The National Union of Students (NUS) has created a free iOS and Android app to support its popular NUS extra card, which it says is the leading student discount and lifestyle card in the UK.

Created by digital agency Code Computerlove, the NUS extra Student Discount Companion App uses Geolocation technology to allow students to find discounts nearby to them, anywhere in the UK. 

Using their mobile devices, students can view local stores and leisure outlets that offer NUS extra cardholder discounts on a map, or search by keyword, category or location. And if users find a great deal they can also share discounts on Facebook and Twitter via the app, be alerted to new discounts the moment they go live, ask questions, and personalise the app with customised lists and favourites.

“The NUS Extra Discount Companion app is a Hybrid HTML5 app built using PhoneGap (Cordova), so it’s optimised for multiple devices,” explained Code Computerlove’s Tim Peel. Students have relevant information at their fingertips, and can see what deals are around them at any moment. It is a true companion app, which adds value to the NUS extra card as a whole.”

PhoneGap is an open-source mobile development framework produced by Nitobi, which is now owned by Adobe. It enables software programmers to build applications for mobile devices using JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3, instead of device specific languages such as Objective-C. The NUS app uses SpineJS – a lightweight MVC framework – and includes Zepto and ECO templates, in order to maximise performance.

The app is part of a larger digital development project that the agency has been working on for the NUS, including the introduction of a new discount management system featuring secure integration with active student card holder accounts, allowing access to protected discount information and discount codes specific to the students themselves. The discount engine has also been integrated across all other public facing systems, providing a central point of administration and multiple access points for students. 

“Multi-platform digital innovation, with mobile at the core, is instrumental to NUS extra’s continued growth, and remains a key part of our strategy,” said Sharon Leeson, head of commercial development  at NUS Services. “We’re continually developing new ways to help students get the most out of their cards, as well as attract new users, and the new app is a major step forward. Our aim is to extend the app to smaller businesses as well as the large partner brands we currently have on board.”   

Sales of the NUS extra card have increased more than 13 per cent this academic year, with more than 500,000 students benefitting from over 160 exclusive discounts from brands from Apple and Spotify to ASOS and Odeon. Cards cost £12 per year and can be bought to cover one, two or three years.