Free Things Every ASU Student Should Know About
From free museum access to campus events and discounts, here's what ASU students get for free that most people don't bother to find out about.
Your Tuition Is Doing More Work Than You Think
ASU students pay a lot in tuition and fees. Some of that money goes toward things most students never use because they don't know they exist. Here's a rundown of what's actually free (or deeply discounted) with your Sun Card and enrollment status.
Free Museum Access
ASU has several museums on campus that are free to students:
- ASU Art Museum (Nelson Fine Arts Center) — genuinely good rotating exhibitions and a permanent collection worth seeing. It's also air-conditioned, which matters in September.
- Arizona Museum of Natural History — technically in Mesa but accessible and free with student ID
- Heard Museum — Native American art and culture, discounted for students
The Art Museum in particular runs opening events that usually include free food. Worth going to at least once.
Free Mental Health Services
This is possibly the most important thing on this list. ASU Student Wellness offers free counseling sessions through Counseling Services. There are wait times, especially during midterms and finals, but the service exists and is covered by your fees.
If you need support, use this. It's paid for. There's no reason not to.
Free Fitness Access
The Sun Devil Fitness Complex (SDFC) is included in your student fees. You get access to the main gym, pools, fitness classes, and recreational facilities. The SDFC on the Tempe campus is large and well-equipped — most commercial gyms at $50/month are significantly worse.
You're paying for it. Use it.
Free Software
ASU provides students with free or heavily discounted software through MyApps and various licensing agreements:
- Microsoft Office 365 — free download for the duration of your enrollment
- Adobe Creative Cloud — free for students in certain programs; discounted otherwise
- MATLAB, SPSS, and other academic software — check with your department
- LinkedIn Learning — free access through the ASU library system
- Qualtrics — free for survey research
Before you pay for software, check what ASU provides. The list is longer than most students realize.
Free Events
ASU and the surrounding community run a lot of free programming that students don't take advantage of:
- Changemaker Central hosts events regularly, many open to all students
- ASU Gammage has occasional free preview nights and student ticket programs
- The MU hosts free movie screenings, comedy nights, and cultural events through Pitchfork Productions
- The speaker series — ASU brings in nationally recognized speakers throughout the year; many events are open to all students at no charge
- Sun Devil Athletics — some minor sports events (track, swimming, baseball) are free or very cheap with student ID
Free Tutoring
ASU runs tutoring centers for most core subjects that are free to students. The University Academic Success Programs (UASP) offers tutoring, supplemental instruction, and study skills support. This is drastically underused, especially in the first half of each semester when people haven't realized they're falling behind yet.
Use it before you need it desperately.
Free Career Services
Resume reviews, mock interviews, career counseling, and job fair access — all free through the Watts College Career Center and department-specific career services offices. If you're paying for a resume service or career coaching from outside ASU, you're probably wasting money.
Free Library Access (Beyond the Books)
Hayden Library, Noble Library, and the Design Library give you:
- Free printing (a per-page quota included with enrollment)
- Free access to research databases that cost hundreds of dollars outside ASU
- Interlibrary loan — if a book or article doesn't exist in ASU's collection, they'll get it from somewhere that has it, usually free
- 3D printing access at some library locations (small fee for materials but minimal)
The Practical Summary
Before you pay for anything — a gym membership, software subscription, tutoring, resume help, or entertainment — check if ASU already provides it. The institution isn't perfect, but the student benefits are genuinely extensive and most students use maybe 20% of what's available.
And for buying and selling with other students, ASU List is free too. Textbooks, furniture, electronics — before you spend full price, check what other Sun Devils are selling.
Ready to buy or sell?
Join thousands of ASU students on the marketplace built for Sun Devils.