International Student Card
 

We're taking our 12 year old son to Europe this summer. He looks 12. He has a student i.d. card from his school. Is it still a good idea to get him an international student card, and if so, what benefits does one get with such a card?<BR>Thanks in advance for your response.

its a good idea to get him a card - it is the only form of identification that officially recognizes students as students internationally. <BR>I was in Italy last summer and thought my university id card would suffice. It didn't. You won't get discounts unless you have the card.<BR>You will get discounts on museum entrance, some theatre, transport, etc.<BR><BR>http://www.counciltravel.com/idcards/isic.asp<BR><BR>the above link will give you detailed information about the card, and how to order.<BR>Your best bet is to contact a student travel agency in your hometown - it will be cheaper than ordering online.<BR>Make sure to find out all of the details, I actually get an itnl card free through my school because of the student fees that I pay.<BR>Its also nice to have a vaild form of id that you don't have to be too worried about losing (ie. drivers lic. or birth cert.)

Isn't a 12-year-old assumed to be a student, or a child? My only experience is with Great Britain, where kids from 4 or 5 years old up to 15 or 16 pay a children's rate at museums, attractions, for tube passes, etc. I thought "student" meant older students, like in college.

Do not buy the card for the following reasons:<BR><BR>1. Your child is only 12 and will be able to get child rates, as an above poster noticed.<BR><BR>2. The card is a joke. STA and other student travel agencies require students to purchase it for using their services. It is basically free money for these companies. Not once did the airline ever ask me for the ID when travelling on a student airline ticket. I have also traveled extensively in Europe and always had my high school, college, or graduate school ID accepted without question.

Thank you all for your replies. I thought it might be superfluous because my son is clearly a child, but needed the clarification I received here.

I would think that for a 12-year old, the ISIC isn't necessary. However, for high school and college students they are a good deal. Besides discounts, they include insurance and travelers' assistance in case of emergencies. Not bad for $22.

Don't bother with the ISD for a 12-year-old..completely superfluous. It's possible they'll ask to see his passport, but very unlikely. In my experience they simply ask the parent how old the child is, and then proceed, with no check whatsoever.