Media subscriptions are all the rage these days. Between Netflix, Apple Music, HBO Now, and countless more, your TV, movie, and music options have never been better. Unfortunately, all these choices weigh heavily on your wallet. So, when there's an opportunity to snag not just Spotify but Hulu and Showtime as well, all for just a tad bit over five dollars a month, how could you turn that down?
Well, as it turns out, the plan can't be taken advantage of by everyone. The sad fact is, unless you're a registered college student, you won't qualify for the 3-in-1 discounted bundle. It's a smart move on Spotify's behalf since it wouldn't be able to afford to give the package to everyone for dirt cheap, but it still gives the appearance that it's willing to give people who are already on a tight budget a chance to enjoy life beyond the school books and exams.
As of right now, the deal is even sweeter for college students. Spotify is running a promotion until June 30, 2019, where you can get the first three months of Spotify Premium for Students with Hulu and Showtime for just $0.99 each month plus tax. After that, it would be the standard $4.99 plus tax each month. The deal only applies to those who have never tried Spotify Premium before.
How to Qualify for Spotify Premium for Students
Just how stringent is this service? To qualify for Spotify's normally $4.99/month Spotify Premium plan for students, you need to be:
- a current higher education student
- enrolled at a US Title IV accredited college or university in the US
- at least 18 years old
For those of you who are already a part of Spotify Premium for Students, you can switch to the bundled plan without any problems. If you already subscribe to Hulu's $5.99 plan, you can also switch to the bundled option, but your current Hulu subscription will last until the end of the billing cycle. The same goes for subscriptions with the Showtime app. More on this stuff later.
If you don't meet any of these three requirements, you'll need to choose either the $9.99 Premium plan (which also offers the first three months for $0.99 each right now) — which does not feature Hulu or Showtime access — or the standard Spotify Free option.
What Information Do You Need to Sign Up?
When you first join Spotify Premium for Students with Hulu and Showtime, you'll need to provide your name, email address, date of birth, and payment details, as well as the name of the valid educational institution. Other documents may be necessary to prove that you qualify. Then, Spotify will use SheerID, Inc. to verify your information.
What Happens When You Graduate?
Spotify isn't stupid — it knows you won't be a student forever. To weed out anyone over-staying their welcome, the service requires students to reverify their accounts once every 12 months. If you no longer qualify for this service when it comes time for re-verification, you're out of luck.
Unfortunately, if you go to a four-year college while using this deal, then head to graduate school, you won't be able to get the deal for all five or six years. Spotify only lets you take advantage of this discounted price for four activation periods
If you used two activation periods (two years) of Spotify Premium for Students, then go on hiatus from school, you can still sign back up for the discounted service. You will not get an additional four discounted periods, but instead, an additional two, picking up where you left off.
Spotify isn't clear when these re-verification tests take place, but they most likely come at the time of year you signed up for Spotify Premium for Students. If that's the case, your best shot is to sign up just before your school's general graduation date, or when you know your school ends its student eligibility. That way, Spotify will approve your account while you're still a student, allowing you to graduate with about a year left to use the service.
Can You Watch Hulu & Showtime in the Spotify App?
No. You'll need to download each app separately, then log in with the same credentials you do for Spotify.
If You Already Subscribe to Hulu or Showtime
Who wants to lose their watch lists, even for such a good deal?
Current Hulu subscribers can transfer their account over to Spotify Premium for Students. Your Hulu plans needs to be the base tier ($5.99/month with limited commercials), without any Hulu add-ons, and with payments to Hulu directly rather than through a third-party service. Just use your current Hulu credentials when activating Hulu via the "Spotify Services" settings. Hulu recommends that you change your Hulu email address to the one registered with your Spotify account.
- Log in to your Spotify Premium for Students account.
- Go to your account page and under Account overview select Activate Hulu.
- You will be asked to switch to Spotify Premium for Students + Hulu and activate both your accounts
- By switching and activating both accounts through Spotify, you will no longer be billed by Hulu, and you will then be billed every month through your current Spotify billing method.
Unfortunately, current Showtime users cannot transfer their accounts over right away to Spotify Premium for Students. Showtime and Spotify recommend you cancel your recurring Showtime bill, then wait until the rest of the paid period expires. After that, you can re-attempt activation with your Showtime login credentials via the "Spotify Services" settings.
This article was produced during Gadget Hacks' annual Movies & TV on Mobile special coverage. Read all of the Movies & TV on Mobile coverage.
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