in a MacBook Pro to me, and probably isn't to most people, to be honest.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
147 months ago
All I can say is this to everyone tempted by this offer......

DO NOT BUY!!!! I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY!!!! WAIT TILL THIS FALL AFTER THE PROMO. .

People actually need to buy stuff for school, its not feasible to tell them to wait until late Q4 or even Q5 for a new Mac - makes no sense.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uofawildcats96 Avatar
147 months ago
All I can say is this to everyone tempted by this offer......

DO NOT BUY!!!! I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY!!!! WAIT TILL THIS FALL AFTER THE PROMO.

Why?!?! Of course, new iPods, iPhones and iPads this fall. And another MacBook Pro refresh.

Trust me, owning new device is much better than getting $100 in gift card as return.

Waiting until the fall (most likely October for Macs) is simply not reasonable, when most colleges start in mid-August.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
saving107 Avatar
147 months ago
I remember when the Back to School promotion got me a free iPod... and had so much more value!
At this point if you don't already have an iPod of any kind message me and I will let you pick one out of my drawer because I've lost count of how many iPods I have, I don't need any more.

Seriously though, I'd rather get the $100 in store credit because I need a new router.

Only iPod option < $100 towards anything else
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appleguy123 Avatar
147 months ago
Better than iTunes Giftcards.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rafterman Avatar
147 months ago
Because it's a cheaper device with less dollars in profit most likely. Though considering the age of the current Mini they should be making a fair bit on it now.

They always exclude the Mini from this promotion.

Then Apple should make it $50 instead of $100. The minimum $600 still isn't pocket change.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)