International Student Identity Card

What International Student Identity Card does

International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the non-profit membership association, domiciled in Denmark and operating for over 70 years since its founding by students in 1953, that issues the only internationally accepted proof of full-time student status. The association's flagship ISIC card, alongside the International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) and the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC), is endorsed by UNESCO since 1968 and recognized by national governments, ministries of education, universities, and student unions worldwide. Cardholders access a network of more than 150,000 discounts and benefits across 100+ countries, spanning travel, accommodation, food, retail, and services, with merchant partners including Flixbus, Booking.com, Emirates, Samsung, and McDonald's. The organization distributes through a tiered global channel of Exclusive Representatives (ERs), Provisional Exclusive Representatives (PERs), and Appointed Offices (AOs), supplemented by academic institution co-branding (2,400+ institutions) and a mobile app available on Google Play and the App Store.

The core technology is a digital student identity and mobile-credential platform. It operates physical plastic cards and digital equivalents, with digital wallets integration live in Samsung Wallet (South Korea since June 2023) and student-status verification delivered in partnership with SheerID, enabling real-time electronic verification across 100+ countries. The card embeds QR codes and animated holograms for staff authentication. The organization also participates in EU-funded infrastructure projects — ESC Academy PRO, EDU-Home, and ESC-tension 2 — that extend its platform footprint into European Student Card adoption and student-mobility housing services.

ISIC's business model is a hybrid of licensing/royalties and affiliate economics. Card issuance, licensing fees from local issuers, and co-branding arrangements with academic institutions, financial institutions (Mastercard, Visa, Ebixcash, First Iraqi Bank), and transportation providers generate the licensing stream. Affiliate/referral revenue flows from the 150,000+ merchant benefit network. Card pricing is determined locally by issuers and is not publicly disclosed at the global level. Headcount at the association level is 101–250 employees, and revenue is not publicly disclosed because the entity operates as a non-profit association. Go-to-market is channel-driven rather than direct sales: local ERs/AOs acquire cardholders, while academic institutions, financial partners, and merchants are pursued centrally through partnership agreements.

Name

International Student Identity Card

Legal name

ISIC Association

Website

https://isic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The ISIC Association is the non-profit, UNESCO-endorsed organization founded in 1953 that issues the International Student Identity Card — the only globally accepted proof of student status — across 100+ countries, providing access to 150,000+ discounts through academic, financial, and merchant partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Identity and Discount Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel Documentation Support (Non-Visa: Passports, ISIC, Notarization) (EDAIANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

International / Global Card Schemes (FSAMAAAD), Secure ICs, Smart Cards & Trusted Hardware (HDAHAAAJ), Open-Loop Prepaid Cards (Network-Branded) (FSAMANAA)

Keywords

• Student identity cards
• International student discount network
• Teacher identity verification
• Youth travel benefits
• Academic co-branded cards

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Card Issuance and Distribution: ISIC cards are distributed through a global network of Exclusive Representatives, Provisional Exclusive Representatives, and Appointed Offices in more than 100 countries. Revenue is generated through card issuance fees, licensing fees from issuing partners, and co-branding arrangements with educational institutions, financial institutions, and transportation companies.
2. Benefit Network and Merchant Partnerships: ISIC provides access to over 150,000 discounts, benefits, and services worldwide through partnerships with merchants, travel companies, retailers, and service providers. The network spans travel, accommodation, food, retail, and multiple other categories.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The ISIC Association issues internationally recognized student, teacher, and youth identity cards (ISIC, ITIC, IYTC) that provide status verification and unlock access to over 150,000 discounts and benefits across 100+ countries. The cards are available as physical plastic cards or digital IDs through the ISIC Mobile App and Samsung Wallet, and are distributed globally through a network of Exclusive Representatives, Provisional Exclusive Representatives, and Appointed Offices.

Product overview

The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is a portfolio of identity card products issued by the ISIC Association, a non-profit organization founded in 1953 and endorsed by UNESCO since 1968. The core offering is the ISIC — the only globally accepted student identity card, available as a physical plastic card or digital ID, providing student status verification and access to over 150,000 discounts in 100+ countries. The portfolio also includes the International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) for educators and the International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) for non-students aged 30 and under. The ISIC Mobile App provides digital card access, map-based discount discovery, and instant redemption. The ISIC card integrates into Samsung Wallet and Samsung Pay as a digital student ID and payment instrument. ISIC also offers academic co-branding for universities (over 2,400 institutions) and participates in EU-funded projects — EDU-Home (student mobility accommodation platform), ESC-tension 2 (European Student Card adoption), and ESC ACADEMY PRO (digital capacity building for higher education) — which collectively extend the product's functionality into student mobility, housing, and European digital education infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ITIC (International Teacher Identity Card): An internationally recognized ID card for full-time teachers and professors offering numerous savings at home and abroad.
• IYTC (International Youth Travel Card)

Products and services

• International Student Identity Card (ISIC) The only internationally accepted student identity card endorsed by UNESCO since 1968, providing student status verification, access to thousands of discounts worldwide, and entry into the global student community. Available as a physical plastic card or digital ID, issued in over 100 countries.
• International Teacher Identity Card (ITIC) An internationally recognized identity card for full-time teachers and professors, offering savings and discounts at home and abroad at over 150,000 locations worldwide. Available as a standalone product or co-branded with financial institutions.
• International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) A travel card for individuals aged 30 years or younger who are not students, providing access to thousands of benefits and discounts similar to the ISIC student card and inclusion in the ISIC global community.
• ISIC Mobile App A mobile application providing digital student card access, discovery of thousands of ISIC offers and services worldwide, and instant redemption. Features include map-based discovery of nearby discounts, latest news, and limited vouchers.
• ISIC in Samsung Wallet Digital integration of the ISIC card into Samsung Wallet on Samsung phones sold in South Korea, displaying the student's name, date of birth, academic institution, card validity, QR code for electronic verification, and an animated hologram for staff authentication.
• Multicurrency Co-branded ISIC and IYTC Card A payment card co-branded with Ebixcash World Money that enables students and youth to pay expenses in any currency worldwide. Designed to serve over 1 million students traveling abroad from India and more than 35 million young individuals traveling internationally from India annually.
• ISIC Academic Co-branding Co-branding service for universities and educational institutions that enables them to upgrade their own student cards to an internationally recognized identity card endorsed by UNESCO. The card can be embedded with technologies for access control, cashless payments, library cards, and transportation passes, used by over 2,400 academic institutions in the ISIC network.
• EDU-Home Platform An EU-funded Erasmus Plus project platform facilitating student mobility by providing practical support for accommodation searches in destination countries, addressing housing barriers. Available in English, Croatian, German, Greek, and Italian.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to 150,000+ discounts and benefits worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor, core and regional.

• Ebixcash World MoneyflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 15 December 2023Collaboration with ISIC India to launch multicurrency co-branded ISIC and IYTC card enabling payments in any currency worldwide, serving over 1 million students traveling abroad from India.
• GAMIVOminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2023Partnership with digital goods platform GAMIVO (5M+ users, 21.5M+ products sold) offering ISIC cardholders exclusive discounts on video games, software, and gift cards.
• EdurekacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 September 2023Partnership with leading e-learning platform offering ISIC cardholders a flat 25% discount on all Edureka Certification and Master Courses in trending technologies.
• PerlegocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 September 2023Partnership with the 'Netflix for textbooks' offering ISIC cardholders 15% discount on 12-month subscriptions. Perlego provides access to over 1 million e-books from academic publishers.
• DottcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 August 2023Global benefit partnership with Dott, a micro-mobility company operating in over 35 European cities with 50,000+ electric scooters and bikes. ISIC cardholders receive complimentary rides and 20% discounts.
• First Iraqi BankregionalGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 August 2023Partnership with First Iraqi Bank and Kurdistan Teachers Union to issue 80,000 ITIC cards to teachers in the Kurdistan region, offering discounts at 1,200+ local and 150,000+ global locations.
• SheerIDflagshipTechnology or Integration · 23 September 2021Global partnership enabling real-time online verification of student status. SheerID's platform allows ISIC cardholders to access offers from hundreds of leading brands by instantly verifying enrollment across more than 100 countries.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1953UNESCO has endorsed the ISIC card since 1968 as the only internationally accepted proof of student status. This endorsement provides global recognition and legitimacy to the ISIC card among governments, universities, and institutions worldwide.
• European Students UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESU collaborates with ISIC on European education initiatives including the European Student Card Initiative and ESC Academy PRO project, focusing on digitalization of Erasmus+ and student services.
• European Campus Card Association (ECCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISIC joined ECCA as a service provider member in 2023. ECCA is dedicated to implementing student eID credentials in Higher Educational Institutions that supports student mobility and secure access to services.
• European University Association (EUA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISIC became an Affiliate member of EUA in April 2023. EUA represents more than 850 universities and national rectors' conferences in 49 European countries and plays a crucial role in the Bologna Process.
• Samsung ElectronicsflagshipTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to launch ISIC card in Samsung Wallet. On June 29, 2023, Samsung rolled out an update to Samsung Pay in South Korea enabling students to add ISIC cards to Samsung Wallet for digital student ID access.
• ESC ACADEMY PRO ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded project (400,000 euros, 24 months) involving European Students' Union, ISIC, Global Youth and Student Community, Federation of Estonian Student Unions, Charles University, and OTB Europe to improve digital capacities for European Student Card adoption.
• ESC-tension 2 ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded follow-up project (November 2023 - April 2026, 30 months) coordinated by ENDISU Foundation, with partners including ISIC, Normandie Université, Universidade de Aveiro, ECCA, and ESN to accelerate ESC adoption in EEA.
• EDU-Home ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErasmus Plus project (November 2023 - May 2026, 30 months) coordinated by Fondazione EDUCatt. Partners include ISIC, ACRU, University of Dubrovnik, Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe, and Rivensco Consulting to develop housing platform for student mobility.
• GEANTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research and education network partner supporting digital infrastructure and connectivity for academic institutions.
• UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for youth and student travel initiatives, supporting global tourism access for students.
• International Association of Universities (IAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner representing higher education institutions globally, supporting internationalization and student mobility initiatives.
• AIESECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal youth-run organization providing leadership development and exchange opportunities, partnering on student and youth initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TOTUM (formerly NUS Extra): UK-based student discount card issued by NUS (National Union of Students) that delivers exclusive offers to students across retail, travel, and food categories. Comparable as a national student-discount and identity credential, though limited geographically versus ISIC's 100+ country footprint.
• StudentUniverse: Travel booking platform focused exclusively on students and youth, offering discounted flights, hotels, and tours. Competes with ISIC on the student travel benefit layer, though ISIC has a broader discount portfolio beyond travel and a physical/digital card identity credential.
• European Student Card (ESC) Initiative: EU-backed initiative providing a pan-European student credential for mobility and services, developed with ISIC as a service provider. Directly comparable to ISIC in function (student status verification and benefits) and overlaps in target audience across 49 European countries.

Broad incumbents

• IDEMIA: Global leader in secure identity solutions including physical and digital ID credentials for governments, education, and financial institutions. Comparable as the underlying technology provider for many student card programs and the secure-IC/smart-card manufacturing layer that ISIC depends on.
• SheerID: Marketplace leader in instant verification of consumer communities (students, teachers, military, etc.) for brand offers. Functions as both an ISIC technology partner and a potential disintermediator, since merchants can use SheerID directly to verify students without ISIC cards.
• Transact Campus Cards: US-based provider of campus ID and payment cards for higher education institutions, serving meal plans, door access, and tuition payments. Comparable to ISIC's academic co-branding model, though more focused on payment functionality and US institutional market.

Emerging players

• Persona: Identity verification infrastructure provider used by consumer brands to confirm student, teacher, and youth status in real time. Emerging alternative to SheerID with comparable functionality, representing a structural competitor to ISIC's verification-as-a-service layer.
• IDology: Identity verification platform offering student and youth verification alongside broader KYC and age verification services. Comparable to ISIC's SheerID-powered verification function and represents a competing technology approach to verifying student status for brand offers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isicit
• Facebookfacebook.com/ISIC.GlobalOffice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Student Identity Card