- Who qualifies for Spotify Premium Student
- How to sign up
- What SheerID needs from you
- How you can't sign up
- Studying abroad
- The 12-month renewal rule
- What comes with it
- If your college isn't listed
- Moving an existing Premium account over
- Is Spotify Premium Student worth it?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Spotify Premium Student is a lower-rate version of Premium for eligible college and university students, and you can keep it for up to 4 years. Spotify checks you're a student through a company called SheerID, and you have to renew and re-verify every 12 months. If you don't, Spotify moves you onto the standard Premium Individual plan automatically.
In the US, Spotify says Premium Student also comes with Hulu's With Ads plan included. Here's exactly how to sign up, what SheerID asks for, and the renewal rule that quietly ends a lot of student plans.
Who qualifies for Spotify Premium Student
Spotify says the plan is for students at eligible colleges and universities. The deciding factor is whether your school is listed on SheerID's verification form. If your college isn't on that list, Spotify says you're not eligible at the moment, however you study.
You don't need to put your student email on your Spotify account to qualify. SheerID checks your enrolment separately, then sends you back to Spotify to finish.
How to sign up
- Fill out SheerID's verification form from Spotify's Premium Student page.
- Log in to your college or university portal when asked, or upload proof of enrolment.
- Wait for SheerID's email confirming you're eligible. Spotify says this can take several days.
- Open the confirmation email and apply Premium Student to a new or existing Spotify account.
- Go back to your Spotify account and choose Premium Student to finish.
That last step is the one people skip. Spotify says that once SheerID confirms you, you still need to return to Spotify and sign up for Premium Student yourself.
What SheerID needs from you
If SheerID can't check you through your school portal, it asks for a document. Spotify's verification page says it must be an official document from your college or university that clearly shows you're enrolled in the current term, with an issue date from the current term or within the last 3 months.
| SheerID rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Document must show the current term | Last year's letter won't work |
| Upload link lasts 7 days | If it expires, go back to the verification page and start again |
| Up to 3 documents reviewed | After 3, you need to contact SheerID support before trying again |
| Spotify can't fix verification | Spotify says to contact SheerID, not Spotify, for verification problems |
How you can't sign up
Spotify says you can't use mobile network or internet provider deals for Premium Student, where the plan runs through your phone or broadband company. If your current Premium works that way, you'll need to cancel it and sign up again with a card or another method Spotify accepts in your country.
Studying abroad
You can keep Premium Student while studying abroad, as long as two things match. Spotify says your account's country or region must match where you're studying, and you need a card issued in that country. If you've moved for a term, change your country in your Spotify account settings first, then verify.
The 12-month renewal rule
This is where most student plans end by accident. Spotify says you need to renew and re-verify every 12 months, for up to 4 years in total. About 4 weeks before your student year runs out, Spotify emails you instructions to renew with SheerID, and you can also renew from your account page.
If you miss it, Spotify says your Premium carries on automatically on the standard plan. The good news is you're not stuck: Spotify says you can still renew manually from your account page after your student plan has expired, then switch back to Premium Student.
What comes with it
You get the same Premium features as everyone else, including ad-free listening and downloads. If you're new to downloading, here's how to download songs on Spotify. In the US, Spotify also includes Hulu's With Ads plan with Premium Student.
If your college isn't listed
Spotify is firm on this: if your institution isn't on SheerID's verification form, you're not eligible at the moment. There's no manual route through Spotify's own support, because Spotify says it can't help with student verification. If you think your school should be there, SheerID's own support team is the place to ask, and Spotify points students to SheerID's FAQ page first.
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Moving an existing Premium account over
You don't need a new Spotify account to switch. Spotify says that once SheerID confirms you, the confirmation email lets you apply Premium Student to a new or existing account, so your playlists, library and listening history stay put. The one exception is if your current Premium runs through a phone or internet provider, which you'd need to cancel first, as covered above.
Is Spotify Premium Student worth it?
If you're at a listed college, yes. It's the same Premium, the US version adds Hulu, and four years is a long run. If you're not eligible, my guide on how to get Spotify Premium for free covers the other legitimate routes.
My verdict
Sign up through SheerID, finish the last step in Spotify, and put a reminder in your calendar for 11 months' time. Most people lose the student rate because they ignore the renewal email, not because they stop being students.
Frequently asked questions
How long can you have Spotify Premium Student?
Spotify says eligible students can have Premium Student for up to 4 years, renewing and re-verifying every 12 months.
What happens if I don't renew Spotify Premium Student?
Spotify says your Premium automatically continues on the standard plan. You can still renew manually from your account page after the student plan has expired.
Does Spotify Premium Student include Hulu?
In the US, yes. Spotify says Premium Student comes with Hulu's With Ads plan included.
Do I need a student email for Spotify Premium Student?
No. Spotify says you don't need to register your student email address on your Spotify account to be eligible.
Why isn't my Spotify student verification working?
Spotify says SheerID handles verification and Spotify can't help with it, so contact SheerID support. Your document must show you're enrolled in the current term.
Can I keep my playlists when I switch to Spotify Premium Student?
Yes. Spotify says you can apply Premium Student to a new or existing account, so your library stays on the account you already use.
Can I get Spotify Premium Student through my phone provider?
No. Spotify says Premium Student can't run through a mobile or internet provider.
