If you are the same as most of the students in the country, then it is hard for you to manage your expenses. Between tuition fees, books, transportation, and other expenses, you would prefer the cheapest internet and phone bills. There are several internet discounts for students, many huge internet service providers have special plans for students. If you are a student graduating in Tech school then you’d have access to cheap internet plans for students. We have compiled a list of best internet plans for students based on price, plans, and benefits. Read more to find out the ideal internet package.
Money is obviously the main factor while choosing an ISP but there are some factors you should consider before choosing the cheap internet plans for college students. Reliable internet connection, Data caps, internet speed, and location.
What is The Requirement of Fast Internet In College
Reliability is the most important factor in choosing a high-speed internet provider for college. As a college student, you have to meet a lot of deadlines for projects and assignments. If you have an internet connection that you can’t rely on, then you will fail to meet almost all your deadlines. With the best Internet deals for students, you can make up for the lost time with a high-speed internet connection.
Where you live and the coverage area of your ISP also determines the reliability of the internet service. The type of internet connection also decides the kind of price and speed you will get. There are mainly three types of internet connections, DSL Internet, Cable Internet, and Fiber internet connection. DSL internet connection is the slowest out of all three of them and Fiber internet is the fastest and it is also the most expensive one. Here’s a list of best internet deals for college students.
What Internet Speed do I Need as a Student?
Everything depends on your internet usage, if you have a heavy load that includes a lot of uploading and downloading, online lectures, tutorials, and large files then you would need huge bandwidth. If you also play online games and if you find time to stream as well then you need a high-speed internet plan.
The trick to choosing the best internet deals for students is to find a provider that is both fast and affordable. If you share your apartment with other people then you have to take their usage into consideration before you sign up to an internet service provider.
If you aren’t sharing internet your internet c connection with other people then a plan that offers 10 MBPS will be enough for casual homework usage. If you like to stream content and you share your internet with other people then you need an internet speed somewhere in between 10-30 MBPS. If you share an internet connection with your roommates and all of them have frequent study work, then you would need a connection with 50 MBPS speed.
Internet Discount For Students
It doesn’t matter which ISP you choose, be sure that you ask for student discounts. Big providers like AT&T, Xfinity, and other providers who don’t advertise discounts upfront also have discounts. Once you ask for a discount, they will offer you one to have you as their consumer. You might also be able to take advantage of the ISP that offers discounted prices for low-income students. Here’s a list of cheap internet plans for college students.
1. Lifeline
Lifeline offers Internet discount for students whose income is 135% less than the Federal poverty guidelines. If someone in your household is enrolled in SNAP, Medicaid, or any other government assistance program, then you can save $9.25 per month on your internet costs. You can enroll in the Lifeline program through your ISP. So let’s assume you are paying $30 for internet every month, you can save $10 and just have to pay $20 per month. That means you can save a little over $100 per year on internet costs.
2. Xfinity Student Discount
Comcast internet essentials offer high-speed internet service at an affordable price. Comcast Xfinity internet offers internet at just $9.95 per month excluding tax. The best part is that you don’t have to sign a contract, no credit check, and no installation fees. As a student you always have to worry about your expenses, Xfinity Student discount internet plan can be a great choice if you are short on money.
You just have to ask your nearest Xfinity provider to sign you up for Comcast internet essentials, you have to be eligible for government assistance programs to get this internet plan.
3. AT&T Student Discount Internet
AT&T recently launched a similar internet plan to help out low-income students and families to get affordable internet access. The plan is named Access with AT&T and it is great if you live alone. It offers 3 MBPS for just $5 per month or up to 10 MBPS for $10 a month. AT&T internet program is equipped with no contract, no security deposit, and no installation fee.
This is one and only AT&T student discount internet and the only plan of AT&T that has no contract. Customers also get an in-home WiFi gateway and unlimited access to AT&T’s nationwide hotspot network for free. You can qualify for this plan if you or someone in your household is enlisted in the SNAP program.
4. Spectrum Internet Discount For Students
As a student you should be looking for all available options, Spectrum internet discount for students is one of the best plans you can get. If you live in a Spectrum serviced area then you should ask your nearest Spectrum Internet provider to enroll you in “Spectrum Internet Assist”.
Spectrum offers you a high speed at $15 for 30 MBPS. Your package comes with a free modem, and you won’t have to deal with Data caps and contracts. This is most probably the best internet deals for students who are living together and have a huge internet appetite.
5. Cox Internet Plans For Students
Another great choice for students is Cox’s Connect2Compete program. This is one of the best Cox internet plans for students. The name suggests that it aims to provide the best internet service to students who can’t afford expensive internet packages.
Under just $9.95 per month, you get to speed up to 25 MBPS. The speed on the plan is not definite, you will get the speed based on the area you live in. All the plans include a free WiFi modem and free installation. To get the plan, you need to have at least one K-12 student and you must be enrolled in one or any Government assistance program.
6. Frontier Internet For Students
Frontier doesn’t have a specific plan for students but they do offer deep discounts on the Internet. Frontier internet for students is also a good option as they partner with Verizon and sell internet plans on their High-Speed network. If you live in a city with a FiOS connection then you can get Fiber connectivity without breaking your bank.
Frontier is great because they have affordable plans with no data cap. So you can do Homework, Stream movies and shows and play online games without going over the data limit. Pricing often varies based on your location, you should sign up for “Frontier’s Vantage Internet” offers 115 MBPS for just $35 per month. And if you can afford it, then you should get bundle packages.
Conclusion: Best Internet Deals for Students
As a student, having a reliable internet connection is absolutely essential. The internet providers we have mentioned above are the best in the market for Cheap internet plans for college students. If you are enrolled in a government assistance plan then we suggest you look in on Spectrum, AT&T, and Comcast.