Apple Launches 2020 Back to School Promotion: Free AirPods With Eligible Mac or iPad Purchase

Apple today launched its annual "Back to School" promotion in the United States and Canada. After five years of offering free Beats, Apple this year is offering free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad.

apple back to school 2020
Qualifying students and educators can receive free second-generation AirPods with a wired charging case with the purchase of a new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, iPad Pro, or iPad Air. During the checkout process, it is also possible to upgrade to second-generation AirPods with a wireless charging case for $40 or to AirPods Pro for $90.

As usual, the standard iPad, iPad mini, Mac mini, and refurbished products are not eligible for the Back to School promotion.

The free AirPods are in addition to Apple's educational pricing, which allows students to save up to $200 off a Mac and up to $100 off an iPad Pro. The promotion runs until September 29, 2020 and is available through Apple's education store on the web, at Apple's retail stores where open, or by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE.

For purchases made using Apple Card Monthly Installments, you will receive an instant credit of $159, which will be applied as a discount to your eligible iPad or Mac at the time of purchase. Then, the cost of the AirPods will be billed in six monthly installments. Apple provides more details in its full terms and conditions for the promotion.

The promotion does not appear to be live in Europe or other regions at this time.

Top Rated Comments

Dowjohnny Avatar
49 months ago
Finally no more beats
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
49 months ago
I’d take the AirPods over beats every single time. This is a nice alteration and another product in Apples ecosystem.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PO2345 Avatar
49 months ago

I wonder if the upgrade cost would just be the normal difference in price.
It is exactly that.


Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
legacyb4 Avatar
49 months ago

Ugh. I just ordered on June 9. Would they honor my request for this promotion or would I have to return the MacBook Pro and place a new order? Has anyone asked them yet?
Yup, just call in and explain and they will transfer you to post-sales support. Took about 5-10 minutes to sort out; the AirPods arrive Thursday :D
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleTO Avatar
49 months ago
This is nice. I would pay to upgrade to Pros if possible.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
warriors2017 Avatar
49 months ago
You can't make everyone happy...sheesh!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...