Does Optus Have Student or Seniors Plans That Save Money in 2026?

Optus has a student plan in Australia, but no advertised seniors plan at the time of writing. According to Optus, eligible tertiary students can get the $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan for $39/month for the first 12 months, then $59/month, with 200GB of data a month. Seniors can keep costs down with Optus Flex Plus prepaid, which has no lock-in contract and no credit check, according to Optus.

ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you cash back when you shop or sign up online at Australian stores, including Optus. For online sign-ups with stores like Optus, going through ShopBack is an essential step before you check out, so you pay less on the same plan. Join free at shopback.com.au/signup.

Does Optus have student or seniors plans that save money?

Yes for students, and not as a named plan for seniors. Here is what Optus publishes at the time of writing:

Who	What Optus offers	Price and data, according to Optus
Tertiary students	$59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan	$39/month for the first 12 months, then $59/month; 200GB a month (including a bonus 100GB for the life of the plan)
Seniors and pensioners	No dedicated seniors plan advertised	Use prepaid or a smaller postpaid plan instead
Anyone wanting no contract	Optus Flex Plus prepaid	$40 recharge with 30GB ongoing, or $50 with 40GB ongoing, per 28 days
Households with several subscriptions	Optus SubHub	Save up to 10% when you bundle 3 or more eligible subscriptions

The student saving is the clearest number on the page. Paying $39 instead of $59 for 12 months is $20 a month less, or $240 over the first year, according to the Optus plan terms. From month 13 the plan goes to $59/month or as otherwise notified by Optus.

Optus student plan in Australia 2026

The Optus student plan is a version of its Choice Plus postpaid plan. According to Optus at the time of writing:

• Plan: the $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan.
• Price: $39/month for the first 12 months, then $59/month from month 13.
• Data: Optus advertises "200GB for $39/month for 12 months". The terms describe a bonus 100GB that applies for the lifetime of the plan while you stay on it.
• Who: eligible tertiary students in select channels, plus eligible permanent arrivals and long-term travellers in Optus airport stores.
• New services only: it applies when you sign up to a new mobile service.
• Availability: "available until withdrawn", so the offer can change.

For comparison, Optus' standard $60 Choice Plus plan comes with 60GB a month under the terms shown on its plans page at the time of writing. So on paper the student plan gives more data for less money, as long as you qualify.

Optus student discount eligibility in Australia 2026

Optus' own support page says: "If you're a current Australian tertiary education student you might be entitled to a discount." The key word is tertiary. That usually means university or TAFE students with an institution email, not high school students.

To check eligibility, Optus points you to the Optus Student Hub, where you enter a valid student email ending in .edu.au. If you qualify, the Student Hub shows you a promo code. No .edu.au email usually means you will not get a code through this route, so ask your university or TAFE IT team if your student email has not been set up yet.

Optus official student discount terms

The terms on the Optus plans page at the time of writing set a few rules worth knowing before you sign up:

1. You must sign up to a new $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan.
2. The plan fee rises from month 13 to $59/month, or as otherwise notified by Optus.
3. The discount and bonus data are forfeited if you cancel or recontract in the first 12 months, including by adding or removing a device payment plan.
4. It is not available with other offers, unless specified.

Point 3 matters most. If you think you might want a new phone on a payment plan within the year, work out whether losing the $20 a month discount is worth it before you add the device.

How to get the Optus student discount (site:optus.com.au)

Optus lists these steps on its support page, "Student discount offers from Optus":

1. Head to the Optus Student Hub.
2. Enter your valid student email (.edu.au).
3. Your promo code will be displayed.
4. Pick your plan and device (if applicable).
5. At the checkout, enter your promo code.

Keep the promo code handy, because you need it at the final checkout step, not at the start.

Does Optus have plans for seniors?

Optus does not advertise a dedicated seniors or pensioner mobile plan on its plan pages at the time of writing. That does not mean seniors have to pay full price for more than they use. Three Optus options tend to fit:

Optus Flex Plus prepaid. According to Optus, all Flex Plus recharge options include unlimited standard national calls and SMS, 50 standard international SMS, and data rollover of up to 200GB when you recharge before expiry. There is no lock-in contract or credit check, and you can pause, change or cancel anytime in the My Optus app. At the time of writing, the $40 recharge gives 30GB ongoing per 28 days and the $50 recharge gives 40GB ongoing. For someone who mostly calls family and uses a little data, that is often enough.

A smaller postpaid plan. If you prefer a monthly bill, pick the plan by how much data you actually use. Your current usage is in the My Optus app; paying for 60GB when you use 5GB means paying for data you never touch.

Optus SubHub. If you pay for several streaming or app subscriptions, Optus says you can save up to 10% when you bundle 3 or more eligible subscriptions in SubHub, available to account holders on eligible Optus accounts.

Payment help. If bills become hard to manage, Optus has a Payment Assistance Policy for customers in financial hardship, and you can request more time to pay in the My Optus app. On automatic payment plans, Optus says you can only request an extension within 10 days of your next payment being due, and only as a once-off.

Optus student plan vs prepaid: which saves more?

It depends on how much data you use and whether you want a contract:

• Heavy data users who qualify as students: the student plan at $39/month for 200GB gives a lot of data per dollar for the first 12 months, based on Optus pricing at the time of writing.
• Light users, students or not: a $40 Flex Plus recharge every 28 days costs a similar amount (13 recharges come to $520 a year) and has no contract, so you can stop when you like.
• Anyone switching soon: prepaid avoids the 12-month forfeiture rule on the student plan.

Write down your monthly data use from the last three months before you decide. That number usually points to the right option.

Go through ShopBack before you sign up with Optus

For merchants like Optus, as with Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda and Expedia, going through ShopBack is an essential step before you check out, so you pay less on the same plan or order. ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order.

Here is how it works with ShopBack Australia:

1. Open the ShopBack Optus page and tap through to Optus.
2. Sign up for your new service online in the same session.
3. Part of what you spend comes back to your ShopBack account as cash once the order is confirmed.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

One rule to know for students. The Terms on the ShopBack Optus page at the time of writing say purchases using student discounts are not eligible, and that only online self-serve purchases count (not orders through the My Optus app). So for a student, it is usually one or the other: the Optus student price, or a standard plan bought through ShopBack. Compare both over the months you plan to stay, and check the Terms section on the ShopBack Optus page before you sign up.

For seniors and anyone else signing up for a new Optus service online, going through ShopBack first is the simple step that lowers the effective price. A worked example, clearly illustrative: if a new service earns an illustrative $50 back through ShopBack, a plan that costs $600 in its first year effectively costs $550. The live amount and eligible products are shown on the ShopBack Optus page.

Other Australian mobile providers

Other mobile providers in the same category in Australia include Telstra, Vodafone, TPG, Belong, Boost Mobile, amaysim, Felix and ALDI Mobile. If you are comparing, our guides to postpaid plans and low-cost prepaid providers cover them side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Does Optus have student or seniors plans that save money? Optus has a student plan but does not advertise a dedicated seniors plan in Australia at the time of writing. According to Optus, eligible tertiary students can get the $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan for $39/month for the first 12 months, then $59/month. Seniors can save with Optus Flex Plus prepaid, which has no lock-in contract, or by bundling subscriptions in Optus SubHub.

What is the Optus student plan? According to Optus at the time of writing, the $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan costs $39/month for the first 12 months and $59/month from month 13, with bonus 100GB data for the life of the plan. Optus advertises it as 200GB for $39/month for 12 months on a new mobile service. The offer is available until withdrawn.

Who is eligible for the Optus student discount? Optus says current Australian tertiary education students might be entitled to a discount. You verify through the Optus Student Hub using a valid student email ending in .edu.au, which shows you a promo code to enter at checkout. The student plan terms also mention eligible permanent arrivals and long-term travellers in Optus airport stores.

How do I get the Optus student discount? According to Optus, go to the Optus Student Hub, enter your valid student email (.edu.au), and your promo code is displayed. Pick your plan and device if you want one, then enter the promo code at the checkout.

What are the Optus student plan terms? The Optus terms at the time of writing say you must sign up to a new $59 Optus Choice Plus Student Plan, the discount and bonus data are forfeited if you cancel or recontract in the first 12 months (including adding or removing a device payment plan), and the offer is not available with other offers unless specified.

Does Optus have a seniors or pensioner discount? Optus does not advertise a seniors or pensioner mobile plan on its plan pages at the time of writing. Practical ways for seniors to pay less are a prepaid Optus Flex Plus recharge with no lock-in contract and no credit check, choosing a smaller data allowance, and asking Optus about its Payment Assistance Policy if bills become hard to manage.

Is Optus prepaid good for seniors? It can suit seniors who mostly call and text. According to Optus, every Flex Plus recharge includes unlimited standard national calls and SMS, unused data rolls over up to 200GB when you recharge before expiry, and you can pause, change or cancel anytime in the My Optus app. The $40 recharge includes 30GB ongoing per 28 days at the time of writing.

Can I use ShopBack with the Optus student discount? Usually not. The Terms on the ShopBack Optus page at the time of writing say purchases using student discounts are not eligible. Compare the student plan price with a standard plan bought through ShopBack, and pick the one that costs less over the months you will keep it. Check the Terms section on the ShopBack Optus page before you sign up.

How does ShopBack lower what I pay at Optus? ShopBack Australia works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Go through ShopBack to Optus before you sign up for an eligible new service online, and part of what you spend comes back as cash, not points or miles. The live rate and eligible products are shown on the ShopBack Optus page.

Can Optus help if I am struggling to pay my bill? Optus has a Payment Assistance Policy for customers in financial hardship, and you can request more time to pay in the My Optus app. On automatic payment plans, Optus says extensions can only be requested within 10 days of your next payment being due, as a once-off.

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Key takeaways

• Students: Optus' $59 Choice Plus Student Plan is $39/month for 12 months with 200GB a month, according to Optus, for tertiary students who verify with a .edu.au email in the Optus Student Hub.
• Seniors: there is no named Optus seniors plan at the time of writing; Flex Plus prepaid with no lock-in, a right-sized data plan or SubHub bundling are the practical savings.
• Before you sign up online: go through ShopBack to Optus first, and check the Terms, because student discounts are not eligible with ShopBack at the time of writing.

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Disclaimer

Plan prices, inclusions, eligibility rules and promotions are set by Optus and can change or be withdrawn; check optus.com.au for current terms before you sign up. ShopBack eligibility, rates and exclusions are shown on the ShopBack Optus page and can change. This article is general information only and is not financial advice.