Discounts for Students Impacted by Coronavirus
- Companies are offering discounts and free resources to students impacted by coronavirus
- Telecommunication and internet providers are offering student discounts and free services
- Education providers are providing temporary access to digital libraries and online learning
- Moving companies are offering discounted storage and free pick-up for student belongings
As school district and college closures continue to sweep through the country, companies are stepping up to assist in the transition to virtual learning. Whether it’s through discounts or access to online resources, companies such as Comcast and Adobe are working to overcome connectivity challenges for students and teachers brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Moving companies are also playing a significant role, providing free services and temporary storage to ensure students have a feasible way to move and store their belongings should their campus shut down or limit operations.
To facilitate the transition to online learning, digital libraries, education providers, and online learning platforms are also stepping up to the plate by providing free access to virtual resources and online courses.
To learn how to take advantage of these offerings, check out our lists below.
Companies Offering COVID-19 Student Discounts
Altice
Altice has pledged to not terminate internet service and pause all late fees for the next 60 days for those impacted by the coronavirus. Like other cable giants, the company is also providing 60 days of free internet service for students that live within Optimum and Suddenlink regions.
Compass
Like U-Haul, Compass Self Storage is offering a full month of rent free storage for all students and families impacted by the coronavirus.
Dorm Room Movers
As students continue to move off campus, Dorm Room Movers is offering free pick up to help relieve relocation costs. Students can then choose to either store or ship their belongings.
Spectrum
Charter Communications (Spectrum) is now offering free internet access to all students for 60 days in order to support the switch to remote learning. Households that don’t already have Spectrum, but have the service available, will also receive free installation.
T-Mobile
For the next 60 days, all T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers will have fully unlimited network data, as well as an additional 20 GB of mobile hotspot service. The company is also granting free international calls to Level 3 impacted countries.
Furthermore, students and schools enrolled in T-Mobile’s EmpowerED digital learning program will have at least 20 GB of data per month for the next 60 days at no additional charge.
U-Haul
As schools across the country continue to shut down and evacuate campus grounds, U-Haul is offering 30 days of free storage to all college students impacted by the unforeseen closures. All you need is a valid college ID and driver’s license to operate its vehicles.
Xfinity
Comcast is providing 60 days of free basic internet service to all new Xfinity customers through its Internet Essentials plan. For its current subscribers, the company is providing unlimited data at no additional charge and eliminating late fees for those who can’t pay their bills. Comcast has stated that its care teams will work with these customers by offering flexible payment options during this period.
Organizations Offering COVID-19 Student Resources
Accessibyte
Accessibyte, a cloud-based learning platform for visually impaired students, is offering full access to its apps for students relying on assistive technology. The service is providing free access for 45 days, but will extend beyond that period if deemed necessary.
Adobe Connect
Committed to helping instructors and students stay connected, Adobe is providing free 90-day access to it’s Adobe Connect software, until July 1, 2020. With this license, individuals will have complete access to Adobe connect rooms, which allows up to 25 participants.
Ivy League Courses
Ivy League schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are offering free online courses. Students can take courses in a variety of subjects, including the humanities and natural sciences, all from the comfort of their own homes.
JSTOR
Students attending institutions that currently work with JSTOR will have expanded access to over 30,000 ebooks, as well as its entire unlicensed collection at no extra charge. The company has also stated that it’s working with publishers to further expand the amount of free content.
Kapwing
Through April 17, the online multimedia editing platform is giving away free Kapwing Pro accounts to instructors impacted by the coronavirus. With this license, professors can invite students to a Pro Workspace, allowing them to work collaboratively on digital media projects in real time.
McGraw-Hill
Through its digital platforms McGraw-Hill Connect and Aleks, the online learning company is hoping to expedite the transition to virtual classrooms by providing free training and support to instructors and students impacted by school closures. Both platforms will be available through the remainder of the semester.
Perlego
This digital online library service is providing access to over 300,000 textbooks to all students impacted by university library closures. For the next six weeks, students can access the world’s largest online collection of academic, professional, and nonfiction books.
Sophia
Strategic Education is making its Sophia Learning online education platform available for free to all students affected by coronavirus. Offering an array of disciplines, students can take ACE-recommended online courses for college credit through July 31, 2020.
Unity
The online coding platform is offering complimentary three-month access to its premium service, Unity Learn. Through June 20, 2020, students will have full access to a variety of coding resources, such as in-depth courses, award-winning tutorials, and live virtual classes.
Wiley
To ensure instructors and students have the proper tools to carry out lessons remotely, Wiley is offering free access to WileyPlus or Knewton Alta for the duration of the semester. These online learning solutions allow teachers to customize courses in a way that keeps students engaged and on track as they transition to remote learning.
For students and teachers alike, the challenges brought on by the switch to online courses extend beyond adapting to a new style of learning. Relocating and setting up services sufficient enough to support virtual learning comes with a financial cost.
Through utility discounts, complimentary moving services, and temporary access to online resources, companies are working to alleviate these hardships for students and make the transition as seamless as possible.