Melbourne’s best student discounts, deals and freebies

With just the flash of a student card, you can score epic discounts. Think cheap feasts, coffee deals and free or discounted entry to some of Melbourne’s most iconic attractions. 

Tuck into a Singaporean feast, $15

Carlton's Mamak Satti Power is the spot in Melbourne for authentic Singaporean Indian hawker food. For just $15, students can grab a filling feast. Order the goreng combo and you'll get a great big serving of noodles, cheesy fries, a perfect sunny side up egg and tender goat steak. You'll also score a free ice cold coke to sweeten the deal.

Arts and crafts supplies, 10% off

Calling all artsy students. Sign up to Eckersley's Art & Craft student discount card and enjoy 10 per cent off. From quality watercolour paints to candle making kits you'll find everything you need for your next creative project. Simply visit the store at 463 Swanston Street. Then show a staff member your valid photo student ID.

Visit iconic attractions for less, save up to $10 

Want to see incredible globe-trotting art for a bargain price? Head to NGV International, where entry is free and students save $3 on ticketed experiences. Journey underwater to meet colourful ocean critters at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. Concession pricing is $10 less than a standard ticket. Next, make a beeline to the Hellenic Museum to learn about Greek life, art and culture, with $5 off for students. Access to ACMI’s interactive film and music exhibits is free everyday. And ticketed experiences at ACMI are always cheaper for students. 

Find the cheapest vegetarian eats, from $7.50 

Melbourne has no shortage of cheap places to eat, but for students there are even more options to fill up for less. Crossways, run by the Melbourne Hare Krishna Temple, is a go-to for all-you-can eat vegetarian lunches. The concession pricing makes this thrifty meal even cheaper at $7.50.

Explore epic exhibitions across the city, free

Here’s a deal even broke students can afford. Melbourne Museum and the Immigration Museum offer free entry for students. Pay a visit to the awe-inspiring Triceratops. And if you've got some spare cash? Take advantage of discounted entry on IMAX screenings or tours of Royal Exhibition Building's Dome Promenade. Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia also has a bunch of free exhibitions including Wurrdha Marra featuring stunning art by First Nations artists from all over Australia.

Visit Indonesia at a loaded buffet, 10% off

Take a study break and fuel up at Nelayan, a cheap and cheerful Indonesian restaurant. Show your student ID to take 10 per cent off your feed on weekdays. Order the iconic nasi campur loaded with sides. Then try tender beef rendang and warming meatball soup. And don't leave without trying top-tier Indonesian desserts like fluffy martabak and sweet drinks. This buffet-style restaurant is also halal-friendly. 

Go for late-night coffee and cake, 10% off

Catching a flick at Cinema Nova or burning the midnight oil on a study sesh? Head to Lygon Street's iconic Italian cafe Brunetti Classico for a sweet pick-me-up. Just show your student card to enjoy 10 per cent off all sorts of treats. Perhaps coffee and cannoli. Or enjoy a cheesy pizza straight out of the wood-fired oven. This restaurant and pasticceria stays open late until 11pm on weekdays, midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and 10pm on Sunday nights.

Grab your classmates for pub grub, 15% off

Your favourite on-campus pub The Oxford Scholar has a generous 15% discount available for all RMIT students. Order classic fish and chips for dinner. Pop in for a burger at lunch time. Or take a look at daily specials like Tuesday steak night, cheap parma Thursdays or weekly drink offers.

Take a spin around the ice rink, from $18.50

On the rare occasions you have downtime, a visit to the ice skating rink is the perfect way to blow off some steam. O’Brien Icehouse has cheap Tuesdays where students can take a spin around the ice for just $18.50 when you pre-book online. Looking for some epic winter sports action? Get amongst the ice hockey fans this season where a concession card to a game gets you a hefty discount.

Enjoy a halal Indonesian menu, 10% off

Fuel up for your next big study session at popular Indonesian spot Pondok Rempah. Then flash your student card to score 10 per cent off your bill. The menu is a list of non-stop hits, like deep fried tofu, chicken satay, gado gado and crispy chicken sambal. You can also enjoy sweet or savoury versions of the beloved martabak – a thick, chewy Indonesian pancake.

Feast on momos, 10% off

Everyone knows Chinatown’s dumpling joints are some of the best cheap eats in Melbourne. But many Melburnians have been sleeping on momos. At 8848 Momo House students get 10 per cent off all day, every day. You’ll just need to spend over $30 and show your student card. Enjoy traditional Nepalese momos with dipping sauces. Plus a stacked menu of cheap snack plates.

Cheap happy hour drinks, $6 beers and $10 cocktails

Flash your student ID at Workshop Bar from 4pm to 5pm and sip on the cheapest drinks in town. We're talking $6 schooners and $10 frozen cocktails. Not only that, this local gem is quite the vibe. It features a stunning rooftop garden, live DJs and pizza slices bigger than your head. Can't ask for anything more really.

Have a cute movie date night, from $7

Most cinemas have dropped cheap Tuesdays and discount tickets all together. But students can score cheap tickets every day of the week at Cinema Nova. See a new release or indie flick for just $19. That’s a whopping 26 per cent off full price. Save even more when you visit on Mondays. That’s when all movies are just $7 until 4pm, or $10 in the evening. Meanwhile at Kino Cinema the student tickets go for $12.

Order a coffee and pastry combo, $8 

Looking for a quiet place to study? Cosy little cafe Cyrus Art Lounge warmly welcomes students. Hunker down and crack a book surrounded by art in this cafe-meets-gallery. Ordering Cyrus’ student deal is a no-brainer. For $8 you’ll get a hot drink of your choice alongside a filo pastry finger. There’s beef, chicken or cheese and spinach. Plus a roasted veg pastry for the vegans.

Information correct at time of writing - always check ahead with the venue to confirm costs.