The best iPad for students attending school, college, or university is the optimal iPad. Apple’s line of tablets are known for being slim and light, which makes them great for carrying around campus. When great accessories like a keyboard or stylus are added to these iPads, they become flexible devices that can do many things.
With a good iPad keyboard or a keyboard case that protects the screen and lets it be used as a keyboard, students can use their iPads as laptop replacements. This feature is especially helpful when you have to write a long essay. Students who like to be creative can easily turn their iPad into a great digital drawing tablet by using a stylus with it.
The result is a responsive and easy-to-use platform for making digital art, so you don’t need a separate drawing tablet (though we also have a guide to the best drawing tablets if you want to look at other options). Also, iPads are great at making content viewing immersive and web browsing smooth, which makes them great for entertainment and online exploration. Below we have mentioned the best iPad for students.
Best iPad for Students Comparison Table
| Specification | iPad Mini | iPad Pro | iPad (9th generation) | iPad Air | iPad 10.2-inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 7.9 inches | 11 or 12.9 inches | 10.2 inches | 10.9 inches | 10.2 inches |
| Display Resolution | 2048 x 1536 pixels | 2388 x 1668 or 2732 x 2048 pixels | 2160 x 1620 pixels | 2360 x 1640 pixels | 2160 x 1620 pixels |
| Processor | A15 Bionic chip | M1 chip | A13 Bionic chip | A14 Bionic chip | A13 Bionic chip |
| Storage Options | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB | 64GB, 256GB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 32GB, 128GB |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB or 16GB | 3GB | 4GB or 6GB | 3GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP | 12MP or 12MP + 10MP | 8MP | 12MP | 8MP |
| Front Camera | 7MP | 12MP | 12MP | 7MP | 1.2MP |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular |
| Apple Pencil | 1st generation | 2nd generation | 1st generation | 2nd generation | 1st generation |
| Weight | 0.66 lbs (Wi-Fi) or 0.68 lbs (Wi-Fi + Cellular) | 1.03 lbs (11-inch) or 1.5 lbs (12.9-inch) | 1.09 lbs (Wi-Fi) or 1.1 lbs (Wi-Fi + Cellular) | 1.0 lbs (Wi-Fi) or 1.01 lbs (Wi-Fi + Cellular) | 1.08 lbs (Wi-Fi) or 1.09 lbs (Wi-Fi + Cellular) |
| Operating System | iPadOS | iPadOS | iPadOS | iPadOS | iPadOS |
iPad Mini
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Display | 7.9-inch Retina display |
| Processor | A15 Bionic chip with Neural Engine |
| Storage Options | 64GB or 256GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide camera |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth camera |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours of usage |
| Operating System | iPadOS 15 |
An iPad Mini is the most portable thing you can think of. But don’t be fooled by its small size; this.The 65-pound tablet can do more than its size would suggest. With an edge-to-edge screen, Apple left out the extra material to make a design that looks like it has almost no borders. Even though the name says “mini,” the screen has “mega” color. It has a Liquid Retina display with True Tone, a P3 wide color, and an anti-reflective coating to make the picture even clearer.
The pictures on the screen don’t mean anything if there aren’t strong sounds to go along with them. This iPad Mini has four speakers in landscape mode, two on the top and two on the bottom. When it is standing up in landscape mode, you can hear everything without having to cup your hand around the speakers. Overall, it is one of the best iPad for students that you can buy.
Pros
- Compact and portable size
- Powerful A15 Bionic chip
- High-quality camera system
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Smaller screen size may not be suitable for all use cases
- Limited storage options compared to other iPad models
iPad Pro
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Display | 11-inch or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display |
| Processor | M1 chip with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU |
| Storage Options | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP Wide camera and 10MP Ultra Wide camera |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth camera |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours of usage |
| Operating System | iPadOS 15 |
Apple fans know that the company hasn’t made a laptop with a touch screen yet, but this iPad Pro almost changes that. Even though it’s not a laptop, this iPad’s M2 chip can make it a good replacement for your computer. This chip has CPU speeds that are 15% faster, GPU speeds that are 35% faster, and a Neural Engine that is 40% faster, giving it 50% more memory bandwidth. Thus, it is one of the best iPad for students that you can buy.
In today’s schools, it’s important to have a clear front-facing camera for any Zoom meetings you might have to attend. Luckily, this iPad Pro has a 12MP UltraWide camera with Center Stage, which keeps you in the middle of the picture at all times. But on the back, which faces you, there are two cameras: one 12MP wide camera and one 10MP UltraWide camera. With such powerful cameras, it only takes a few taps on the Liquid Retina screen to put together videos, short films, and school projects.
Pros
- Versatile camera system
- Wide range of storage options
- Thunderbolt and USB 4 support
- Enhanced audio with four-speaker system
Cons
- Higher price compared to other iPad models
- Larger size may not be convenient for all users
iPad (9th generation)
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Display | 10.2-inch Retina display |
| Processor | A13 Bionic chip |
| Storage Options | 64GB or 256GB |
| Rear Camera | 8MP camera |
| Front Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide camera |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours of usage |
| Operating System | iPadOS 15 |
I just finished college, so I know how important it is to stick to a budget. This iPad from the 9th generation is great for people who want a powerful Apple product but have less than $500 to spend. Still, it is one of the best iPad for students that you can buy.
Even though this iPad doesn’t have a nearly borderless design like some of the newer ones on this list, the 10.9-inch screen gives you plenty of room to draw or write with your Apple Pencil and connect the Smart Keyboard to completely change the way you use your iPad. Last but not least, don’t worry if you need to take this iPad with you. You can connect this iPad to your cell phone service provider so you can get Gigabit-class LTE anywhere.
Pros
- Affordable entry-level iPad
- Good performance with A13 Bionic chip
- Adequate storage options
- Improved front camera
Cons
- Display size may be small for some tasks
- Older rear camera technology
iPad Air
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Display | 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display |
| Processor | A14 Bionic chip |
| Storage Options | 64GB or 256GB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP camera |
| Front Camera | 7MP FaceTime HD camera |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours of usage |
| Operating System | iPadOS 15 |
The Air also works with the 2nd Generation of Apple Pencil, so taking notes is as easy as clipping the stylus on and off when you need to. This is, of course, if you buy the accessory, which we list at the bottom of this page. For now, it is one of the best iPad for students that you can buy.
The screen is nice and bright, and even though it doesn’t have a 120Hz refresh rate like the iPad Pro, the LCD is very easy on the eyes and does a pro-level job of showing colors. How long the battery lasts depends on how you use it, but we got up to 10 hours of general tasks and browsing. Of course, it will go down faster if you play games.
Pros
- Sleek and lightweight design
- Powerful A14 Bionic chip
- Large and vibrant display
- High-quality camera system
Cons
- Limited storage options compared to iPad Pro
- Front camera resolution could be improved
iPAad 10.2-inch
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 10.2 inches |
| Display | Retina display |
| Resolution | 2160 x 1620 |
| Chip | A12 Bionic |
| Storage Options | 32GB, 128GB |
| Operating System | iPadOS |
| Camera | 8MP rear, 1.2MP front |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
This option looks more like the older iPads because it has a home button and wider bezels than the newer ones. However, the screen is nice enough, and its brightness makes images stand out. Also helpful is that it works with the 1st Gen Apple Pencil.
This is a great way to get creative if you want to take notes or use one of the many great art apps. The first Apple Pencil is harder to charge and doesn’t attach to the iPad, so we much, much prefer the second generation with the iPad Air. However, the first generation works great for drawing and writing.
Even though the cameras aren’t anything special, like most iPad cameras, the battery life is. It will give you 10 hours of light browsing and use, so you won’t have to worry about finding a plug point all the time. Overall, it is one of the best iPad for students that you can buy.
Pros
- Impressive battery life for all-day usage
- Relatively lightweight for easy portability
Cons
- Lack of USB-C port, instead featuring a Lightning connector
FAQs
Yes, iPads are great tools for taking notes. They have many apps, including Apple’s built-in Notes app and third-party apps like GoodNotes, Notability, and OneNote, which have advanced features like handwriting recognition, annotation, and organization tools. Also, iPads can be used with the Apple Pencil, which lets you write more naturally and with more accuracy. Whether you like to type your notes or write them by hand, an iPad can be a useful tool for students.
Yes, Microsoft Office can be used on an iPad. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are among the Microsoft Office apps for iOS devices that can be downloaded from the App Store. With these apps, you can use your iPad to create, edit, and view documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and notes, just like you would with the popular Office software. Using Microsoft Office on an iPad is similar to using it on a computer, but some advanced features may not be as available as on a computer.
Yes, digital textbooks can be read on iPads. There are a few different ways to get to textbooks on an iPad. One option is to use e-reader apps like Apple Books, Kindle, or Nook, which let you buy and download digital textbooks directly onto your device. Some publishers also have apps that you can use to get to their textbooks. Also, many schools and online platforms give students access to digital textbooks through their own apps or websites. Using an iPad for textbooks has benefits like being portable, easy to search, and the ability to highlight and make notes on text electronically.
