15 Universities That Offer Free Laptops or Laptop Loan Programmes in 2026
Buying a laptop is one of those costs that sneaks up on you just as term starts. A decent machine can easily cost several hundred pounds or dollars. That’s on top of tuition, books, and everyday living costs.
Fortunately, a growing number of universities that offer free laptops, or at least the loan of one, now build this support into what you get as a student.
None of these offers are quite as simple as free laptop, no strings attached.
Some universities fold the cost into your tuition or a technology fee. Others only lend you the device and want it back at the end. A few genuinely hand you a laptop to keep once you finish your course.
Below, we’ve rounded up 15 real universities that offer free laptops or loan programmes, so you know what to expect before you apply.
In short, a free laptop from a university usually falls into one of these four categories:
Yours to keep – Given outright, often after enrolment or on graduation.
Loan programme – Borrowed for a term or while you’re enrolled, then returned.
Technology grant – Cash or a voucher towards a laptop you choose yourself.
Included in tuition – Bundled into fees, so you’re paying for it either way.
Why universities that offer free laptops do it
Universities that provide laptops usually do it for one of three reasons:
Levelling the playing field. Not every student arrives with a working laptop, and coursework increasingly assumes you have one.
Standardising software. If everyone has the same machine, the IT team only has to support one setup.
Specialist software, like editing or design tools, can then come pre-installed.
Marketing. A free laptop is an easy thing to put on a prospectus. Therefore, it’s worth checking the small print rather than taking the headline at face value.
For instance, research from BestColleges links greater access to technology with higher academic performance, especially for first-generation college students.
Even so, a 2023-24 survey of 28,000 students found that over 30% struggled with coursework because they lacked a suitable digital device.
That gap is exactly what these schemes try to close.
15 universities that offer free laptops or loaned programmes
1. Dakota State University
Dakota State, in Madison, South Dakota, is one of the best-known names on this list.
The university, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, runs a free laptop programme for full-time freshmen.
Students get a new Dell Latitude laptop with the software they need already installed, according to Learn.org. Other students can borrow a refurbished machine while they study.
2. Full Sail University
Full Sail’s Project LaunchBox gives students in many degree programmes a laptop plus industry-specific software tailored to their field like media production or design, Learn.org reports.
It isn’t a separate freebie so much as a package built into your programme costs. Even so, for creative and technical courses, it can be genuinely useful kit.
3. University of Arkansas Grantham
This online-first university suits distance learners well. Eligible students receive a new Lenovo laptop running Windows 11 when they start their programme, and it comes with a two-year warranty, per AccreditedSchoolsOnline.
There’s a catch worth knowing about, though: the school sends the laptop only after a student finishes their first semester and enrols in a second.
If the agreement terms aren’t met, students must return the laptop or pay an estimated $450.
4. Seton Hall University
Seton Hall offers all full-time undergraduates a laptop to keep until graduation, according to Scholarships360. The cost is folded into enrolment rather than billed separately.
5. Moravian University
Moravian goes a step further than most. New students receive both a MacBook Pro and an iPad for their coursework, College Raptor notes. That’s handy if your course mixes note-taking, design work, and heavier computing tasks.
6. California State University, Bakersfield
CSU Bakersfield’s STEP scheme targets students who need it most. Research.com explains that the programme provides free loaner laptops to students with demonstrated financial need.
Other CSU campuses run their own versions too; for example, many CSU schools offer free semester-long loaner laptops to students who can show financial need.
7. University of California, Irvine
Rather than lending a machine, UCI puts money towards one. The university provides up to $2,000 in financial aid for eligible undergraduates to spend on a new laptop, according to Research.com.
As a result, you get to choose the model that actually suits your course.
8. San Diego State University
SDSU keeps things simple through its library. Students can check out free loaner laptops directly from the library, Research.com reports. This makes it a good backup option, even if you already own a machine that’s on the blink.
9. Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State runs one of the longest-standing schemes on this list. The university gives every student a laptop for their studies, which they must return at graduation.
Meanwhile, the university carries out free repairs for normal wear and tear, Research.com notes. It also pairs the laptop programme with a long-running textbook rental scheme, so the savings add up over a degree.
10. Duke University
Duke targets students who need it most through its DukeLIFE initiative. First-generation and low-income students can receive a high-end loaner laptop to use for all four years of their education, College Raptor explains.
11. University of Minnesota, Crookston
This campus takes an “everyone gets one” approach. Every on-campus, degree-seeking student receives a Lenovo ThinkPad to use while enrolled, according to College Raptor, which keeps things consistent across every course.
12. Valley City State University
Valley City State bundles the cost into fees rather than treating it as a separate freebie. Full-time students receive a MacBook Air or an HP ZBook Firefly G10 laptop, factored into their technology fees, College Raptor reports.
13. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Michigan’s offer targets a specific group of incoming students. The university contacts eligible students directly and gives them a free MacBook Air, which becomes theirs after their first semester, per College Raptor.
14. University of Texas at Austin
UT Austin’s “UT for Me” programme has been a genuine lifeline for lower-income students. Full-time Pell Grant students who started as first-time freshmen between Fall 2020 and Fall 2025 received a free laptop through the scheme.
However, details for future incoming classes are still being finalised, College Raptor notes. So, if you’re applying for 2026 entry, check directly with the financial aid office to see whether the scheme continues.
15. Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wentworth has run its scheme longer than most, since 2004. Today, every freshman receives an HP laptop, and each department decides which software and devices suit that major, according to College Consensus.
Quick comparison table
| University | What you get | Keep it or return it? | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota State University | Dell Latitude, software installed | Freshmen keep it; others borrow a refurbished unit | Full-time freshmen (others: loan) |
| Full Sail University | Laptop + major-specific software | Bundled into programme cost | Students in most degree programmes |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | Lenovo laptop, Windows 11 | Keep it after two semesters, or pay a fee | Online degree students |
| Seton Hall University | Laptop + software | Keep until graduation | All full-time undergraduates |
| Moravian University | MacBook Pro + iPad | Provided to new students | Incoming students |
| CSU Bakersfield | Loaner laptop | Return each semester | Students with demonstrated financial need |
| UC Irvine | Up to $2,000 towards a laptop | You own what you buy | Eligible undergraduates |
| San Diego State University | Loaner laptop | Return required | Any enrolled student |
| Northwest Missouri State University | University-issued laptop | Return at graduation | All students |
| Duke University (DukeLIFE) | High-end loaner laptop | Loan for all four years | First-generation/low-income students |
| University of Minnesota, Crookston | Lenovo ThinkPad | Loan while enrolled | All on-campus, degree-seeking students |
| Valley City State University | MacBook Air or HP ZBook | Bundled into tech fees | All full-time students |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MacBook Air | Yours after first semester | Selected incoming students |
| UT Austin (UT for Me) | Free laptop | Keep it | Pell Grant, first-time freshmen (check current status) |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | HP laptop | Provided to freshmen | All incoming freshmen |
Are there UK universities that offer free laptops?
Most of the headline free laptop schemes you’ll find online are American, because US universities often build technology into tuition packages in a way UK universities don’t.
However, that doesn’t mean UK students are left with nothing, it just works differently. Rather than a single list of universities that offer free laptops outright, UK support tends to fall into four categories:
Laptop loan schemes:Â Several universities lend out laptops rather than gifting them.
For example, the University of Strathclyde’s Digital Inclusion Programme is a technology loan scheme for UK-based students who lack access to a suitable PC or laptop, and it’s open to both undergraduates and postgraduates.
Similarly, the University of Glasgow runs a Laptop Loan Scheme through its student finance team.
Hardship and digital access funds: Rather than issuing a specific device, many universities give you money towards one.
The University of Reading’s Digital Support Fund offers grants of £400 per student for a laptop, peripherals, or broadband, aimed at students from areas of high deprivation with a household income below £27,000.
Likewise, Birkbeck’s Access to Digital Learning Fund can cover broadband costs plus essential equipment like a mouse, keyboard, or headset, though this particular fund doesn’t stretch to a full laptop.
Meanwhile, the University of Bristol’s Digital Support Fund helps students in financial hardship pay for IT equipment, and Bristol also runs a short-term emergency laptop loan service.
Vouchers for a specific model. Some universities issue a voucher rather than cash or a loan unit.
The University of Kent’s PC/laptop scheme issues vouchers for a predetermined model, currently the HP Elitebook 645 G11.
It’s worth noting, though, that students who need specialist software such as CAD may find this model doesn’t meet their course’s IT requirements.
Library laptop borrowing. This is the most widely available option, even at universities with no formal hardship laptop scheme.
At the University of South Wales, for instance, students can collect a laptop from any campus library on a first-come, first-served basis for a one-week loan.
If your UK university doesn’t advertise a laptop scheme on its main website, ask your student support or money advice team directly anyway. Hardship funds are often under-publicised and only open at certain points in the year.
Some schemes also confirm that this kind of support doesn’t count as public funds, so it shouldn’t affect an international student’s visa status, though you should always check this with your own university before applying.
Disabled students in the UK have an additional route worth knowing about too.
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) can pay for disability-specific study equipment, including a laptop, for students with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.
Things to check before you count on a free laptop
A laptop offer can look brilliant on a prospectus and turn out to be more complicated once you read the terms. Ask the admissions or IT office these questions directly:
- Is it actually free, or is it built into your fees? Some programmes technically charge you for the device through a technology fee, even though the marketing calls it free.
- Do you keep it, or does it go back? Loaner schemes are common. Returning a damaged or lost laptop can also come with a bill attached.
- What happens if you drop out or transfer? Programmes tied to a set number of semesters, like Arkansas Grantham’s, often expect the laptop back, or payment, if you leave early.
- Does the laptop actually suit your course? A general-use machine might struggle with video editing, 3D modelling, or engineering software. So, check your course’s technical requirements before you assume the university-issued laptop will cope.
If your university doesn’t offer one
Not every university runs a laptop scheme, and that’s fine.
There are still ways to bring the cost down:
- Library loans. Many university libraries run short-term laptop loan schemes, even without a formal “free laptop” programme.
- Manufacturer student discounts. Apple, Dell, and Lenovo all run education pricing. Lenovo, for instance, offers a discount to students who verify their status.
- Technology grants. Some universities, including UC Santa Barbara, offer a set amount of money towards buying or repairing a laptop rather than handing out a specific model.
- Charities and nonprofits. Organisations that refurbish and donate computers to students in need exist in most regions. So, it’s worth asking your student support office who they’d recommend locally.
Frequently asked questions
Do all students qualify? No. Not every university on a list of universities that offer free laptops treats all applicants the same.
Most schemes attach conditions, whether that’s financial need, being a first-year or incoming student, enrolling full-time, or studying a specific course.
A few universities, like Northwest Missouri State or Minnesota Crookston, issue a laptop to every enrolled student, but that’s the exception rather than the rule.
Always check the eligibility criteria on the university’s own page rather than assuming a scheme applies to you.
Can international students get a free laptop? Sometimes, but not always. Some US programmes welcome all enrolled students regardless of residency, while others, particularly need-based ones, restrict eligibility to domestic students or those on specific financial aid.
In the UK, schemes vary by university, and some hardship funds specifically exclude or include international students depending on their funding source. So, it’s worth asking directly.
As noted above, some UK universities confirm that this kind of support doesn’t count as “public funds” for visa purposes.
Are Apple laptops available? Yes, at some universities. Moravian University and Wentworth Institute of Technology, via department choice, have offered Apple devices, and Michigan’s scheme provides a MacBook Air.
However, many other programmes issue Windows laptops instead. If you need a Mac for your course, for example iOS development, check the specific model before you commit to a university on this basis.
What happens if the laptop is damaged? This depends entirely on the scheme. Loan programmes usually hold you responsible for accidental or intentional damage.
Some, like Arkansas Grantham’s, even charge a set fee, around $450, if you don’t return the laptop or complete the agreement.
Ownership schemes tend to be more forgiving; Northwest Missouri State, for example, offers free repairs for normal wear and tear.
Either way, read the loan agreement or terms and conditions before you sign.
Can online students qualify? Often, yes. In fact, several of the biggest programmes, including Dakota State, Arkansas Grantham, and Full Sail, target online or distance learners specifically, since they can’t rely on walking into a campus computer lab.
Can postgraduate students apply? It varies by scheme. Many US programmes target incoming undergraduates specifically.
By contrast, some UK loan schemes are more inclusive; Strathclyde’s Digital Inclusion Programme, for example, welcomes both undergraduates and postgraduates.
If a scheme’s eligibility page doesn’t mention postgraduates either way, email to ask rather than assume you’re excluded.
Summary
Among the universities that offer free laptops, the details matter more than the headline. A free or loaned laptop can still lift a real financial weight off your first year of university.
Some schemes hand you a laptop with no obligation beyond finishing your course; others are really a loan, or a fee dressed up as a gift.
So, before you pick a university on the strength of its laptop offer, read the actual terms on the university’s own financial aid or IT page.
Also, ask what happens if your circumstances change partway through your degree.
Programme details change from year to year, so always confirm current eligibility and terms directly with the university before you apply.