Instagram is launching a new feature exclusively for students, a return to form for the Meta platform — lest we forget Facebook's humble beginnings.
Launched in tandem with students returning to class, Instagram announced Schools on Instagram, a private, student-only space, on Tuesday, Aug. 26. All college students have to do is verify themselves on UNiDAYS, aka the same platform that verifies students' enrollment, so they can get deals on things like Apple products and HBO Max subscriptions.
"At UNiDAYS, we're committed to creating safer, more rewarding digital experiences for the next generation," Jon Hawley, the Chief Executive Officer at UNiDAYS, said in a press release from Meta. "We do this by making verification and digital identity a foundation, not a barrier for young people. We're proud to partner with Instagram to champion digital trust and online safety. This new feature, underpinned by our world-leading verification technology, enables students to build more authentic, meaningful, and secure connections online."
After students verify themselves, they'll be able to "Add school" on their profile, which will show up as a banner that they can show only to classmates or share it only with classmates and mutuals.
Probably one of the most useful tools in Schools on Instagram is that students can connect with classmates through a school directory by browsing, searching, and filtering by year. Instagram says this will make it easier to connect and build community, but it will undoubtedly also make it easier to find out if that hot guy in your dorm is single, much like CEO Mark Zuckerberg's long-rumored intention with the original Facebook two decades ago. All of these features closely mirror TikTok's UNiDAYS-powered Campus Verification feature announced last week. In other words, Meta (aka today's Facebook) is copying TikTok, which was copying Facebook.
Time? It's a flat circle.
UPDATE: Aug. 26, 2025, 5:22 p.m. EDT This story has been updated to accurately reflect the privacy settings for the "Add school" banner.