As a student, it can be hard to budget and make sure that you are spending the least amount of money you can. Nowadays, there are a range of tools which can help you with this! For example, there are special apps you can get, which can provide students with discounts. There are even apps that can help students budget. Discounts are also a great way for students to save money, but sadly many students don’t know how to get them. However, don’t despair! Have you ever heard of an NUS card? If you haven’t, then it’s probably time for you to look into it!
The NUS card, now called TOTUM, is a great way for students to get discounts. It can be used as a form of student identification and can help you get money off a whole range of products. It is very useful to buy, as it can help students save an immense amount of money. There are a range of brands which allow students to get discounts when they use this card. You can purchase one from the TOTUM website.
If this sounds like a great idea to you, check out the rest of this article to discover why an NUS card could be a great investment.
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What does an NUS card do?
An NUS card allows students to get a range of different discounts. It can also act as a form of student ID.
This form of ID would be useful if you are ever going to apply for a student TV licence, or even need to show identification to keep you exempt from council tax as a student.
If you want to discover how to get a TV licence as a student, check out this article from Think Student.
However, its main function is to really help students save as much money as they can! The TOTUM website always updates the range of discounts that the NUS card allows you to have.
All of the discounts can be listed on the TOTUM website here. A range of big companies and businesses offer useful discounts when you use your NUS card.
Some popular companies that offer NUS card discounts include Boots, Halfords, River Island and even Amazon! If you want to find out more ways to get discounts in the UK, check out this article from Think Student.
How do you get an NUS card?
All you have to do is visit the TOTUM website. You can easily go onto this website and apply if you click here.
The new name for an NUS card is a TOTUM card. This is why the website is called TOTUM. Don’t worry – it is the same thing, just with a new name! As of 2023, both names are still commonly used. As an apprentice, you will need to apply for the NUS extra card.
All you need to do is sign up with your email address, upload a photo of yourself and then pay. It is definitely worth applying, as you can get many in-store and online discounts. For instance, you could get 20% off Pizza Hut and even 25% off Dominos for orders over £25.
How much does it cost to get an NUS card?
A TOTUM digital card which lasts one year actually doesn’t cost a thing! This has discounts for over 350 different brands.
However, a premium TOTUM card for a year is £14.99. This isn’t a lot of money at all, especially compared to the amount of money that you will be saving!
The premium TOTUM card costs the same price to also be used as a student ID. However, the TOTUM website actually explains how buying a TOTUM card for three years would be the best value for money.
It will cost £24.99 for three years! You will get exclusive offers, proof of student ID and a free tastecard. You can find out more about NUS card prices on the TOTUM website, if you click here.
Who qualifies for an NUS card?
To get an NUS card, all you need to do is be a student! Therefore, you could be an apprentice, studying at university, or even studying at college! All you need to do is prove that you are sixteen years old or over and studying full time or part time.
This means you are eligible if you are in sixth form, college, university or studying in an apprenticeship! There are a range of different memberships you could be entitled to.
You can find out more about this on the TOTUM website, if you click here.
Can you get an NUS card if you are doing a degree apprenticeship?
If you are doing a degree apprenticeship, you can most likely get a normal NUS card, instead of an NUS extra card.
This is because you will also be studying at a university, meaning that you probably also will have a university email address. This means it will be very easy to apply for an NUS card on the TOTUM website.
You can apply now on the TOTUM website, if you click here.
What are some examples of NUS discounts?
With an NUS card, you can get discounts from a range of different businesses. These can be companies based on almost anything!
This includes accommodation, entertainment, food, travel, health and fitness and much more! Some popular restaurants which offer student discounts include Frankie and Benny’s and Pizza Hut.
The full range of discounts for apprenticeships can be found on this article from the NUS Apprentice Extra website.
Comprehensive guide to the NUS card for apprentices
As an apprentice, you may be wondering if you are entitled to any student discounts. After all, university students are!
You may not have a student ID card because you don’t attend a university. You are also unlikely to have a university email address, preventing you from signing up to student discount apps.
It can definitely be frustrating to not have access to these budgeting tools as an apprentice. You do earn money as an apprentice; however this may not be a lot.
However, you are in luck! As an apprentice, you are entitled to apply for an NUS card. In comparison to university students, the NUS card you are entitled to is called the NUS apprentice extra card.
It is the only discount card at the moment available for apprentices. It offers so many different discounts from a range of different businesses.
You can discover all of these on the NUS Apprentice extra website, if you click here.
Can you apply for an NUS card as an apprentice?
You can most certainly apply for an NUS card as an apprentice. However, this is called an NUS apprentice extra card instead.
You are eligible for this card if you are enrolled in and completing an apprenticeship. It was created by the National Union of Students and provides apprentices with the same opportunities for discounts as university students.
You can visit the National Union of Students website, if you click here.
This card also offers a useful app to students, to help them track discounts. You can find out more about if you are eligible if you read this article from The Apprentice Academy website.
Why are apprentices eligible for an NUS card?
As you already probably know, apprenticeships are gaining more and more popularity with businesses. This is because apprenticeships provide employers with employees who have the perfect skills, tailored to their business.
As a result, businesses need to have incentives to encourage students to apply. Apprenticeships are so important; they are even seen as just as essential as higher education in helping the UK economy.
If you want to discover which apprenticeships are most popular in the UK, check out this article from Think Student.
The NUS extra card for apprenticeships launched in 2012 and has been going strong ever since. An NUS card will help apprentices financially, meaning more students are likely to apply for apprenticeships.
If you want to find out more about apprenticeships and the NUS working together, check out this article from the NUS Apprentice Extra website.
Should you get an NUS card if you are doing an apprenticeship?
Truthfully, there doesn’t seem to be any drawbacks from purchasing an NUS card. The National Union of Students spotted that students who do apprenticeships may need help financially and as a result, developed an NUS extra card.
This is one of the best budgeting tools you can have, as you can save money on so many different things! This doesn’t just apply to food and clothes.
You could also save money on fitness and even smart phones. I cannot stress enough how useful this card will be for you.
It is surprising how much money you will need as a student. To get some idea of what you will be spending, check out this article from Think Student, which estimates how much the food shop will cost.
Of course, it will be useful for sixth form and college students too. However, if you are a student at university or studying in an apprenticeship, this card is especially valuable.
The price is barely anything and I would encourage you to purchase the three-year card to get the best deal. You will not regret it!
If you want to find out ways to organise your money, getting a student bank account could be a great option. Check out this guide on student bank accounts from Think Student if you want to discover how they work.
How else can NUS help students doing apprenticeships?
The NUS Apprentice extra card is a great tool to help apprentices save money and get as many discounts as they can. However, the National Union of Students are also doing other things to help students.
The money you pay to get this card is put towards the National Society for Apprenticeships charity, helping students all around the UK. Therefore, your money will certainly be well spent.
Additionally, they conducted research with apprentices, recording their opinions about their experiences with apprenticeships and how they think that they could be improved.
The National Union of Students has now partnered with the National Apprenticeship Service, helping to fund and coordinate how apprenticeships are run. You can find out more about how committed the NUS is to helping students who do apprenticeships in this article from the NUS Apprentice extra website.
The NUS is determined to give apprentices the best support they can have, both financially and mentally.
How else can you get discounts as an apprentice?
An NUS extra card is a fantastic tool for saving you some pennies. However, it may be useful to look at some alternatives, which can also help you save some money.
As an apprentice, you are likely to only get the minimum wage. This minimum wage is especially low when you are under eighteen years old.
However, you will be entitled to holiday leave and sick pay. Your wage will also increase as you get older and gain more experience with the company.
However, you will probably still be very grateful for any extra benefits you can get! After all, you will be working hard as an apprentice and some extra money won’t be refused.
You may think you will seem cheeky if you do this, but you could ask your employer if there is a chance you could receive any extra benefits. For example, some companies offer travel loans or even a work phone!
If you travel a lot as an apprenticeship, it could be useful to get an Apprentice Oyster photo card if you are based in London. You can find out more about this card in this article from the Transport For London website.
If you want to discover your possible wage as an apprentice and if you are entitled to any financial benefits, check out this article from UCAS.