Best Tech Giveaways in St. Louis, MO: 2026 Local Guide
St. Louis residents can request a free PC, borrow a Chromebook kit, or train in IT at no cost this fall.
In St. Louis in 2026, three usable tech options stand out for residents. They are Compudopt computer requests, County Library Chromebook and hotspot kits, and Per Scholas no-cost IT training.
Each fits a different need: a home computer, a short-term connected laptop, or skills and job connections. Timing also matters, because one state tax break has passed and one national student drawing closes soon.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on October 04, 2026.
Who can request a free computer?
Compudopt St. Louis runs a registration where applicants ask for a free computer for home use. According to Compudopt, applicants must lack a working home computer and are selected at random by text in its St. Louis computer request process. Selection is a chance, not an assured award. The limit is one computer per household.
- Need a home computer and lack a working one
- Submit the St. Louis request form
- Watch for a text if selected
- Limit of one per household
Where can you borrow a connected laptop?
St. Louis County Library lends Chromebook and Hotspot Kits that pair a Chromebook with a Wi-Fi hotspot. According to the St.
Louis County Library, riders can request a kit through the catalog or at 314-994-3300 for pickup at any branch with an adult card in good standing in its library kit lending details. This is a loan for temporary use, not ownership. Borrowers must pick up at a branch and return the kit.
The city system no longer offers a separate hotspot checkout. St. Louis Public Library says that program ended Feb.
28, 2026, after support from over $4 million in federal Emergency Connectivity Fund grants plus Foundation funds. County kits are now the main library path for connectivity.
How can residents train for IT work at no cost?
Per Scholas St. Louis offers no-cost IT training for St. Louis metro and Eastern Missouri residents, regardless of experience.
According to Per Scholas, grant funding covers the cost, with no payment or income-share required, plus employer job connections in its St. Louis training program summary. The program suits beginners and career changers.
Training focuses on work-ready skills, not a device or prize. Residents should apply early and confirm schedule fit. Seats, cohorts, and course tracks can affect start dates.
What timed savings or drawings affect students?
Missouri held its Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday on Aug. 7-9, 2026. Missouri Department of Revenue guidance said qualifying computers, software, printers and related items were exempt from all state and local sales tax, with no student or residency requirement for any buyer.
That window has passed for this year. For students, one drawing remains open at publication time. DigiKey says its Back to School giveaway runs Aug.
17-Oct. 12, 2026, is open to U.S. students with a university or college email, and will award five winners a $1,000 shopping spree with winners announced by end of October in its student giveaway announcement.
Entry is a chance to win, not free store credit. AT&T also described 10 back-to-school retail-store laptop distributions in 2026 to place 1,000 refurbished laptops with students through Compudopt and Human-I-T, supported in part by customer e-waste donations. Those events were tied to the back-to-school season, so local families should watch sponsor pages for any St.
Louis dates.