As a student, I am always trying to save money where I can, but still travel as much as possible. So, I am always looking for travel savings for students so I can spend less money to see/do the same things I would want to see/do anyway… and that means more money for other trips!

Now, some of you have probably heard of the International Student Identification Card (ISIC). The cost of this card is $25 for residents of the USA, which isn’t a bad deal considering the amount of savings that can be had with the card. The card once issued is valid for one year.

But, don’t get it.

You can achieve almost as much (if not all) of the savings with your university-issued ID card that you get for free!

I’ve been in Russia this week and I have used it at two different attractions, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. At St. Basil’s Cathedral, the student discount brought the price down from 300 rubles to 100 rubles, and at the Hermitage, the student discount meant a free ticket! That was a savings of 600 rubles. That nets to 900 rubles which is about $18! That will easily cover two nights at a hostel most places in the world. You could get  these discounts with the ISIC Card or just with your student ID!

Previously, in Egypt, at some attractions I was at first told that it had to be the ISIC Card, but was given the student price anyway. It’s a bit of a YMMV situation depending on the country, the site, the specific person you talking to, and possibly the phase of the moon. But, in my opinion, it is not worth $25 per year.

Have you ever gotten an ISIC Card? What was your experience with it? Do you ever travel with your student ID? Let me know in the comments!