International Student Identity Card


The International Student Identity Card is an internationally accepted proof of bona fide student status. This ID verifies students and grants them access to a diverse selection of benefits and discounts around the world. With the ISIC card a student may redeem discounts for travel, accommodation, visiting cultural institutions and other various benefits. The ISIC Association also issues the International Youth Travel Card for non-students, and the International Teacher Identity Card for teachers and professors. The membership fee varies country by country.
As the card is recognized internationally, ISIC cardholders can use the card to identify themselves as a student around the world. The ISIC card is managed and administered by the ISIC Association. The objective of the ISIC Association is to help improve intercultural understanding and increase education opportunities. The ISIC card is issued in over 130 countries.

ISIC Association

The ISIC Association is a non-profit membership organisation legally registered in Denmark. The members are the organisations that hold the exclusive rights to distribute, promote and develop the ISIC card within their territory or country. These organisations are referred to as 'ISIC Exclusive Representatives'. The main organ of ISIC Association is the ISIC Board of Directors, the Exclusive Representatives elects up to 10 Board Members, including a Chair person. The ISIC Association and ISIC Board are governed by the rules set out by the ISIC Association Constitution and Convention.
The ISIC card is administered and managed at a global level by the ISIC Service Office d.o.o. The ISIC Service Office d.o.o is a company seated in Belgrade, Serbia. The ISIC Service Office d.o.o is wholly owned by the ISIC Association.
YearBoard Chair
1984-1990Rod Hurd
1991-1991Francis Stivalla
1992-1993Roberto Corbella
1994-1994David Jones
1995-1997Alex Thomas
1998-2002Joop van Putten
2003-2008Toni Brandi
2008-2010Peter Liney
2010-Matthew J East

History of the ISIC card

Formation of the ISIC card

Following the 2nd World War, the Western world was focused on mutual cooperation and understanding in order to prevent a resurgence of fascism. This atmosphere gave impetus for student organisations to form, with the aim of working together for peace and cooperation throughout the world.
One such student organisation, the International Student Conference held their 3rd ISC at the Studenterforeningen's Hus in Copenhagen in 1953. It was attended by the National Unions of Students and Coordinating Secretariat of National Unions of Students, Denmark, amongst others. The attending student organisations made the decision to establish a single international identity document valid for the perceived need of travel concessions. This is the first documented mention of the International Student Identity Card.
Representatives of the ISIC were also representatives of the International Student Travel Conference. At the 4th ISTC conference, and following the decision made at the 3rd ISC, the Norwegian and Dutch Union of Students, in co-operation with COSEC, presented a document based on a Survey of the Council of Europe. The document concluded that the formation of an international student card would be of benefit to students while travelling. They accepted responsibility to form a Travel Aids Commission and "take the necessary steps to ensure that an International Student Identity Card be made available as soon as possible in as large a part of the world as possible". International Student Identity Card was founded with the aim to provide students worldwide with access to student facilities, wherever they travelled. It was agreed that the real value of the card would prove that the holder was a "bona fide" student. The first ISIC cards were produced by the Travel Aids Commission managed by the ISTC. Fifty-six thousand cards were issued amongst 31 countries in the first year.

ISIC – from travel to the lifestyle

In the 21st century, the ISIC card took on a different dimension and a new purpose. The need for a student card orientated just to travel concessions was becoming less relevant, because of the social changes such as worldwide economic decline, the introduction of low budget airlines, online flight booking and direct airline sales. Due to this decline, it was identified that the ISIC card and its main purpose must be redefined. Up until 2001, the ISIC card existed primary as a travel card and a student identity card but it was agreed that the benefit and discount aspect must be utilised and the card refocused as an everyday student lifestyle card.

Facts about ISIC

ISIC card distribution

ISIC Exclusive Representatives, who have the exclusive rights to issue ISIC cards in their respective countries, make up a global distribution network for ISIC cards. The ISIC card is available in over 130 countries. In each country, the ISIC Exclusive Representative is exclusively responsible for ISIC card distribution, promotion and development, including the development and managing a portfolio of local and national benefits and discounts, and services available to the ISIC holders.

ISIC card today

Eligibility for an ISIC card is restricted to bona fide students engaged in higher or tertiary education and students in full-time secondary education. Students must be a minimum of 12 years old to be eligible. There is no upper age limit for an ISIC card.
An ISIC card is valid for 16 months. The validity period of an ISIC card corresponds to the academic year in the country of purchase. For example, in countries where the academic year starts in September, the ISIC card is generally valid from the 1st September to the 31st December the following year. In countries where the academic year begins in February, the ISIC card is valid from the 1st February through to the 30th May, 16 months later.
There is an advised national retail selling price for the ISIC card in each country where the card is issued. The card price in each country is determined by the value of the ISIC in the local market and the country economic development level.
A fresh and new look for ISIC -
The idea to conduct an ISIC Brand refresh originated in 2017, and was subsequently launched in May 2019. The aim of the Brand refresh was to modernise the ISIC Brand's visual identity and increase co-branding flexibility, and provide extra space on the ISIC card for co-brand partners.

ISIC co-branding

Co- branding represents a unique all-in-one card. There are thre types of co-branding: academic, financial and commercial. From this point of view, the ISIC card may be combined with a university identity card, bank payment cards and many other commercial partners.

Endorsement & Alliances of the ISIC

The ISIC card is endorsed and supported as an official proof of student status by various organisations and institutions locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Organisations that endorse the ISIC card include national governments, ministries of education and tourism, universities, other academic institutions and student organisations internationally.
UNESCO Endorsement
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has been involved in the ISIC development almost since the beginning. UNESCO joined the International Student Travel Conference in 1995 and supported the ISIC card. In 1968 UNESCO issued an official endorsement in full support of the ISIC card. UNESCO recognised the ISIC card as the only internationally accepted proof of full-time student status and a unique document encouraging cultural exchange and international understanding. A renewed Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 1993. The UNESCO logo has appeared on the ISIC card since 1993. UNESCO recognises the ISIC card as a unique document encouraging cultural exchange and international understanding.
UNWTO Affiliate Endorsement
Supported by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the ISIC Association was accepted as an UNWTO Affiliate Member in August 2013. The Affiliate Membership adds to the official profile of the ISIC card and distinction in the travel industry.
British Council and Global Study Awards
This exciting initiative was launched by the British Council IELTS, Studyportals and the ISIC Association in 2015. The goal of these annual awards is to encourage and support more student undertake study abroad. This award is available in all counties worldwide. In total there have been 17 winners in 5 rounds

Other Global Endorsement

The ISIC Event is an annual event for ISIC issuers, global partners, endorsement partners, student union bodies, and other organisations involved in the international student community. With tradition from 2011, representing a great opportunity for connecting and sharing knowledge and experiences. Coordinated and managed by the ISIC Service Office d.o.o, the annual three-day gathering is an event. ISIC Events are hosted by a different country each year.
YearHost
2011Tallinn, Estonia
2012Miami, USA
2013Copenhagen, Denmark
2014Seoul, South Korea
2015Belgrade, Serbia
2016Toronto, Canada
2017Berlin, Germany
2018Taipei, Taiwan
2019Thessaloniki, Greece
2020Dubai, UAE

ISIC Award

The ISIC Award was introduced by the ISIC Association in 2011. The ISIC Award recognises and rewards organisations working on a global scale to reduce social, economic and cultural barriers and increase access to education. The ISIC Award was awarded annually up until 2016.
Through the ISIC card the ISIC Association aims to ensure individuals who aspire to participate in higher education have the help and resources to enable them to do so. The intention of the ISIC Award was to support existing education accessibility initiatives.
The ISIC Award winner is nominated and selected by the ISIC card distributors worldwide. Nominees for the ISIC Award were to be a non-government organisation, institution, association, or similar organisation that are able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to making education more accessible.
The ISIC Award winners received a financial contribution to support the continuation of their work to increase access to education. Previous award winners include AIESEC International, the International Association of Universities , the University of the People, the Institute of International Education, the edX, and the International Student Exchange Programmes .

Controversy

While the ISIC is marketed as a unique way of identifying oneself as a student, in practice, many providers of student discounts recognize many other proofs of the student status. This is particularly pronounced on the national level, where any evidence of being a student is often recognized. The ISIC remains useful especially in travelling abroad, as service providers may be reluctant to recognize national documents issued by a foreign authority, validity of which they are unable to verify or assess.
Another point of controversy is the licensing fee each student has to pay annually, while no clear explanation of the fee is given to the students. The ISIC Association is reluctant to openly communicate its revenues and operation costs to justify the licensing fees. The costs of manufacturing the cards is minimal in comparison to the licensing fee. While for ISIC holders, the discounts they get might justify the cost of the licence, these discounts are not funded by the ISIC Association; they are offered at the discretion of the service providers.