Apple Launches 2019 Back to School Promotion: Free Beats With Select Mac and iPad Models

Apple today launched its annual Back to School free Beats promotion in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and like it did last year, the 2019 edition has also gone live simultaneously in many European countries.

apple back to school 2019
However unlike previous years, Apple has simultaneously updated some Macs and killed off others: the MacBook Air now has True Tone display technology, and the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro now has a Touch Bar and the latest 8th-generation quad-core processors. The ‌MacBook Air‌ is $1,099 ($999 for college students) while the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is $1,299 ($1,199 for college students).

Aside from those surprise hardware updates, Apple is promoting its traditional limited time back-to-school offer for qualifying higher-education students, parents purchasing on behalf of higher-education students, and faculty and staff at both higher-education and K-12 institutions. All can receive a free or discounted pair of Beats headphones with the purchase of an eligible Mac, iPad Pro, or iPad Air.

Apple is offering the choice of free Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones or BeatsX Earphones with the purchase of a new ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌MacBook Air‌, iMac, or ‌iMac‌ Pro. As with previous years, the Mac mini is excluded, as is the 2017 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ this year.

Apple is also offering free BeatsX or Solo3 Wireless with the purchase of any new 11-inch or 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ or ‌iPad Air‌, with the option to pay $150 USD or equivalent extra for Studio3 Wireless headphones.

The promotion runs until September 26, 2019, and is available through Apple's online store, retail stores, and authorized campus stores, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE. Read the terms and conditions for complete details.

Participating countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.

In select countries, student verification via UNiDAYS is required.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
applecare apple care banner

Apple Brings New AppleCare+ Options to India

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:42 am PST by
Apple today announced an expansion of AppleCare+ coverage in India, with new options for monthly and annual plans, and the addition of Theft and Loss for iPhone for the first time. Options for monthly and annual AppleCare+ plans in India provide more choice and flexibility, allowing users to keep coverage for as long as they require. Apple's vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16 Wi-Fi Speeds: New Study Reveals the Winner

Tuesday November 18, 2025 10:53 am PST by
A new study has revealed that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air achieve significantly faster average Wi-Fi speeds compared to the iPhone 16 series, thanks to Apple's custom-designed N1 chip. The study was conducted by Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app. It said the results are based on global, crowdsourced Speedtest user data...
macbook black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Tuesday November 18, 2025 7:32 am PST by
We're getting closer to Black Friday, which lands next week on Friday, November 28. In the lead-up to the shopping holiday, we're tracking a few lowest-ever prices on Apple's most popular Macs, including the M4 MacBook Air and brand new M5 MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment,...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
Magic Keyboard Touch ID Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for 140W USB-C Power Adapter, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad

Tuesday November 18, 2025 1:05 pm PST by
Apple today released updated firmware for several accessories, including the 140W USB-C Power Adapter, the Magic Trackpad 2, the Magic Trackpad USB-C, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. There is no word on what's included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple Sports App Preview Feature

Apple Sports App on iPhone Now Available in More European Countries

Monday November 17, 2025 6:27 am PST by
The free Apple Sports app on the iPhone was released in additional European countries today, including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, and others. The app was already available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Austria, France, Germany,...

Top Rated Comments

LeonardXW Avatar
83 months ago
I wish it would be an AirPods, it’s fine if it is the first gen.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
83 months ago
That’s not a bad deal. I won’t use the beats, but I’ll flip them for $300 on eBay to pay for my donglez.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Herrpod Avatar
83 months ago
Free Beats?! Yay said no one!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrJohnnyN Avatar
83 months ago
Free Beats?! Yay said no one!
Speak for yourself. Great headphones for working out.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JetTester Avatar
83 months ago
How many Beats would a Macbook beat if a Macbook could beat Beats?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
83 months ago
I got an email about this from my Barclaycard yesterday evening and have been waiting for it to show up on MacRumors, lol. Did they jump the gun?
[doublepost=1562682663][/doublepost]
That’s not a bad deal. I won’t use the beats, but I’ll flip them for $300 on eBay to pay for my donglez.
This is the correct response.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)