Not a starving student, but a incurable cheapscate here is some advice to make cheap cider.
Aldi! Aldi sells apple juice at $1.49 a 1/2 gallon X 10 that's 15 bucks for 5 gallons of cider!
Also invest in champagne or wine yeast. It's 50 cents a packet. Also you can reuse it! When ya bottle your...