Apple’s Back to School 2026 Promo Now Live in Canada: Gift Cards are Back

Apple’s annual back to school promotion is officially back for 2026, and Canadian students can once again score a free Apple Gift Card when they buy a new Mac or iPad.

The deal runs from today, July 16, to August 27, 2026, and it’s open to students, faculty and staff at postsecondary schools, plus K–12 employees, homeschool teachers, and parents buying on behalf of a kid who’s currently attending or has been accepted into a college or university.

The gift card amount depends on what you buy:

• MacBook Air: $140 Apple Gift Card
• MacBook Pro: $210 Apple Gift Card
• iPad Air: $140 Apple Gift Card
• iPad Pro: $140 Apple Gift Card

You can grab one gift card per eligible Mac and one per eligible iPad, so there’s room to double up if you’re buying both a laptop and a tablet. There’s also no mention of the iMac this year.

Now according to the fine print, the offer is good at Apple Store locations, over the phone at 1-800-MY-APPLE, and through the Apple Store for Education online. Refurbished and open-box products don’t qualify, and some financing options like monthly payments with trade-in can’t be combined with the student pricing. You’ll also need to show you qualify before you buy by confirming your student or staff eligibility.

If last year’s Back to School promo from Apple felt more generous, you’re not imagining it. In 2025, Apple ditched gift cards and let buyers pick a free accessory instead, like AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 2 worth up to $249.

This year gift cards are back this year after many complained, but the numbers don’t stretch as far. A MacBook Air now nets a $140 card and a MacBook Pro gets $210, while both the iPad Air and iPad Pro come with $140. Compare that to 2025, when a Mac buyer could walk away with $249 in AirPods, and it’s clear the overall value has slipped.

The shopping window is slightly shorter this year too. Last year’s deal ran from June 17 all the way to September 30, while this year’s promo squeezes into just six weeks, from July 16 to August 27.

What’s surprising is there’s no gift card available for the MacBook Neo, which is basically the ultimate entry laptop for students (and recently increased in price).