How to Save Money on Broadband with a Student Budget

Being a student brings some pretty cool perks, but it also brings some incredible challenges. One of the biggest is meeting all your study requirements, while also managing your finances – and trying to squeeze some socialising in as well! This means finding the balance between spending that enables learning and spending on things that, well, might not be entirely related to your education. And one of the biggest grey areas is broadband.

Can You Get a Student Discount on Broadband?

Sure, student cards offer some discounts, but aside from public services like transport and the occasional Wednesday Night Special at the on-campus bar, the student discount can only go so far.

Can you get by as a student without broadband? When I was studying, I made it a point in my first year to visit family and friends who had outstanding internet connections. I would hang out on campus to use the (buggy, unreliable) free WiFi. And I even chugged my way through countless coffee-and-muffin combos to keep a table at the local cafe. Let me tell you — it is not a good feeling. It put a strain on my relationships, my budget, my waistline, my nerves – and funnily enough my wallet (those coffees ain’t cheap). And if I could do it over again, getting better broadband would be my number one priority — right after dropping out of accounting.

How to choose the cheapest internet plan for Aussie Students?

Not all students use the internet the same way, but there are some factors they all have in common. How much data do you use, where you’re located and most importantly, how fast your connection needs to be. All these factors will determine what the best and most affordable internet plan is for you as a student in Australia.

Do you need reliability?

As a student, it’s important to have a solid connection. Online research, downloading course outlines, uploading projects, collaborating with fellow students in those ever-present group assignments — it’s safe to say you will be spending a lot of time online. Especially if you’re doing distance education, or are enrolled in an online course. You need to know that your internet won’t slow to a crawl or bug out — especially when completing an online test or uploading your assignment minutes before the due date.

Do you have enough data?

Unless you’re involved in video production and need to access and send massive files on a regular basis, the course data you need to download probably won’t take up hundreds of gigabytes. But you’re not just using the internet for study, are you? This is the digital age, a lot of our lives are lived online. From social media and streaming TV online to gaming with friends — there’s a lot going on. With this in mind, students need to ensure there’s enough data left at the end of the month for you to download the lecture slides from that one class you keep missing.

How much will it cost?

This is a given even if you live at home. Firstly, as a student, you don’t have a lot of time to work a regular gig outside of study time. Secondly, the kinds of gigs you get as a student don’t typically pay a whole lot. And finally, the spare change you do manage to scrape together also needs to fund your social life — which, in Australia, is not that cheap!

How flexible is the plan?

Whether you’ll be staying on-campus, finding a decent place to rent, or maybe staying with family,  real-life experience shows us that it’s best to be prepared to move. There are many reasons you might choose to relocate while studying, from noisy neighbours and increasing rent, through to difficulties with familial landlords. So it pays to find a plan that’s flexible enough to let you pack up and relocate should you need to.

Are there Mobile Broadband Plans available for Students?

Yes, there are plenty of mobile broadband plans that offer loads of data, but measured against the points above, they don’t make the cut. Why? Because they’re often more expensive per gigabyte of data, and their speed and reliability depend on too many other factors (like tower location and number of devices around you). Plus, you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have that connection available when you need it.

What Broadband Deals Can a Student Card Deliver?

In our search for student-friendly internet bundles and plans, we came across a big fat zero. While a number of plans exist that will make concessions for student mobile plans, we couldn’t find any major telcos offering special discounts for student internet.

So, are there deals out there that meet your needs without a student card? Let’s take a look at plans from Telstra, Southern Phone, Dodo, and iPrimus.

Southern Phone NBN/Satellite Plans

If you’re struggling to find a low-cost option or if you’re in a regional area and can’t find a trusted provider that will get you connected, then Southern Phone is the telco for you! Offering NBN connections, Southern Phone has some great plans. Starting at just $65/month for their standard NBN connection (unlimited data, 25/5 speed tier), this local company truly delivers a variety of options ideal for students. For regional students in areas that aren’t serviced by the NBN, they offer their “Sky Muster Plus” Satellite Plan.

This gives you burst speeds of up to 25Mbps speeds with data allowances starting at 50GB for $55/month, or 100GB for $70/month. These plans also offer unmetered data for regular web browsing, email and updates to your computer’s operating system. You’ll need to supply your own WiFi modem (or buy one for a one-off $99 cost) but the satellite dish and installation is all done at no cost to you.

Last audited 8th of May 2023

Dodo NBN Plans

Dodo is all about delivering super-fast internet without breaking the bank — and your patience. With their NBN50 speed plan delivering up to 50Mbps typical evening speed, everything you do on your device, from streaming to gaming to downloading, is remarkably fast. If you’re a student and you’re on a tight budget, high monthly costs shouldn’t stop you from enjoying high-speed internet. That’s why Dodo offers the NBN50 plan at only $75 per month and with no lock-in contract. To get your money’s worth, all plans also include a home phone connection with pay as you go calls, monthly discounts on select plans, and your first month free! To spice your internet plan up, Fetch TV can also be bundled with 1 channel pack included.

Last audited 30th of November 2023

iPrimus Uncapped Data Plans

University life is hectic so it’s only right to get an internet plan that can help as far as one’s productivity is concerned. In this case, you need a broadband service that’s fast, unlimited, and still cheap. For students, there’s iPrimus. Unlimited NBN plans start at $75/month on NBN50. If you share the internet with someone, the NBN50 unlimited plan is a wise pick for just $5 extra. It offers uncapped data with average evening speed of 50Mbps. All of iPrimus internet plans have no lock-in contract ($75 upfront costs including modem) and also include a landline with pay as you go calls, as well as the option to bundle it with Fetch TV from only $10/month.

Last audited 8th May 2023

What is the most affordable Internet Plan for Students?

As the examples here show, there’s not a lot of interest from Internet providers in making special offers for full-time students, but you can find regular plans with the prices and features that still meet your needs.

The key to making your student broadband budget stretch is to shop around. Look up the plans directly — and if you’ve got any questions about a particular provider’s service, give them a call! Talking to an actual person helps give you a good sense of what they can offer.

If you’re relatively new to the world of broadband plans, don’t be afraid to go for a plan with no contract. This way, you can see what the service is like first-hand — and if you find yourself needing more, or paying too much, you can switch to a new provider while avoiding paying a penalty fee.