A valid student ID will often qualify students for discounts on airfare, accommodations, museum admissions, cultural events, movies, and more. If you're planning to travel outside the U.S., you'd be wise to arm yourself with an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), which offers substantial savings on rail passes, plane tickets, and entrance fees. It also provides you with basic health and life insurance and a 24-hour help line. The card is available from STA Travel (tel. 800/781-4040 in North America; www.statravel.com), the biggest student travel agency in the world. If you're no longer a student but are still under 26, you can get an International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) from the same company; it entitles you to some discounts (but not on museum admissions). Travel CUTS (tel. 800/667-2887 or 416/614-2887; www.travelcuts.com) offers similar services for Canadians. USIT (tel. 01/602-1600; www.usitnow.ie) is an Ireland-based specialist in student, youth, and independent travel.
