How to Travel as a College Student
I was a student for the majority of my life until I was 28 years old! I did my undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University and got my PhD from the University of Georgia in Chemistry. Since I went off to college, I have traveled internationally to Canada, Mexico, France, New Zealand, Ireland, and Israel, and domestically to Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, New York, and more!
And it didn’t happen because of coincidence or luck. I figured out exactly how to work the system to align with my travel priorities, so I know you can, too! In fact, there are very specific ways to travel as a college student and in this guide I’m sharing all of them, so keep reading!
Why you probably think traveling as a student is impossible:
MONEY
First, I want to discuss what misconceptions and ideas are probably holding you back (and how to overcome them).
Obviously, money is the biggest factor. I fully acknowledge that being a college student introduces you to a whole new level of broke. You’re on your own. You have to navigate adult financial situations that no one ever taught you about. Taxes….huh?
So, how do you get around that giant hurdle? I actually wrote a whole post dedicated to saving money for travel as a student.
Read that for all the info you could possibly want plus my tips that are especially useful for students on how campus resources can save you money!
TIME
Hi, now that you’re back, the next big hurdle is time. I know it seems like you don’t have any time to travel. You’re a full time student after all. But, let me break it down. You will never get as much time off as you do with your student schedule. One week spring break…check. Summer break for 3 months…check. Thanksgiving break for a long weekend or a full week…check. Winter break for 2 weeks to one month…check. That is A LOT of time, especially if you add in weekends.
One tip to maximize your weekends is to see if you can arrange your class schedule for only Tuesday/Thursday classes or try to get Mondays or Fridays off entirely. I know this is impossible for some majors (Chem lab on a Friday afternoon anyone?). But, if you can, then try to. This is of course, after you’ve handled the financial side of things.
Let me share exactly how I used my student breaks. I went to New Zealand during spring break, Israel during winter break, Ireland during summer break, and many US states during weekends. It’s really important to remember that traveling doesn’t always have to be somewhere exotic and overseas. You can still travel exploring your backyard.
Ways to travel as a college student
1. Study Abroad
I know, I know. This isn’t revolutionary, but don’t quit on me now. Study abroad is the best and easiest way for students to travel as undergraduates. I know you probably know it exists, but only 10% of students actually study abroad! Some things to note:
Find and check in with your school’s study abroad office.
Most colleges have dedicated study abroad offices. If you’re serious about traveling and study abroad, locate their webpage and see if you can attend an information session. Usually staff in the study abroad office is eager to share how you can study abroad but you have to seek out the information on your own.
You want to get information about which programs are available and what type of study abroad programs are offered. This is key to understanding how the finances shake out. Most schools have some sort of exchange program where you can study abroad for the exact same price as a regular semester. That means that you can spend a whole semester abroad for the same amount of money you pay during a semester! It’s equal, not more!!
Do this AS A FRESHMAN. Here’s why…
The hardest part about studying abroad (especially for STEM majors) is that as you progress in your degree, the classes you need to take become more specialized and they are not offered abroad. You think I could have taken advanced instrumental analysis or quantum chemistry abroad? Absolutely not.
The best time to study abroad is during your sophomore year, when you still have general requirements to get out of the way. Usually you can find those types of classes abroad. Now, if you’re already past your sophomore year, don’t fret. I went after my junior year for classes specific to my minor (French) by switching my schedule around.
It made some of my other semesters very science heavy – but I was able to study abroad, so it was worth it!
You can also look for specialized programs within specific departments by browsing their websites and speaking with your professors. I know that sounds scary, but they might have more specific resources for your field than the generalized study abroad office. Again you have to seek out the information for yourself!
For example, when I studied abroad, my program was actually directly through the Language department. I traveled to a small town in France to study the French language at a specialized language institute where I was matched to the right classes for my language proficiency level and earned the final credits needed for my minor.
TL;DR: Seek out study abroad information instead of waiting for it to come to you AND do so as early in your college career as you can.
Related read >> How to travel solo for the first time (your guide to solo group trips)
2. Do a little research and become a tourist in your own state
I know you want to travel across the world. I hear you. I’ve planned more fake international trips than I can count.
As a student though, you likely don’t have the means to be traveling internationally all the time. When I went to New Zealand during my spring break it took me years to save that money.
In the meantime, you don’t have to stop traveling completely. Look into your own state and what you can see around you.
I went to school in Boston for a bit and tried to use my weekends to see the city – Faneuil Hall, the Public Garden, the Freedom Trail. In Arizona, I did a worse job at seeing my state (aka I entirely missed the Grand Canyon in my 3 years there – whoops) but I still managed to see Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Follow specific hashtags on Instagram. For Georgia (my current state), I follow #exploregeorgia #explorenorthgeorgia and #onlyingeorgia
- Same with specific travel accounts for your state!
- Find some bloggers who have featured your state or who live in your state. This one can be a little more tricky. One of my favorites is Local Adventurer, where bloggers purposefully live in a place for one year to find local hidden gems!
- Write a bucket list for your state (here’s mine for Georgia). As you come across new things, add them to the list…an actual list! Mine lived on a white board in my kitchen (because, why not).
- Don’t forget about the big ticket items either! (I say as someone who lived an hour from the Grand Canyon for 3 years and never went).
3. Don’t be afraid of a road trip
So maybe your own state isn’t cutting it! I get that. Don’t underestimate the power of a road trip to get you out of your local area. When I lived in Flagstaff, AZ, I took mini weekend road trips to Utah to see Zion and Bryce National Parks, to Las Vegas in Nevada where I saw the Seven Magic Mountains, and to Montezuma’s Castle and Well in Arizona.
Now that I’m in Georgia, I’ve taken weekend road trips to New Orleans, Jekyll Island, the Great Smokies, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
4. Attend or present at conferences
Conferences are one of the most underrated ways to travel as a student, in my opinion. As an undergraduate I only attended one conference with my research group and that was the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, CA. It really opened my eyes to the whole experience.
Financially, this is a mega score for students who like to travel. Your research advisor or department pays for you to travel – lodging, transportation, and meals.
The hardest part here is joining a research group and doing the legwork to present at a conference (not every advisor will just let you attend a conference). If your academic field doesn’t do research, do a little googling to see if you can find conferences in your field. You might be able to talk to your department to send you to represent your school. You’ll want to talk to your department anyway before you go to understand the reimbursement process.
Usually, you’ll pay for things yourself, then get reimbursed. If you can pay for everything on a travel credit card then get reimbursed to a checking account, you’ll also rack up travel points or miles!
As a graduate student this is one of the absolute best ways to travel. When I went to Ireland, I was there for a weeklong conference. I was able to spend my off hours exploring Dublin!
I’ve been to conferences in Los Angeles, New Jersey, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, and France.
Again, talk to your advisor as they should know what major conferences are pertinent to your field. Some fellowships also come with a “requirement” that you attend a specific conference so that would be a win-win. Money and a funded trip to a conference location!
Once you’re at a conference it can be tricky to fit in some exploring but if you make it a priority, it’s definitely doable. I am 100% an introvert so I get super drained after being “on” for a conference.
Still I know if I want to explore, I have to really push myself to get out there and do it. Sometimes it’s really hard to keep going, but I never regret it.
At a conference in Washington DC, I was alone so I really needed to find that drive from within. I managed to go straight from the conference to the National Mall where I walked through a snow storm to see the monuments! I even stumbled on a city-wide snowball fight! How cool!
5. Learn about travel hacking
There really is a lot to unpack about travel hacking so I’m not going to dive too deep into it right now. I recently used it to book my dream honeymoon to the Maldives saving us $15,000!
If you are responsible with your finances, travel hacking can be a great way to travel inexpensively.
Consult the internet to learn about how to utilize travel credit cards to travel for free (or cheap).
Look into sites that monitor airfare deals like Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights). They may have a signup fee, but it will cancel itself out after one booked deal, so if you’re serious about traveling, don’t let that sway you.
Check in with Groupon to see if there are any deals on full travel packages.
6. Find specialized fellowships
We’re getting into the harder options here. Did you know that there are specialized fellowships that will pay for you to travel abroad with some educational goal in mind? Let me explain.
Obviously travel is my number one priority. I was on an email blast my first semester of grad school that was sharing info on the Chateaubriand Fellowship. This fellowship was created by the French Embassy to foster collaboration between the US and France on a number of research topics. When I saw it, I immediately forwarded it to my advisor and told him I wanted to do it. He said my first year wasn’t the best time, but let’s revisit next year.
Well I saved it and made myself lots of notes to be sure I remembered to bring it up again a year later. Sure enough when I did, I applied and I got accepted!
Moral of the story is to keep an eye out for opportunities like that and don’t be shy when discussing it with your research advisor. Again, if the opportunities don’t come to you, YOU HAVE TO SEEK THEM OUT.
Check out this page for some options to get started.
7. Look into a semester at sea
You guys this was my dream that was never realized. Suite Life on Deck really ruined me here. Semester at Sea is exactly that. One semester at sea where you take classes and travel around the world to places like Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, India, South Africa, Morocco, and the Netherlands! What I wouldn’t I give! Check into your study abroad office for more info to see if your school has this option.
8. Take online classes
If you have a semester that is entirely general requirements, try to take the classes online. This will give you the freedom to travel and be a student from anywhere! This was impossible for me as a STEM major, but if you can do it, more power to you!
9. Do your research before traveling to maximize your budget
The cheapest time to travel is during off season. What might be surprising is that off season changes depending on the location. If you can match a place’s off season with your student breaks, you’re onto something! For example, the seasons are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres so when you have summer break in the US, it’s really the winter in New Zealand, which is the off season for traveling.
10. Stay somewhere for free
If you are willing to put in a little work, you can stay with locals for free! Sometimes the work can be cleaning around the house, helping with simple farm work, speaking English with kids, or even cooking and shopping for groceries. In exchange for work, you will get to stay for free at the person’s home. Sometimes the occasional meal is provided and usually the work is 3-5 hours a day during the week. Check out these resources for more information about work exchanges.
If working doesn’t sound appealing, you can always try couchsurfing.com.
It is a highly verified company where you can stay at a local’s home for free. Usually the person offering their space just wants to meet new people and learn about more cultures.
Check out these other student travel resources:
My Travel Essentials
- Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
- Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
- Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
- Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
- Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
- Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
- Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!
Save to Pinterest
Thank you for clearing the common misconception that students can’t travel! I decided to study in China, which thanks to its location and cheap airfare allows me to go to Southeast Asia almost every month!
That’s wonderful! I think it can be really daunting if you don’t know how to do it or where to start. I’m glad you seized the opportunity.
I definitely wish I took the time to travel more in college.
I think that’s common! Better late than never.
These are great ideas! I don’t know how many of these are options in the UK but I never even thought of things like conferences when you’re a student!
P.S. you totally missed an opportunity to put your Hobbiton photo next to the bit about joining a fellowship. 😀 😀
I totally did!! But good to know a fellow Lord of the Rings fan has my back 🙂
These are great tips that can be applied to many groups of people, thanks!
You’re welcome! 🙂
I did an exchange when I was in university and it opened doors to work experiences abroad and lots of travelling! Cannot recommend it enough and love that there are now so many sites and programs to help young people travel!
Agreed! It’s such an incredible and under-utilized opportunity!
Thanks for this well-crafted post. I appreciate the clarity and honesty in your writing. Looking forward to more articles like this.,