If you’re a student who uses Canon gear for your photography, it’s an exciting time for you. Canon USA has launched a new free tier of its Professional Services program for student photographers and videographers. Students who qualify for this will now be able to also take advantage of their membership hotline, connecting them with pros who can help answer their gear and technical questions. It’s a boon from Canon USA if you ask me, and if you’re a student using their gear, you should check right away to see if you qualify for this tier of CPS.
What’s Special About CPS
I remember when I first qualified for the Professional Services program under the brand of camera I use. It didn’t just feel like I could finally officially feel like a professional; it felt more than that. It was almost like I was accepted into an exclusive club of sorts. One that my grandfather would have dearly loved to have been a part of back in his days, if it were for the fact that such a program was available then in his country of residence. If only he could have been around when I received my membership, I know for a fact that there would have been no one happier to have seen that. Canon USA has now launched its Student tier for the CPS (Canon Professional Services) membership, allowing students above the age of 18 to qualify for various perks and benefits.
CPS can be a lifeline of sorts to professional photographers by providing them access to premium support, repair services, and equipment loans. Until now, it was almost exclusively available to working professionals, but Canon USA has reached out to student photographers on the cusp of turning professional in order to help them with various solutions. This could certainly be a game-changer for students passionate about photography who’re looking to take the path to making it a career.
“This membership program not only supports students in their higher education interests and pursuits, but also opens doors to opportunities that may have otherwise seemed out of reach. By providing this level of access, at no cost, through our new Student CPS program, Canon is helping to inspire and proactively shape the future of the imaging field”
– Jason Fligman, Senior Vice President Service Strategy & Support at Canon U.S.A., Inc.,
CPS Student Membership Benefits
Some of the standout benefits of the new CPS Student membership are:
- New Member Welcome Kit with CPS Member Card & Student Member Gift
- 3-5 Business Day Service Turnaround Time on DSLR/Mirrorless and EF/RF Lenses listed on the CPS STUDENT REPAIR LIST
- 10% discount on repairs on CPS student repair list products on up to 2 Items per membership term
- Complimentary Canon Maintenance Service2 on up to 2 Items per membership term
- Onsite event support (Excludes loans)
- Exclusive Purchase Offer on up to 1 item per year
- CPS Mentorship Hotline access
That last item alone would have been super beneficial for me when I was the head of my university’s photography club a couple of decades ago. I think Canon USA is doing great by providing the above set of perks to its student CPS members, who can really grow in skills and confidence. Here’s how it compares against their other CPS membership tiers
Who Qualifies for CPS Student Membership?
As a student, being enrolled in CPS is like having an exclusive pass to the world of photography gear and professional repair services. That means you worry less about being without your camera during a critical project or class assignment if it happens to malfunction. You have access to a pro hotline. Plus, you can attend workshops that help you understand Canon gear better and learn from seasoned pros. But the biggest sparkle in your eyes would probably come from the ability to add the CPS badge to your portfolio. This certainly adds an extra level of credibility to your profile.
If you’re a legal resident in a US state or the District of Columbia and are a student with a focus on photography or videography enrolled in an accredited college/university in the U.S., then you can apply for this program. Applications are of course, subject to approval by Canon USA. As of now, it costs nothing to apply and be a part of, so if you’re a budding student photographer or videographer over the age of 18 who uses Canon gear, go ahead and give yourself a free CPS membership.
All images seen in this article are screenshots from the Canon USA CPS pages pertaining to student CPS membership. For full terms and conditions about this tier, check out this link