Apple has begun requiring United States customers to verify that they are active students, teachers, or staff members at an educational institution to gain access to educational discounts on the products they buy.
Apple’s education store in the United States previously required little verification of a buyer’s educational status to allow them to purchase discounted items, including Mac and iPads at reduced prices for educational use.
The store had been accessible by all customers, allowing some customers to use the discount without being a truly authorized educational customer. However, as spotted on Reddit, Apple in the United States is now requiring teachers, students, and staff to verify their eligibility via UNiDAYS, which is a website specialized in providing education customers with discounts for products and services by confirming their enrollment in an educational institution.
The U.S. education store is just the latest to adopt this approach, as the Cupertino firm has implemented the crackdown in other countries, including India and the United Kingdom. Currently, Apple’s Canadian education store remains open, with no UNiDAYS verification required.