The ethics of using a student id when you're no longer a student.

[Red Herring]

In my experience, the account is usually kept open at least 1-2 years afterwards for alumni status in America. And here, it can cost anywhere between $10K-$60K+ a year for university.

In Germany people went to the streets when tuition fees of about 500 Euros per semester were introduced.

A few years later most federal states abandoned them again.

You also get student support money from the state if your parents' income is below a certain level. Half of that money has to be repayed after graduation, the other half is a non-repayable subsidy.

 

[Yama]

Save a few bucks and put it towards your ridiculous student debt

 

[Coriolis]

I would consider it unethical.

The discounts are meant to help out those in need and are usually indirectly financed by the taxpayer and/or those paying full price.

For context: In my country universities are tuition-free. So it's not like you paid a fortune to earn the status of "student" and no have to "get the most out of it". Museums etc that offer a discount to students usually also offer it to the unemployed, the disabled and the retired. So if you are fresh out of uni and still looking for your first job, you might still get some of those discounts anyway.

The cost of many activities that offer student discounts - concerts, museum admission, etc. - here is often prohibitive for large segments of society, far beyond students. This includes people in lower wage jobs, families supporting children or elders who aren't very wealthy, etc. On top of this, many orchestras and museums in my area complain about dwindling audiences, yet no one puts two and two together. I think everyone should be able to enjoy the arts, and find it unfortunate that cost is so often a barrier. So yes - if someone can get a cheap ticket with an old student ID, I'm all for it. If it gives them the chance to develop an appreciation for music or art so they support it financially later when they are able, it is worth it for everyone.

 

[Morpeko]

It's a lie and therefore technically unethical in my opinion, but I'd probably do it anyway because it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I've been ripped off too many times in the past, might as well rip others off too.