Run Windows on a Mac at half price. Verified students, faculty, and academic staff get 50% off Parallels Desktop Standard ($49.99/year) or Pro ($59.99/year). Annual subscription renews at the discounted rate as long as you stay eligible.
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How to claim it
- Open the offer. Go to
parallels.com/plans/education - Set your region. Make sure the top-right country/language dropdown matches your location so pricing is correct
- Start verification. Click **Buy Now** then **Start** to begin academic verification
- Verify your status. Enter your academic institution or institutional email — if your school is listed, verification happens via SSO or automated email check
- Verify a missing school. If your school is not listed, click **Can't find your institution?** and follow the prompts to receive a verification code via external check
- Get 50% off. Once verified, the 50% discount applies automatically at checkout
- Complete purchase. Complete purchase — the Standard or Pro subscription activates immediately and renews annually at the student rate
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Who's eligible
Who can get the Parallels Desktop for Education - 50% Off student discount?
Currently enrolled and newly accepted students at colleges and universities, plus faculty, teachers, professors, academic staff, and IT administrators at academic institutions. One copy per verification (no resale).
How long does Parallels Desktop for Education - 50% Off student access last?
Discount renews annually as long as verified student or educator status is maintained. You receive renewal reminders and do not need to reapply each semester; verification happens at sign-up and periodically afterwards.
Is the Parallels Desktop for Education - 50% Off student discount available worldwide?
Available in multiple regions — select your country and language in the top-right dropdown on parallels.com so your order is placed on the correct regional store. Specific country eligibility is handled through the academic verification system rather than published as a country list.
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What's included
Parallels Desktop is the most widely used virtualization tool for running Windows (and Windows-only software) on a Mac. Through the education program, verified students, faculty, teachers, and academic staff get 50% off — $49.99/year for Standard or $59.99/year for Pro. Verification takes about 5 minutes via the Parallels Education Store, and the discount renews annually as long as you remain eligible.
- Run Windows on MacVirtualize Windows 11 (including ARM editions for Apple Silicon) alongside macOS. Essential for courses that require Windows-only software — engineering CAD tools, statistical packages, accounting software, or legacy teaching apps.
- 50% Off Standard or ProStandard Edition at $49.99/year (reg. $99.99) for everyday Windows app use. Pro Edition at $59.99/year (reg. $119.99) adds more RAM/CPU allocation for VMs, developer tools, and network virtualization.
- Automatic Annual RenewalOnce verified, your subscription renews at the discounted rate each year. No need to re-verify every semester — Parallels sends reminders and re-checks eligibility periodically.
- Thousands of Windows AppsRun Visual Studio, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Microsoft Access, and other Windows-only apps without dual-booting — launch them like regular Mac applications.
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Fine print & gotchas
- 50% off, not free. Standard is $49.99/year and Pro $59.99/year after the education discount.
- Academic verification required. Schools not on the list need a "Can't find your institution?" external check.
- Auto-renews annually at the discounted rate and Parallels periodically re-verifies your eligibility.
- One copy per verified account — the discount can't be used to buy multiple copies (no resale).
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Common questions
What is the actual student price?
Standard Edition: $49.99/year (regular $99.99). Pro Edition: $59.99/year (regular $119.99). Both are 1-year subscriptions and renew at the discounted rate as long as you stay eligible.
Who qualifies?
Currently enrolled and newly accepted college or university students, plus faculty, teachers, professors, academic staff, and IT administrators at accredited institutions.
Do I need a .edu email?
Not necessarily. If your institution is on the Parallels verification list you can use your institutional email or SSO. If your school is not listed, click "Can't find your institution?" and Parallels will send a verification code after an external check.
What happens when my subscription renews?
Renewal is automatic at the 50% education rate as long as you are still eligible. Parallels will send renewal reminders and periodically re-verify eligibility — you do not need to reapply every semester.
Can I buy more than one copy?
No. The education discount is limited to one copy per verified account to prevent resale.
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