The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) Association is a member of the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation (WYSE Travel Confederation), a not-for-profit organisation which brings together world-leading specialists in student and youth travel services.
The International Student Identity Card
The ISIC Association's main product is the ISIC card, the only internationally accepted proof of full-time student status. It is endorsed by organisations such as UNESCO, the European Council on Culture and the Andean Community of Nations. The card is recognised by universities, academic institutions, student organisations, national governments and ministries of education around the world.
Who uses the ISIC card?
The ISIC card is used by over 4.5 million full-time students in 120 countries every year. It gives students access to tens of thousands of student services and benefits worldwide.
The ISIC Association also manages two alternative cards, with similar benefits. The International Youth Travel Card (IYTC card) is for anyone aged under 26. Full-time teachers and professors can get an International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC card).
The ISIC card accounts for approximately 95% of the ISIC Association's card sales.
ISIC card distribution
ISIC cards are distributed in 120 countries through a network of Licensed Authorities, which are usually leading student travel organisations or student unions.
In each country, these Licensed Authorities are exclusively responsible for ISIC card sales, distribution and marketing, as well as for building and managing the portfolio of benefits in that country. ISIC cards are issued through Licensed Authorities' own branches, and through distribution partnerships with other organisations (Appointed Offices) such as universities and banks.
In countries without a Licensed Authority, the ISIC card is distributed through Appointed Offices only, which are directly managed by the management organisation IAS in The Netherlands.
Each country has a fixed retail price for the ISIC card, which varies between €4 and €20.
ISIC card design and brand
In early 2008 the ISIC card was redesigned, to make it easier to incorporate logos of brand co-partners while retaining the familiar ISIC card identity.
A new and stronger logo was designed to make it easier to use online, where branding space is minimal.
Find out more about the new ISIC design and brand
Find out more about becoming a brand co-partner
How is the ISIC Association run?
The ISIC Association and the WYSE Travel Confederation are managed by International Association Services (IAS), a wholly-owned professional management organisation based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. IAS reports to the ten-member ISIC board at meetings held three times every year.
Board members are predominantly CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) from larger ISIC card issuing organisations, or ISIC Association members.
At ISIC annual general meetings, IAS reports on ISIC developments, progress and strategy to all ISIC Association members and card issuers.