The Best Online Bookstores For Students

Reading for pleasure is one of the best things you can do, it gives us the imagination to explore new ideas, improves focus, empathy and communication skills as well as reduces stress and ultimately improves our mental health. 

There’s nothing better than cosying up in your student accommodation with a good book. Don’t you agree?

For those studying at university, you may need to purchase some reading material to be prepared for your course, or even if it’s not required to buy books, they are useful to help with your studies! 

If you’re wondering where to buy them without forking out tons of your student loan don’t worry as we are here to help.

Read on for the best online bookstores for students…

1. Waterstones

Waterstones is a book retailer that has many physical shops as well as an online shop.

They are one of the best known and popular bookstores in the UK, with an extensive range of books covering a wide range of topics and genres.

There’s even a membership card available which students can benefit from. With rewards like a stamp for every £10 spent – 10 stamps equal £10 to spend in store or online, seasonal offers, secret sales and enter prize draws.

If you add on the student membership card, it will give you all that plus an extra 5% off. How great is that?

So don’t hesitate, head to the website and get your discount!

2. Bookshop

Bookshop is a bookstore that supports independent bookshops and offers a wide selection of books.

If you choose a specific bookshop they receive 30% of the cover price (or almost all the profit) on your orders for a year. 

If you don’t choose a specific bookshop then 10% of the cover price of your order will contribute to an earnings pool which will be evenly distributed among the independent bookshops each month.

They also support anyone who advocates for books through their affiliate programme – 10% commission on every sale which gives a matching 10% to independent bookshops.

This is a great way for students to grab those required or wanted books whilst supporting their local bookshops! 

3. Wordery

Wordery is one of the fastest growing online bookshops that provide an alternative place to buy books for the lowest prices, offering over 10 million books and free delivery!

They are one of the few businesses that offer university level books for a variety of topics, so if you ever need a helping hand, Wordery is the place to go!

Whilst they don’t offer student discounts unfortunately, they do often have sales on, so keep a look out for the best price to save those pennies.

4. Monster Bookshop

Monster Bookshop is one of the best places to go to get great deals on both new and used books.

They offer a wide selection of books at the most affordable prices with free delivery for the UK.

There is also the possibility of recycling books with them, so if you have any books you don’t want any more, get in touch with them to get it sorted.

This online bookstore doesn’t offer any student discount, but make sure you keep checking for sales or discounts they may offer throughout the year. 

Also you may want to consider mainly buying second hand from them as they do sell for less than brand new copies.

5. Blackwell’s

Blackwell’s are expert booksellers with 140 years of selling a broad selection of titles.

It is one of the largest academic and specialist bookshops in the UK, with a variety of education books for all levels to choose from.

They do occasionally offer student discounts but it seems to be only available in store.

However, if you sign up they will send offers through which should be taken advantage of where possible.

With a fast dispatch rate, carefully packaged for a safe delivery and worldwide shipping – what’s not to love?

6. Browns Books

Browns Books supply books and eBooks to schools and libraries but have now also set up for personal orders too.

With plenty of Academic books available, you’re bound to find what you are looking for as well as save some pounds by taking advantage of their cheap rates.

But don’t just stop there, check out their Instagram for their most recent offers – their most recent so far is 40% off Pearson books.

So don’t hesitate, grab that offer before it goes and get learning!

Plus with orders over £50 you get free delivery, so get ordering.

7. Hive

If there is one place you need to buy your books from, it’s Hive!

Similar to Bookshop, they support independent bookshops by giving them a chance to be seen online, and you can choose which bookshop you want to support – how amazing is that?

If you are wondering how it works, Hive is connected to hundreds of independent bookshops across the UK.

You can search through to find one near you to visit or collect from, and even support no matter how you choose to buy.

Hive gives them a cut from every sale from the minimum of 10% to 25% for store collection.

And that’s not it – students, apprentices and people aged 16-26 can get 10% discount via Student Beans and Youth Discount.

8. Foyles

Foyles is one the biggest independent bookshops in the UK.

It has a wide selection of titles available online which can be collected from the store or delivered to your house.

They have a Loyalty scheme – spend £10 in store or online to get a stamp. Once you have ten stamps, you earn £10 to spend on your next purchase.

What’s even better is students get an extra 5% off both in store and online – so go get those books!

Well there you go…those are our best online bookstores for students. Don’t miss out on all those discounts you could get and save those pennies.

Speaking of studying, if you struggle to determine which pieces of knowledge are the most important to write down during lectures, then check out our tips and tricks on how to write notes effectively. You will soon be a pro.