Looking for the best iPad for students? The standard 11-inch iPad (2025, A16 chip) is our pick for most uni and college workloads, and it is the one that will not wreck a student budget.
It handles lecture notes, seminar readings, group chats, and a well-earned study break with Netflix without breaking a sweat.
Best of all, it comes in well under the price of an iPad Air or iPad Pro. Here's the full breakdown, plus every deal students can currently get on it.
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Last updated: 30 July 2026. Prices and deals are checked weekly, so bookmark this page and check back often.
Why the standard iPad is the best choice for students
The 2025 iPad runs on Apple's A16 chip; this is more than capable of running Notability, GoodNotes, Word, Zoom and every other app on a typical reading list, plus a full day of lectures, without needing a charge.
At 477g, it's light enough to carry between lectures alongside a laptop or on its own, and the eleven-inch Liquid Retina display is sharp enough for close reading, annotating PDFs or sketching out a dissertation plan.
It also runs iPadOS, which means you get those Apple features you love - Split View and Stage Manager - for multitasking between lecture slides and notes. You can also get Apple Pencil support for handwritten annotation, and compatibility with a keyboard case for typing up essays on the go.
For students who want a touchscreen device that does more than a phone but costs far less than a laptop, this is the one that makes the most sense.
iPad specs at a glance
Chip | Apple A16 Bionic |
Display | 11-inch Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 |
RAM | 6GB |
Storage options | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
Battery life | Up to ten hours of continuous use |
Weight | 477g |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Cameras | 12MP front (Centre Stage), 12MP rear |
Colours | Silver, blue, pink, yellow |
Price from | Ā£319āĀ£329 (128GB, Wi-Fi) |
Where to find the best iPad deals
Prices below are for the 128GB, Wi-Fi-only model, correct at the time of research. Always check the live price before buying, since retailers change prices often.
Retailer | Price (128GB, Wi-Fi) |
Ā£429 | |
Ā£429 | |
Ā£429 | |
Ā£429 | |
Ā£429 | |
Ā£409.98 |
Save on top of this with an Apple student discount through Student Beans, or browse every current tech student deal to see what else is worth grabbing this term.
Buying from a physical retailer instead? Here's a guide to the best places to buy uni tech, including in-store student discounts worth asking about.
iPad vs iPad Air vs iPad mini vs iPad Pro: which should you buy?
When it comes to price ā the standard iPad wins ā but that's not the right call for every student. Here's how it stacks up against the rest of the range.
iPad vs iPad Air (M4)
From Ā£749, the 11-inch iPad Air runs Apple's M4 chip and 12GB of RAM ā basically MacBook power in a much lighter packgage.
It's the better pick for design, film or architecture students pushing heavier creative apps. Also worth it for anyone who wants their iPad to double as a laptop, not just a fancy notepad.
Choose the iPad Air if: multitasking, photo or video editing, or a larger 13-inch screen option matters for the course.
Stick with the standard iPad if: the budget matters more than raw power. Most humanities, business and social science workloads won't notice the difference ā but the bank balance will.
iPad vs iPad mini (A17 Pro)
The iPad mini starts at Ā£599 and shrinks everything down to an 8.3-inch screen that fits snugly into a coat pocket. It's the most portable option by miles.
The trade-off? That smaller screen makes split-screening two apps or annotating a dense PDF a bit of a squeeze.
Choose the iPad mini if: portability is the priority ā commuting students and heavy readers tend to love it.
Stick with the standard iPad if: lecture slides, spreadsheets or textbooks are a regular part of the workload ā the bigger screen earns its keep.
iPad vs iPad Pro (M5)
The iPad Pro starts at a pricey Ā£1,199 for the 11-inch model, and is built for proper professional work such as: film editing, 3D modelling, software development, the works.
For most degrees, that's serious overkill. Save the extra Ā£770 for rent, textbooks, or literally anything else (a laptop included) if heavy coding is on the cards.
Choose the iPad Pro if: the course genuinely demands professional creative or processing power.
Stick with the standard iPad if: general study, note-taking and streaming cover it ā true for the vast majority of students.
FAQs
Is the standard iPad good enough for university work?
Absolutely, we'd say so for most degrees. It comfortably handles note-taking apps, PDF annotation, video calls and streaming. Only heavy-duty creative or coding work tends to need the extra power of an iPad Air or Pro.
Do students get an Apple discount on iPad?
Verified students can access Apple student savings through Student Beans, on top of any retailer promotions. Discount terms change regularly, so just make sure to check the live page for the current offer before buying.
How much storage do students need on an iPad?
128GB covers most students comfortably ā enough space for apps, notes, a few downloaded shows and thousands of photos. Anyone planning to store a lot of raw video or large design files could maybe consider 256GB instead. Storage can't be added later, so it's worth erring on the side of more.
Can students use an Apple Pencil with the standard iPad?
Yes! The standard iPad supports Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the older Apple Pencil (first generation, with an adapter), which makes handwritten notes and diagram-heavy subjects far easier to manage.
Is the iPad or a laptop better for students?
It depends on the course. For reading, annotating and note-taking, the iPad often wins on portability and battery life. For essay-heavy degrees or anything requiring specialist software, we'd recommend a laptop as the safer bet ā some students end up happiest with both.
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