Sure, most college students need a laptop these days, but having a tablet on hand can give a student an extra edge — a more portable option that can easily be taken to classes, used while lying in bed, or just serve as a lighter-weight tool when a full-featured laptop or Chromebook isn’t required.

Since iPads can automatically sync with iCloud, iPhones and MacBooks, all important information is always available when and where it’s needed. When a student combines the capabilities of an iPad with an optional keyboard and Apple Pencil stylus, it becomes an even more versatile and powerful tool. Best of all, the entry-level, Wi-Fi-only iPad (10th generation) with 64GB of storage is now priced at just $300.

Once you choose an iPad model for back-to-school, you’ll need to decide how much storage the tablet will have and whether it’ll have a cellular data connection. Keep in mind that an iPad’s internal storage can’t be upgraded after purchase, and each iPad model comes in a different selection of colors and display sizes. And the newest, 2024 model iPad Pro tablets now feature an OLED display and the incredibly powerful and extremely fast Apple M4 processor.

What is the best iPad for college?

Our in-house team of tech experts is extremely knowledgeable about all of Apple’s tablets and can help you decide which option is perfect. 

All iPad models run the same version of the iPadOS operating system, come with the same collection of preinstalled apps and are compatible with all of Apple’s services (including iCloud, Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Arcade, AppleTV+ and Apple Fitness+). The main differences between each iPad model are the touchscreen display size and type, storage capacity options, the speed of the tablet’s processor, the overall size of the unit itself and the price. 

Best entry-level iPad for most students: Apple iPad (10th generation)

The iPad (10th generation) is the entry-level and budget-friendly option. It takes advantage of a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and runs using Apple’s older A14 Bionic processor. The tablet supports the 1st generation Apple Pencil ($89) or Apple Pencil USB-C ($69), along with the Magic Keyboard Folio ($199).

This version of the iPad comes in four colors — blue, pink, yellow or silver. It works with a wide range of note-taking, personal productivity and time-management apps. Built into the tablet are stereo speakers, along with microphones and a 12MP front- and 8MP rear-facing camera, which together make it easy to participate in video calls.

For wireless connectivity, the iPad (10th generation) supports Wi-Fi 6. Beyond just using it for school work, the tablet can also be used for playing games, streaming TV shows and movies, and much more. Along with the apps that come preinstalled, several million more are available from the App Store, so a user can truly customize their tablet.

As an entry-level iPad, this model comes with just two internal storage capacity options — 64GB or 256GB. For many college students, 64GB won’t allow the tablet to hold enough content, so the 256GB version ($450) may be a more viable option. As with all iPad models, for slightly more money, a WI-Fi + Cellular version is also available, but since most college campuses, libraries and dorms have good Wi-Fi coverage, the cellular option shouldn’t be needed.

Best iPad for remote learning: 2024 Apple 13″ iPad Air

The all-new, 2024 version of the iPad Air now comes with either an 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina display — both of which run using Apple’s M2 processor. This latest version of Apple’s thinnest tablet is now available for preorder starting at $735 for a limited time only.

The iPad Air is Apple’s mid-priced iPad. This redesigned version features a handful of enhancements, including the 12MP front-facing camera now being located along the landscape edge of the tablet. This makes participating in online calls or online classes (especially when using FaceTime with the Center Stage app) easier.

We like the 13-inch version because it offers more on-screen real estate, which makes it particularly good for multitasking while providing a larger canvas for note-taking apps. This also gives users space to enjoy streaming video content or taking advantage of apps for word processing, spreadsheet management, digital presentations or content creation.

The new iPad Air is available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of internal storage and comes in four casing colors, including purple, blue, space gray, or starlight. We recommend bundling this tablet with the new Apple Pencil Pro stylus and the redesigned Apple Magic Keyboard to give a college student maximum versatility when it comes to handwriting notes and allowing the tablet to perform more like a traditional laptop.

Best iPad for using as an e-reader or note-taking: Apple iPad Mini (6th generation)

As its name suggests, the iPad Mini does everything that one of the larger iPads does but comes in a more compact size that features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display. This version of the iPad comes in your choice of four casing colors. And like the iPad (10th generation) and iPad Air (5th generation), you can only choose between a version with 64GB or 256GB of internal storage.

Once again, for a college student, it never hurts to go for more storage with the 256GB/Wi-Fi-only version ($549). All of the iPad models offer up to 10 hours of battery life and have a front- and rear-facing camera, built-in microphones and internal speakers. The iPad Mini runs using the older Apple A15 Bionic processor.

Optional add-ons include the 2nd generation Apple Pencil stylus ($80), which transforms the tablet into a powerful and easy-to-hold portable notepad (when a third-party note-taking app is used). Some of the note-taking apps we recommend and that are available from the App Store include Notability, Goodnotes 6, Evernote and Microsoft OneNote.

Many college students who plan to rely on their iPad as an e-reader also prefer this smaller size because it’s easier to hold during extended reading sessions. It measures 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches and weighs just 0.65 pounds.

Best iPad for running productivity apps: Apple 2024 11″ iPad Pro

The new lineup of 2024 iPad Pro tablets feature an 11-inch or 13-inch display — but this is no run-of-the-mill display — it’s an OLED Ultra Retina XDR touchscreen. It can even be enhanced with the addition of nano-texture glass, so it’s able to display ultra-sharp, vibrant and fluid graphics and animations, with minimal to no glare.

But beyond just a beautiful new screen, it’s the Apple M4 processor that gives the latest iPad Pro more computing power than a MacBook. This means the iPad can be used for advanced tasks like video editing, content creation, graphic design, photo editing or audio production with ease. Thus, it can also serve as a feature-packed note-taking tool, research tool, word processor, entertainment center and gaming device, too. 

We like the 11-inch iPad Pro because it’s light and thin enough to hold for extended periods, yet is equipped with all of the features a student could want from their tablet. With the new Apple Pencil Pro and redesigned Magic Keyboard designed for the latest iPads, this tablet becomes a truly portable powerhouse. 

Best iPad for creatives and power users: Apple 2024 13″ iPad Pro

It took years, but Apple has finally come up with a tablet that’s more powerful than most laptops, yet even more portable and versatile. The 2024 13-inch iPad Pro is loaded with advanced features, starting with the OLED Ultra Retina XDR display that delivers more realistic and visually stunning content than what’s ever before been possible. Combined with the latest M4 processor, a four-speaker system, a studio-quality microphone array, an improved camera set up and so much more, we think this iPad Pro is the best tablet on the market, period.

Beyond running all of the apps that come preinstalled, as well as the millions more available from the App Store, the latest iPad Pros can run “Pro apps” that take full advantage of the processing power in these tablets, as well as the functionality offered by the optional Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard accessories.

For a college student who needs a lot of processing power and plans to use their iPad for more than handling just basic tasks, this is the model that should be in their hands. It comes in a Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular configuration, with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB of internal storage. For the first time, the display can be upgraded with nano-texture glass at the time of purchase to improve the display quality even further and greatly reduce (or totally eliminate) unwanted glare from ambient light.

AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) are a must-have accessory for any iPad

All of the Apple iPads work seamlessly with the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) wireless earbuds ($190) and Apple AirPods Max headphones ($395). The benefit of using these devices with an iPad is that they take advantage of noise cancellation, and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. They automatically pair with whichever Apple device you’re using. 

So, if you switch from using the earbuds or headphones with your iPhone or Apple Watch to the iPad, your AirPods will switch without you having to change any settings. And if you lose your AirPods, you can locate them using the Find My app.

We highly recommend the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) or AirPods Max to all Apple users. They make hands-free calls sound crystal clear and they do a marvelous job generating robust sound when streaming music, watching TV shows or movies, or playing audio from popular games.

Does any Bluetooth keyboard work with an iPad?

Yes. While Apple offers a custom-designed keyboard for each of its iPad models, these tablets will work with any Bluetooth keyboard, including the keyboard you may already use with your iMac. On Amazon, there are also dozens of companies that sell inexpensive Bluetooth keyboards — in a wide range of shapes, colors and sizes.

For help deciding between an iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, be sure to read our in-depth comparison between these two popular tablets. For more help deciding which Apple iPad is perfect for you, check out our complete and up-to-date 2024 iPad buyer’s guide.