Apple’s 2012 Back to School promotion also began with yesterday’s launch of new Macs. College students and others that qualify will now get a $100 iTunes gift card with a Mac purchase. Those getting an iPad will get a $50 card for iTunes.

The promotion runs from June 11 to September 21, 2012, which means, in order to qualify, you must actually make your Mac purchase between those dates. The Back to School gift Card may be used on books, apps, music and videos.

To qualify for the Back to School Gift Card offer, you must be a college student, a student who has been accepted into a university, a parent buying for a college student, or a faculty member from any grade level. Students and teachers will also qualify for Apple Education Pricing, which could save them a little money on hardware.

Buy a qualifying Mac from the Apple Online Store for Education, the Apple Retail store, or an Apple Authorized Campus Store to receive the free gift card, which can be used in iTunes or the iOS and Mac App Stores as well as iBookstore.

Apple also went to the trouble of creating a special section in the Back to School website that highlights Mac and iPad Apps that will useful to students.

Getting a $100 gift card isn’t much when you are paying 1 and a half or 2 thousand dollars for a new laptop, but for those dedicated to purchasing one, the promotion will be an added bonus. Apple isn’t known to drop prices, so anything they do to sweeten the deal is always welcome.

[Apple Insider]