Being a student has plenty of perks, including discounts offered by certain companies around the world. For years now, Apple has had an education version of its online store with exclusive deals and discounted prices on select products. Apple highlights that these discounts are aimed at students, teachers, and staff working at educational institutions in eligible countries. Until now, though, the company didn't require any form of verification to take advantage of the deals in the US. Some customers would brag online on how they're getting cheaper Apple products -- despite them not being technically eligible. However, this is no longer the case, as the company now requires verification through UNiDAYS in the United States.

As Reddit user u/siddharthsure has shared (via MacRumors), Apple's education online store in the US is now requiring UNiDAYS verification. UNiDAYS is a third-party service that verifies students through their .edu email addresses. Apple already uses this service in some regions where Apple Music Student Plan is available. Students and those working in the education field have to verify their emails on UNiDAYS once every year to confirm their eligibility. The service also lists discounts offered by companies other than Apple. It's unclear why it took the Cupertino tech giant this long to implement this measure. The company has already been requiring verification in some countries like India and the UK.

At the time of writing, the education online store in Canada still allows anyone to take advantage of student deals. These deals include discounted iPads and Mac models. That's in addition to some limited-time offerings, such as free AirPods with eligible purchases around the time schools start. It's safe to assume that Apple will eventually patch that in Canada as well, though.

Have you ever taken advantage of Apple's education online store discounts? Let us know in the comments section below.