About ISIC

The International Student Identity Card

Developed to help nurture cross-cultural understanding and international exchange, the card originally provided students with access to exclusive discounts on travel opportunities, allowing cardholders to discover and interact with new countries, cultures and languages at reduced rates.

Now, firmly in the digital age, the ISIC card has evolved to best meet the needs of the modern day student. Although travel benefits will always remain central to the card, ISIC cardholders also gain preferential and discounted access to over 150,000 products, services and experiences relevant to all aspects of student life. There are a multitude of offers available to ISIC cardholders, from educational courses, software licenses, digital communications, public transport and magazine subscriptions, to music streaming, cafés and eateries, music festivals, theme parks, sporting events, world heritage sites and more!.

The ISIC card has been endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 1968.  The card is recognised by universities, academic institutions, student unions, national governments, financial institutions and ministries of education around the world.

ISIC facts & figures

ISIC discounts and benefitsFind all discounts and benefits here on ISIC.org or on our smartphone apps

ISIC International Student Identity Card
Year launched 1953
Launch of current design 2019
Ownership The ISIC card is owned by the ISIC Association, which is a not for profit organization
Annual Card Sales Over 4 million, worldwide
Number of ISIC issuing countries 128
Number of issuing offices worldwide More than 5,000 offices, 100+ ISIC country websites, 60+ ISIC country Facebook pages with over 200,000 fans/likers
Eligibility Full-time students at school, college or university
Minimum age requirement 12 years old
Upper age limit None
Card validity Maximum 16 months, based on the academic year:

  • In countries with the academic year starting in September (e.g. Europe), the ISIC card is valid 1st September to 31st December the following year.
  • In countries with the academic year starting in December (eg Brazil, Australia), the ISIC card is valid 1st December to 31st March, 16 months later
Number of discounts and benefits Over 150,000 around the world
Number of partnerships with banks worldwide Over 100 worldwide
Number of partnerships with academic institutions Over 1200 worldwide
Cost of an ISIC The cost varies per country between 5.00 and 25.00 USD