By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 08:00 AM EST

Apple on Wednesday officially kicked off its 2009 back-to-school promotion, which offers a free 8GB iPod touch to students and educational staffers who purchase a qualifying Mac.

What does the promo offer?

More specifically, the promotion offers a $229 online rebate that cancels out the price of an 8GB iPod touch. Customers who instead prefer an 8GB iPod nano, 16GB iPod nano, 120GB iPod classic, or 4GB iPod shuffle can elect to receive lesser rebates that will similarly compensate for the costs of those models.



Which Macs qualify?

Apple lists qualifying Mac systems as the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Pro. The Mac mini and refurbished Macs do not qualify, nor do refurbished iPods.

Who is eligible?

Any employee of a public or private K-12 institution in the United States is eligible for the offer, as are school board members who are currently serving as elected or appointed members and PTA or PTO executives currently serving as elected or appointed officers.

Faculty and staff of Higher Education institutions; and students attending, or accepted into a Higher Education institution are similarly eligable.

Apple also announced this year that parents purchasing on behalf of their child, who is a student currently attending or accepted into a public or private Higher Education Institution in the United States, can partake in the offer.

When, where, and how do I participate?

In order to qualify for the offer, the iPod and Mac system must be purchased at the same time and appear on the same before September 8. The products must be purchased from the Apple Online Store for Education Individuals, an Apple Retail Store, Apple Telesales, or an Apple Authorized Campus Store located in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.

"After you receive your Mac and iPod, submit your claim online by October 8, 2009," Apple says. "Once your claim has been submitted, check your rebate status at any time."



This year's promo, which was first reported by AppleInsider in its report on more affordable Macs, is similar to last year's promo but offers a $229 rebate for an iPod touch as opposed to a $299 rebate. Last year the 8GB iPod touch cost $299.

Full terms of the deal have now been posted online [PDF].