How to get a free laptop for college students US 2023

How to get a free laptop for college in the US from the universities themsleves plus alternative organisations

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If you’re looking for a free laptop for college there are numerous ways you can go about it, including getting a free laptop from certain universities when you enrol, loaning one from the library of the college, or applying with various charitable or non-profit organizations to see if you meet their criteria for a free laptop device.

We’ve summarised the main ways students in the US can go about doing this, including a list of known universities that supply laptops and the specifics of when/how they do this.

The different ways to get a free laptop for college

Step

1

Check if your college offers free laptops on enrolment

The first step is to check if the college you are applying to offers free laptops as part of their study program. We have provided a list of the ones we’re currently aware about in the USA further down this page, however there could be additional institutions that aren’t listed, so do check with the college yourself to make sure.

Step

2

Check your college’s library & IT department

Even if your college does not provide a laptop upon enrollment, it may be that the institution’s library will loan out laptops to its students, so you should also check this – it’s worth trying to contact the library directly to ask them, and you can usually find the number/email for them online. Often it’s a good idea to also look at the website for the college’s IT department to see if there are any free or cheap laptop offers available for students.

Step

3

Check local libraries

Besides college libraries, local libraries are another potential source of loanable laptops, so its worth checking these out and see if they offer this service.

Step

4

Check non-profit organizations

Finally, there are other organizations that can provide college students with free laptops; most of these are specifically for people coming from low-income families or military veterans, but not all. See further down this page for a list of notable examples in the USA.

Free laptop program: US universities that provide a free laptop for college students

Below is a list of some US colleges (accurate at the time of writing) that supply students, usually incoming freshmen / first-year students, with laptops – either to keep for the duration of their study, or in some cases to keep indefinitely, assuming the student successfully graduates. Besides your basic enrollment status, the requirements and terms for each university laptop program differ; usually the laptops are free but sometimes they are added on to your student fees, or are provided under an alternative arrangement. 

Note that this list is not necessarily exhaustive, so do be sure to check with any colleges/departments you had in mind:

• Chatham University: 1st year students (who must attend classes in person) get a 13” MacBook Air (with AppleCare and SafeWare protection included) for free. Free on-campus repairs and theft & damage warranty are also included, as is a protective case.
• Full Sail University: As part of its ‘Project Launchbox’ every student gets a free laptop (brand & model unspecified) that comes with ‘professional creative software’.
• Moravian University: As part of its ‘All-Apple initiative’ both students and faculty members are given MacBook Pros and/or iPads (with AppleCare included) plus free repairs and servicing by the University IT department.
• Rochester University: All first-time freshmen students and also those transfer students with a minimum of 29 transfer credits can get a free MacBook Pro and iPads. They can keep these devices permanently if they complete 6 semesters.
• Seton Hill University: Students who are enrolled within the Mobile Learning @ The Hill program students get free MacBooks.
• Stevens Henager College: All undergraduate students receive laptops which they can keep after they graduate. School of Graphic Design students get a MacBook specifically.
• St. John’s University: As part of the ‘St. John’s University Academic Initiative (ACI)’, freshmen or transfer students are eligible for a ‘free’ laptop (or one on loan), plus repair services if it breaks and a warranty. In reality it’s not completely free as a fee is added onto the student’s tuition fee, however this is less than the value of the laptop plus extras and does not have to be paid straight away.
• Wake Forest University: As part of the ‘Wake Forest University Technology Grant program’ free laptops are provided to students who receive need-based grants, merit scholarships, or athletic scholarships. Free repair services and insurance coverage is also provided.

Other US organizations that provide a free laptop for college students

Besides colleges/universities themselves there are other organizations in the US which may be able to provide you with a free laptop for college, assuming you meet the necessary criteria. These include educational non-profits and some well-known tech brands that provide scholarships.

• Accelerated School Program: A government program that loans out laptops to low-income families, as well as providing them with internet access. A deposit of $100 is required which is given back upon return of the laptop in an acceptable condition. As well as by going via the website, you can contact the organization on 1800-724-6653 for more info.
• Computers with Causes: Students and teachers, particularly those who are disabled military veterans, from military families, or who are dealing with housing insecurity, can apply online for a free computer/laptop. You will need to complete a background and reference check to prove your eligibility.
• Dell Scholars Program: Students in their final year of high school who are on track to graduate and applying for a college position can apply in October for entrance to the program. They need to have at least a 2.4 GPA and also be Pell Grant eligible. If successful, applicants can receive a free laptop, $20K scholarship, textbook credits, and other resources and support.
• Laptops for Learning (L4L): Students and military veterans can apply to register on the website, and must then source donations from local organisations and individuals to pay for the device – either for for a free laptop or alternative form of computer access.
• Smartriverside in California (plus similar by-state programs): This is a government program that provides free laptops to eligible low-income families. Smartriverside is the name of the program in California but some different states have similar programs, so have a Google for ones where you are. In California the threshold is residents that have an income below $45,000, but this differs depending on the state.
• Technology for the Future: This non-profit profit can provide various resources to families and students that require them to finish their education, including laptops. To apply, send an email to [email protected].
• The On It Foundation: K-12 students from low income families are potentially eligible for a free laptop (as well as tech training and internet access in some cases). The parent/guardian of the student must contact the foundation in a letter or email, providing contact information, signing ‘The Letter of Request’, and providing a statement from the school as to why the student qualifies.
• With Causes: Despite a similar name, this is a different organization to ‘Computers with Causes’, but with a wider remit. It still however offers computers and laptops however, prioritising those in women’s abuse shelters, low-income families, and military veterans.

Alternative options for affordable college laptops

If you can’t get a free laptop, the next best thing is a cheap laptop. Discounted and refurbished laptops are usually the best way to go, and you can pick these up from eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Amazon, plus from brand-specific stores like Dell Refurbished.

We are putting together a dedicated laptop student discount page, but in the meantime do take a look at our best laptop deals page, for the latest hot discounts across a range of different low-cost laptops. Also have a read of our best laptop for working from home / remote work guide to get a better idea of the type of laptop you should buy to suit your needs.

Another option is Chromebooks, which can be a cheaper alternative to a Windows or MacOS laptop, as long as you have a sufficiently good internet connection and are fine with heavyily relying on the Google Drive. Read our Chromebook vs laptop page for more info, and take a gander at our best Chromebook page for some examples.

Free laptop for college students FAQs

Do university students need a laptop?

Whilst you don’t technically need a laptop to study some courses, in this day and age you’ll be at a bit of a disadvantage without one. A laptop allows you to easily take your studies from the coffee shop to public transport to your lecture, connect to any online resources you need and easily research your topic and access your emails.

We’d strongly advise most students to get hold of at least a cheap device somehow prior to beginning their course.

Is it better to get an iPad or laptop for college?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both iPads and laptops, but for most people the laptop will prove a more versatile device.

iPad touch screens combined with a stylus are better for taking written rather than typed notes, or for sketching/drawing if you are in an artistic or design course. You can obviously get a separate keyboard for your iPad but this will cost you more money. Laptops obviously come with an integrated keyboard so are better for typed notes off the bat, plus have more processing power for any rendering/graphic design tasks or running other software.