Costco Student Membership

There is no separate “student membership” tier at Costco. Students join the same Gold Star membership everyone else gets, which costs $65 a year. The Executive tier costs $130 a year ($65 base plus a $65 upgrade) and adds a 2% annual reward. To stretch your money, verify your student status through UNiDAYS, SheerID, or ID.me and sign up online during a new-member promo. As of May 2026, new members who join online get a Digital Costco Shop Card worth $20 (Gold Star) or $40 (Executive), so a Gold Star year nets out near $45.

Below are the real ways students cut the cost, plus how to shop Costco with no membership at all.

How much does a Costco membership cost?

Costco raised its fees on September 1, 2024, the first increase since 2017. The current prices are:

• Gold Star: $65 per year. This is the standard membership and the one students use.
• Executive: $130 per year. That is the $65 Gold Star fee plus a $65 upgrade, and it earns a 2% annual reward on most purchases (capped at $1,250).

Source: CNN and Costco’s own upgrade page.

Is there a Costco student discount?

Costco does not run a student-only price. What it does run is a new-member promotion that students can stack on top of student verification services.

Here is how to use it:

1. Go to UNiDAYS, SheerID, or ID.me and verify your enrollment with your student email or student ID. Verification takes a few minutes to 24 hours.
2. Follow the link to join Costco online as a new member.
3. Pick Gold Star ($65) or Executive ($130) and set up auto-renewal on a Visa or Mastercard, which the promo requires.

New members get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card (Gold Star) or $40 Digital Costco Shop Card (Executive), delivered by email within about two weeks. A Gold Star year then costs you about $45. The current promo runs through about July 5, 2026 — check the live end date before you count on it, since Costco rotates these deals. The offer is for brand-new members or anyone who has not held a Costco membership in the last 18 months.

Sources: DealNews and UNiDAYS.

Can you shop at Costco without a membership?

Yes, for some things. A membership is not required for every purchase. Use these methods when you do not want to pay the annual fee.

Use a Costco Shop Card

Anyone can pay with a Costco Shop Card at any U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico warehouse and on Costco.com, even without a membership. The catch: only an active member can buy or reload one for you.

Ask a friend who already has a membership to buy a Shop Card at the customer service counter on your behalf. You can load $25 to $2,000 on it. Reloading requires a trip to a physical warehouse.

Two things to know. Online orders placed by non-members add a 5% surcharge over the member price. And the card carries real cash value, so losing it is the same as losing money.

Shop with a member

Members can bring up to two guests into the warehouse, but only the member can pay at checkout. Tag along with a member friend, then settle up — pay your share on your own card at the register, or reimburse them after.

A Sam’s Club membership may fit a frequent shopper better, since its new-member deals also bundle a bonus gift card.

Order through Instacart

Instacart delivers from Costco without a membership. Prices run higher than in-store, and you pay service fees, delivery fees, and a tip. There is a $35 order minimum.

Enter your Costco membership number at checkout, and you unlock extra savings and Costco Rewards. Without one, you still get the items — you skip the member pricing.

Shop online at Costco.com

Non-members can buy from Costco.com. Items marked “Members Only,” the monthly coupon books, and member-only discounts stay locked.

Non-member orders add a 5% surcharge on top of the member price. Perishables cannot ship the way they sell in-store because of transit time. The math still works if your Costco-only items beat other stores even with the surcharge — roughly, you come out ahead skipping the $65 fee if you spend under about $1,300 a year as a non-member.

Buy alcohol

Some states bar membership clubs from limiting alcohol sales to members. In those states you can buy beer, wine, and spirits at Costco without joining. They include:

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New York
• Texas
• Vermont

Rules vary by location, so call your local warehouse to confirm before you drive over. Costco’s Kirkland Signature spirits and its wine selection often beat other stores on price.

Fill a prescription or get a vaccine

Federal and state law requires Costco to serve everyone at the pharmacy, so you do not need a membership to fill a prescription in-store or online. Pay with cash, debit, a Costco Shop Card, or Visa at the pharmacy counter. You can order online, ship to your home, and set up auto-refills. Pet medications are available too.

The Costco Member Prescription Program adds an extra discount, but that one requires membership.

Costco also offers low-cost vaccinations and immunizations to non-members. Walk-ins are accepted, though Costco recommends booking ahead. Bring your insurance card, since some plans cover the shot.

Eat at the food court

The food court is open to anyone in some warehouses, and a $1.50 hot dog combo or large pizza feeds a group for under $10. Where access is members-only, a member can buy for the group. Either way it beats fast food on price.

How do you earn back the membership fee?

A membership pays for itself fast if you use a few departments. Here is where the savings add up.

Buy gasoline

Costco gas usually runs well below nearby stations — often 20 cents or more per gallon. At 20 cents off and 20 gallons a fill-up, that is $4 saved per visit. Fill up once a week and you save roughly $200 a year, more than covering the Gold Star fee. The lines are the trade-off.

Earn Costco and credit card rewards

Executive members earn a 2% annual reward on most purchases, capped at $1,250. Spending about $6,500 a year ($65 upgrade ÷ 2%) covers the upgrade cost on rewards alone. Gas, Shop Cards, alcohol (state-dependent), prescriptions (state-dependent), and food court purchases do not earn the reward.

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi stacks more cash back for any paid member:

• 4% on eligible gas and EV charging up to $7,000 a year, then 1%
• 3% on restaurants and eligible travel
• 2% on all other Costco and Costco.com purchases
• 1% on everything else

The card doubles as your membership ID at no extra cost.

Buy discounted gift cards and movie tickets

Costco sells gift cards to restaurants and attractions below face value, both in-store and online. Buying $100 in gift cards for around $80 is common, so a couple of purchases can offset a full membership year.

Book travel through Costco

Costco Travel books rental cars, hotels, flights, and cruises with member-only rates. Avis and Budget rentals booked through Costco Travel can include a $20 Costco Shop Card, and the site’s Low-Price Finder applies the best discount code automatically. Additional-driver fees are often waived. Final pricing shows before you book, with no hidden add-ons.

Refer a friend

Costco periodically runs a Refer-a-Friend offer that gives both the existing member and the new member a Digital Costco Shop Card when the friend signs up. Both people need to be present at the membership counter. The new member must be brand-new or lapsed for at least 18 months. Check Costco.com for the current referral terms, since the reward amount and dates change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Costco student membership?

No. Costco has no student-only tier. Students join the standard Gold Star membership for $65 a year. The savings come from verifying your student status through UNiDAYS, SheerID, or ID.me and signing up during a new-member promo that includes a Digital Costco Shop Card.

How much is a Costco membership in 2026?

Gold Star costs $65 a year and Executive costs $130 a year. These prices took effect September 1, 2024.

How do students get the Costco shop card?

Verify your enrollment at UNiDAYS, SheerID, or ID.me with your student email or ID, then join Costco online as a new member with auto-renewal set up. New Gold Star members get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card and Executive members get a $40 card, delivered by email within about two weeks.

Can you shop at Costco without a membership?

Yes, for some purchases. You can use a Costco Shop Card, order through Instacart, buy from Costco.com with a 5% surcharge, fill prescriptions, get vaccines, and buy alcohol in states that require open sales. You cannot buy most warehouse items at the register without a member.

Do students get free Costco delivery?

No. Delivery terms are the same for everyone. Same-day Instacart delivery is free over the order minimum for new Instacart customers, but it is not a student perk.

What happens if I cancel my Costco membership?

Costco refunds your full membership fee at any time if you are not satisfied. That guarantee makes trying a membership low-risk.

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