The Broke Student’s Guide to Travelling at University

June 2025 by Keira Bennett

With a long university summer and a group of like-minded friends, it’s no surprise that travelling is a popular hobby for students in the UK. However, with plane fares, accommodation fees and spending money, the price of travelling abroad as a student can soon add up.

If you’re searching for affordable travel experiences for students, you’ve come to the right place! Our broke student’s guide to travel contains all the ways you can explore the world for cheap, as well as how to find great deals on flights and an essential packing list for your travels.

Study Abroad

Many university courses (especially language degrees) have a compulsory year abroad, letting students spend time away from the UK and experience a new country and culture. Most universities in the country have exclusive partnerships with educational institutions worldwide, including in Asia, America, Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East.

While many partnerships are subject-specific, others are open to all students. You would be surprised how many degrees allow the chance to study abroad! If taking classes somewhere sunnier and meeting other students from across the globe appeals to you, ask your personal tutor about your options.

What’s the cost?

Most UK universities will charge a lower tuition fee to keep you enrolled while studying abroad. The UK government also offers additional funding to help cover living costs while abroad through higher maintenance loans and travel grants.

International Internships

Completing an internship abroad not only helps you gain relevant work experience (great for standing out in an oversaturated graduate market!) but also means you can travel while you’re out there.

Lots of UK universities have internship opportunities with overseas partners covering tons of different industries, from engineering to teaching. For example, the University of Central Lancashire offers summer internships abroad with the British Council, Think Pacific and TEFL.

What’s the cost?

Some universities will help pay some of your costs if you secure an internship abroad.

Work Placements

If you fancy getting paid while travelling, working abroad is also a great option for students. There are plenty of overseas working placements that provide your accommodation and food in exchange for your work, while others also offer a living salary, which you can use to travel even more.

You could:

What’s the cost?

This all depends on what you’re doing! For many international work abroad placements, you’ll just have to fork out for the flight and travel insurance. Make sure to also ask your new employer about what’s covered in your package.

Overseas Conferences

For Masters and PhD students, attending a conference abroad is an easy way to gather research for your project (not to mention network with others in the field) and see the world at the same time. You’ll usually have to register for the conference online and pay a registration fee, which varies depending on what and where the conference is.

What’s the cost?

This all depends on the university. For example, the University of Manchester has a conference support fund for Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health postgraduate research students. Alternatively, the University of Wolverhampton has listed various ways you can get your funding paid for externally.

Practical Hours Abroad

Completing clinical and practical hours is a core part of many degrees, particularly in medicine and dentistry. Many UK universities offer their students the chance to do these hours abroad, for example, at a hospital overseas. The easiest way to find out about these opportunities is to ask your personal tutor about your university’s research partners.

What’s the cost?

Medical and dental students may be eligible for a grant from the UK government to cover some of their travel expenses. Some universities and medical organisations also offer grants and scholarships for students who want to do a placement abroad.

Volunteering

With three weeks off over university summer, students have plenty of time on their hands. Why not use it to see a bit of the world through some volunteering overseas? Many volunteering placements will pay for your food and accommodation in exchange for your labour, so it’s a great way to go travelling and keep costs down! You can find volunteer opportunities abroad at Work Away, GVI and Projects Abroad.

What’s the cost?

Volunteering abroad can be pricey, especially if you go away with an organisation – that being said, most packages do contain most things you need! Alternatively, some universities have international volunteer opportunities with their partners, like the University of Manchester, who use a funding scheme to support full-time undergraduate students in volunteering overseas.

How To Minimise Travel Costs As A Student

Looking for ways to make your student loan go further and explore the world? Check out these tips for minimising travel costs as a student:

Get early discounts by booking flights and accommodation far in advance.
Avoid peak seasons and school holidays.
Be flexible with when you go away.
Use travel comparison sites to find the best deals.
Make the most of public transport when abroad.
Look for budget-friendly hostels or split the cost of an Airbnb.
Eat at local restaurants and street food stalls.
Explore free attractions and walking tours.
Avoid data roaming charges with free wifi.

How To Find Cheap Flights For Students

Scoring cheap flights doesn’t mean just travelling with Ryanair. You can also use these tips and tricks for finding cheap student flight deals.

Use student discount travel websites
Many sites offer exclusive discounts for students with a thirst for wanderlust. StudentUniverse offers special student fares and deals, while KILROY has a host of unique travel experiences for students from small, local companies. You can also find travel discounts using your ISIC card.
Be flexible with dates and times
You can save money on flights by flying mid-week. Hint: Tuesday and Wednesday are usually cheapest! Flying at off-peak hours (late night or early morning) can also help keep costs down.
Set up price alerts
As well as planning well in advance, set up price alerts and get notified when fares drop. You track prices using Google Flights, Skyscanner or Hopper. Frequent flyers suggest that 3-9 months in advance is the optimum time to book an international flight.
Take advantage of airline student discounts
Some airlines have student discounts and exclusive fare packages for university students, including Emirates and Lufthansa, which you can use to secure extra baggage allowances, refundable tickets and discounted fares.
Use points and cashback rewards
Signing up for airline loyalty programs and using airline miles to book your flights is an easy way to save on the cost. Many student-friendly travel credit cards also offer the chance for students to earn air miles or cashback on bookings.
Book smartly
Booking two one-way flights with different airlines is often cheaper than a round-trip. Other times, planning your trip as an entire package can help you curb costs. You can also mix and match airlines for the best deals, and consider making stopovers – especially if you want to explore somewhere in between!

Student Travel Checklist

Packing all the student travel essentials is one of the most important parts of going away. Our packing list for students will ensure you’ve got the basics covered.

Passport and extra copies of passport photos
Visa if required (plus photocopies!)
Printed copy of student visa
Health insurance card (if applicable)
Proof of medical and travel insurance
Copy of your birth certificate
Student ID
Driver’s license
University enrollment confirmation, acceptance letter, or programme verification
University transcripts if studying abroad
Embassy/consulate phone numbers or email
List of emergency contacts
Copy of medical records
Vaccination certificates
Bank statements (if required to show proof of funds)
Travel itinerary details, including flight tickets and the arrival hotel
Basic first aid kit
Medical prescriptions with an original copy of the prescription
Local currency
Essential toiletries
Power bank or portable phone charger
Adaptor
Laptop or tablet and charger
Cloud access or flash drive
Headphones
Camera and charger
USB cable