International Student Identity Card

ISIC Association

The ISIC Association is one of eight sector associations of the WYSE Travel Confederation. It manages and administers the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). 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’. Exclusive Representatives include student travel organisations, national student unions and dedicated ISIC card development organisations.

The ISIC card is administered and managed at a global level by the ISIC Global Office B.V.. The ISIC Global Office B.V. is a company seated in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The ISIC Global Office B.V. is wholly owned by the ISIC Association.

Formation of the ISIC card

Following World War II and the Cold 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 (ISC) held their 3rd ISC at the Studenterforeningen’s Hus in Copenhagen. It was attended by National Unions of Students and Coordinating Secretariat of National Unions of Students (COSEC), 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 (ISIC). Representatives of the ISC were also representatives of the International Student Travel Conference (ISTC). At the 4th International Student Travel Conference (ISTC), and following the decision made at the 3rd International Student Conference (ISC), the Norwegian and Netherlands 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. The Norwegian and Netherlands Union of Students, in co-operation with COSEC 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”. Thus, the 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. 56,000 cards were issued amongst 31 countries in the first year.

UNESCO Endorsement 1968

From 1955 UNESCO joined the International Student Travel Conference 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.

UN World Tourism Organization

In October 2013 the ISIC Association was officially appointed as an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

ISIC – travel to lifestyle

In the new millennium the need for a student card orientated to travel concessions was becoming less relevant than before due to societal changes such as worldwide economic decline, introduction of budget airlines, online flight booking and direct airline sales. Due to this decline, it was identified that the ISIC card and focus must be repositioned. Up until 2001, the ISIC card existed as a travel card and a student identity card but it was agreed that the discount aspect must be utilised and the card refocused as an everyday student lifestyle card.

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 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 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 (e.g. countries in the Northern Hemisphere), the ISIC card is valid from 1 September to 31 December the following year. In countries with the academic year begins in December (e.g. countries in the Southern Hemisphere), the ISIC card is valid from 1 December to 31 March, 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 countries economic development level.

ISIC Cards “combined‘’ with bank or college cards

An ISIC card can be combined with a bank or university card. This creates a unique combined card with the aim to reach and provide services to a common or overlapping market. Currently 102 banks and more than 839 universities worldwide have merged their cards with the ISIC card.

Endorsement 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.

The ISIC card has been endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 1968. UNESCO recognises the ISIC card as a unique document encouraging cultural exchange and international understanding.

Organisations that endorse the ISIC card

Strategic global partners

ISIC has built relationships with global organisations that provide discounts and services to ISIC holders or allow for increased distribution of the ISIC card into the global student community. Global ISIC partners include:

ISIC Event

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. Coordinated and managed by the ISIC Global Office B.V., the annual three-day gathering is an event. ISIC Events are hosted by a different country each year.

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 is awarded annually. 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 is 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 can 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 winner receives a financial contribution to support the continuation of their work to increase access to education. Previous award winners include AIESEC International (2011), the International Association of Universities (IAU) (2012), the University of the People (2013), and the Institute of International Education (2014).