Why Every Student Needs an SPC Card

Students tend to be on extremely tight budgets, but the SPC membership card aims to help. The Student Price Card (SPC) is a low-fee program available to Canadian students ages 13 and up. For around $1 a month, members can get generous student discounts when shopping with over 450 retail partners.

Although SPC no longer issues physical cards, we'll cover the basics of whether you're eligible, how to enrol, and what you'll get with a basic membership compared to the more premium SPC+ option. Want to snag a free SPC student card? We'll even explain how to skip the membership fee.

What is an SPC card?

Haven't heard of the Student Price Card (SPC Card)? No problem. The SPC card is a loyalty card created specifically to help students save money. It offers special student pricing and discounts for food, travel, entertainment, fashion and beauty, local purchases, technology, and mobile services.

If you qualify, you can get instant discounts in-store or online just by showing your SPC card.

How to get an SPC card

Before you apply, check to see if you're eligible for the discount program. SPC is for students in Canada aged 13 and up. Be aware that if you're using your SPC card in-store and are 16 or older, retailers are allowed to require a valid student ID. You can upload your student ID directly to the SPC app so it's easier to provide proof at checkout.

Once you know you're eligible, there are several ways to get an SPC membership:

1. Visit an SPC booth at your school during a promotional event and sign up.
2. Download the SPC app, create an account, and buy the membership.
3. Purchase an SPC membership at one of the participating retailers.
4. Open a qualifying CIBC youth or student bank account (more on that in a moment).

SPC membership isn't free – you'll pay $11.99 a year, which works out to around $1 a month. That's not bad when you consider how much a membership can save.

Oh, and just note that SPC doesn't issue physical cards anymore, so you'll have to download the app at some point to access your digital card.

How to get a free SPC card

If you were balking at the $11.99 price tag, we feel you. Though you'll easily be able to take advantage of enough discounts to offset the fee, we know many of you were wondering if there was a way to get a free SPC card. And happily for you, there is.

SPC in Canada is partnered with CIBC, offering users of its banking services SPC+ access.

All you need to do is be at least 14 years old and a student or youth client of theirs with an eligible CIBC youth or student bank account, student credit card, or student line of credit.

Note that the minimum age for a CIBC SPC membership is 1 year older than the typical eligibility. This is because you must be between 14 and 19 to qualify as a CIBC student or youth client.

A nice bonus of this (aside from being free) is that you'll get access to SPC+, the more premium version of the membership.

Participating retailers

SPC Canada partners with over 450 retailers, where you can show your SPC app to receive a student discount of up to 25% (up to 30% with SPC+). Here's just a snapshot of some of the retailers and deals you can score with your membership. The discounts shown here are for SPC members. SPC+ members may have better discounts.

To see all 450+ retailers, log in to your SPC account, where you can filter partner deals by type, membership level, discount type, and location.

Here are a few of the popular retailers offering discounts in the following categories:

• Fashion: Sperry, H&M, Levi's, Ray Ban, Calvin Klein
• Food: Tim Hortons, Skip, Shake Shack, Blenz, Nando's
• Beauty: e.l.f. Cosmetics, Rexall, Bath and Body Works, Clinique
• Travel: Expedia, VRBO, Priceline, Travelocity, Choice Hotels
• Fitness: Gymshark, Mountain Equipment Co., Stanley, Champs Sports, Nike
• Entertainment: Toronto Raptors, The Rec Room, Playdium, Disney+, WildPlay Element Parks
• Lifestyle: UFile tax services, T&T Supermarket, Book Outlet, LensCrafters, Cricut
• Tech and mobile: Lenovo, Apple, Xbox, Rogers, Samsung
• Local: Log in to your account, and you'll see in-store discounts and offers just for your area

Offers could include discounts on your purchases, increased rewards points, free shipping, free items (usually for food and drinks), and welcome kits or bonuses.

You can imagine how quickly your savings might add up, especially if you're travelling. For instance, you could use your membership to book a flight for your next break, get discounts when you go out shopping, and save the next time you need to grab a bite to eat (or buy books for school).

What is SPC+?

SPC+ is the same as the regular SPC membership, but with the "plus" designation, you'll earn bigger discounts than regular members as well as access to exclusive contests that SPC runs throughout the year.

Here's a table outlining the difference between SPC+ and the regular SPC program:

With CIBC, you'll get some other benefits, too, like access to Journie Rewards, which can save you money on gas.

The best student credit cards

So far, we've talked about ways that SPC can give you a sweet discount, but you'll still be spending money. If you plan to use a credit card to make your purchases, make that credit card work for you!

Here are the best Canadian credit cards for students to use. They're easy to qualify for, have no annual fees, and can net you a few hundred dollars in savings every year.

CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students

We wanted to showcase a few CIBC cards, since they give you a free SPC+ membership. We'll start with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students, which is the best card for students who frequently fly Air Canada. You'll have the chance to earn up to 10,000 Aeroplan points right off the bat.

After the welcome bonus opportunity ends, you'll earn 1 point per $1 spent on gas, EV charging, groceries, and Air Canada. And, if you fuel up at Journie Rewards gas stations, you'll get 3 cents off per litre. All other purchases you make with the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students earn 1 point per $1.50 spent.

For many students, groceries, transit, and the occasional flight home make up the bulk of their spending, so you might rack up points quickly. Then, you can cash them in with the Aeroplan Rewards program, where you can redeem them for flights, car rentals, vacation packages, hotels, merchandise, and gift cards.

CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students

Your other CIBC student option is the CIBC Aventura Visa Card for Students. Like the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card for students, this no-fee credit card gives you a Journie Rewards fuel discount and the opportunity to earn a 10,000-point bonus, but you'll get 7 cents off per litre, and your points are for the Aventura Rewards program.

Similarly, you'll earn 1 point per $1 spent on travel purchased through the CIBC Rewards Centre, gas, EV charging, groceries, and drugstores. All other purchases earn you 1 point per $2 spent.

When you're ready to redeem points, you have lots of options: reward flights through CIBC, other travel, charitable donations, CIBC financial products, statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.

BMO CashBack Mastercard for students

If you're primarily focused on getting cash back for your purchases, consider the BMO CashBack Mastercard for students. For no annual fee, you'll earn:

• 3% cash back on groceries (up to $500 per month)
• 1% cash back on recurring bill payments (up to $500 per month)
• 0.5% cash back on all other purchases

When you redeem your cash back, you can opt to get it as a statement credit or have the money deposited into a BMO bank or Investorline account.

Although you won't get a fuel discount, National and Alamo car rentals offer a nice 25% discount.

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

Want more control over how you earn cash back? The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card might be just what you need. Instead of designating categories that have higher earn rates, Tangerine lets you choose 2 spending categories (from things like gas, groceries, restaurants, e-games, entertainment, and more) that give you 2% back.

If you open a Tangerine Savings Account and direct your cash back to be deposited there, you can choose an extra category to earn 2% back. All other purchases earn you 1% back. Even better, you can change your high-earning categories; just be aware that it takes 90 days for your selections to take effect.

FAQ

What is an SPC card in Canada?

An SPC card is a membership program for students in Canada that offers youth discounts on popular spending categories like fashion, dining, technology, and travel. Membership costs $11.99 a year, plus tax, but cardholders get discounts with over 450 retailers.

Is SPC a student card only?

Yes, you must be a student in order to qualify for an SPC card. In fact, to be eligible for membership, you have to be a student in Canada who is at least 13 years old. Although the program doesn't give an age limit, some retailers require you to show a valid student ID once you turn 16.

How much does an SPC Card cost?

One year of SPC membership costs $11.99 plus taxes. If you're not sure whether the membership fee is worth it, check out some of the discounts offered by retailers. If you take advantage of just one or two offers, the savings will probably offset the annual fee.

Can you tell me how to get an SPC Card for free?

If you're at least 13 years old and have a qualifying CIBC financial product, like a CIBC youth or student bank account, student credit card, or student line of credit, you'll enjoy SPC+ membership. There's no annual fee, and you'll get better discount opportunities!

Is an SPC membership worth it?

At $11.99 a year, an SPC membership is a low-stakes subscription, especially if you shop with a participating retailer regularly. SPC estimates that members save an average of $250 a year – or $340 with SPC+! We'd say the steady discounts, contests, and giveaways definitely make the program worth it.