From the best dupes to student discounts…

Heading to uni? Whether you’re at Glasgow University, Strathclyde, Caledonian, Glasgow School of Art or City of Glasgow College, Glasgow Fort is your go-to place for student discounts, fashion, beauty and homewares, food and nights out.

To get you started this term, we’ve put together the essential stores, student offers and insider knowledge you need to know (sign up to our newsletters here for extra info too).

The best student discounts and offers

Sign up to UNiDays and Student Beans for discounts at Glasgow Fort stores including New Look, Office, Foot Locker, Next, Superdry, JD Sports, Footasylum, River Island, schuh, TK Maxx, Ann Summers and more. Also Vision Express and Specsavers do excellent discounts for students.

Don’t miss our offers page (you can filter by student) which lists all the latest discounts from Fuel Juice Bar, Jack & Jones, Quiz, Greggs, Stack & Still, Waterstones and Three. There are ever-changing offers so it’s worth bookmarking.

Get all the discount vouchers out there

Clear out unwanted clothes and shoes, save the planet and get vouchers or money off your purchases at H&M, Marks & Spencer (donate an old M&S item at an Oxfam store), schuh and River Island. Lush encourages you to bring back five empty pots for either a free face mask or discount in-store.

Image provided by River Island

Maxing out your birthday has become TikTok legend so get organised by signing up to loyalty schemes everywhere… Then head to Mango, Hobbycraft and The Body Shop to spend your free £5 birthday vouchers or get 25% off one item at H&M, 10% off at Pandora, extra points at Boots and a Superdrug surprise.

Hungry? Greggs will cheerfully give you a free sweet treat, Costa a free slice of cake while you can get in the party mood with a free cocktail at Fridays.

Food, drink and evenings out

Glasgow Fort is home to Costa, Greggs, Frankie & Benny’s, Stack & Still, Five Guys, Fridays, Nando’s and Monterey Jacks which all offer excellent student reductions on meals out with friends. Vue always offers student prices and, if you get your insurance via comparethemarket.com, you’ll be able to get two-for-one Meerkat Movie tickets on Tuesday or Wednesdays for the whole year.

Image provided by Frankie & Benny’s

Amazing student tech deals on laptops and phones

O2 have 20% off plans and accessories; Three offer a whopping 50% for students via UNiDAYs and Save The Student; Vodafone has 10% off and EE & BT give 20% off. Argos have everything covered in terms of tech essentials with special offers on laptop bundles (from £239); Bluetooth headphones and speakers, printers, iPads, cables, keyboards and mice with brands including Apple, Logitech, Samsung, HP, Canon and Sony.

Insider fashion and beauty and the best trending dupes

As much as we’d all like a designer wardrobe, we’re working on a budget here so let’s all celebrate the rise of the dupe. Accessories-wise River Island and New Look are leading the way with handbags, totes and shoppers that conjure up the aesthetic of everyone from Balenciaga to Vivienne Westwood; H&M has some gorgeous muted shapewear and bodysuits while schuh has pleasing flatform sandals in a rainbow of colours.

Image provided by H&M

Marks & Spencer’s breakout fragrances include Pink Pepper and Velvet Amber (£6) plus their Ultimate Cleanse Rose Cleansing Balm (£12) is the thinking alternative to beauty hall icons. Mango has earrings, boots and bags that wouldn’t look out of place at city fashion weeks.

Also, don’t forget elf at Boots and Superdrug which has everything from bronzers and brow gels giving the major names a run for their money; Avène’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, £7 at Boots, has been likened to luxe brand La Mer and Collection Gorgeous Glow Filter Finish, £7.99, is giving flawless finishes.

Image provided by Avène’s

Glasgow Fort is also home to indie stores including Forty Clothing, and Jack & Jones for unique finds.

Stationery and books galore

Waterstones plus student lets you earn points as you shop (every 10 plus stamps you earn gives you £10) with 5% of every purchase so it’s an essential for text books and research. For diaries, notebooks, pens and post-its, head to TK Maxx and Hobbycraft.

Student living made easy

For throws, bedding, cushions, cutlery, storage and laundry bags, head to Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx, Asda Living and Next. Fairy lights, photo collages (see Hobbycraft), jewellery storage, over door hooks and rugs can transform your space from bland to bespoke.

Image provided by Asda Home

Keep food and drink in your bedroom with a mini fridge (from £44 at Argos); get pots and pans, plates and cutlery from ProCook; quickly and easily dry your washing with a handy clothes airer (see Asda Living or pick up a heated one at Argos from £55) and make sure your phone/laptop are charged wherever you go with a portable battery (Argos and Menkind). Argos is also brilliant for small space living with bed-desks, foldable washing baskets and more…

The freshers’ essentials

Earplugs for those first few weeks; Vitamin C to ward off freshers’ flu plus ibuprofen (always invest in the own labels from Boots, Holland & Barrett and Superdrug); dressing gown, onesies, slippers and crocs at schuh, Marks & Spencer and H&M; a hot water bottle, plasters and a big water bottle will see you through everything (Poundland has you covered). Don’t forget vital self-care from Rituals and The Body Shop.

Image provided by The Body Shop

Happy new term!

For all the latest student deals, offers and discounts to know, sign up to our newsletter here.