Microsoft is restarting its scheme where students who buy a PC get a free Xbox 360. The promotion begins Monday, May 20.

Dates

May 20 is when the deal begins in the U.S., and students who are buying a qualifying PC worth $699 or more get the 4GB Xbox 360 console for free. The deal begins May 18 in Canada, and the offer covers PCs starting at $599.

The promotion also ran in 2011, and started on May 22 and ran until Sept 3, 2011 - or four months. September is probably around the time when students are going back to school, so it wouldn't be surprising if 2012's deal ran for the same period.

Retailers

Supported retailers in the U.S. include Best Buy, Dell.com, Fry's Electronics, HPDirect.com, Microsoft Stores and NewEgg.com. Canadian stores supporting the promotion include Best Buy, Dell.ca, Future Shop, Staples and The Source. Nearby Microsoft stores can found here.

"In college, students will spend quite a lot of time in front of their PC working on reports in Microsoft Word of creating PowerPoint presentations for group projects. They are going to want a stylish, thin and light PC that boasts great performance, yet is also durable for staying connected and on the go - PCs like the HP Envy 15, Samsung Series 5 ULTRA and the Dell XPS 13," Microsoft Windows Communication Manager - Brandon LeBlanc, said in the post announcing the deal.

Saving Cost

Microsoft is also keen to emphasize that the Xbox 360 is also part of the deal, and allows students to "blow off steam" whether on Xbox Live or through the media apps and, as Mobile & Apps reported yesterday, games such as Halo 4 are available for pre-order. Media apps on the console overtook games in popularity, a move which looks to mark Microsoft's strategy to own the living room.

On Amazon.com, buying a 4GB Xbox 360 costs $199 new. For additional storage, the Xbox 360 Slim 250GB hard drive costs $84.73.

Students or parents must provide student identification if participating in the deal.