So, you might have come across StudentUniverse in your quest for the best flight deals, and asked yourself – Is this site only for students? It’s a good question, and the answer may surprise you. StudentUniverse is designed primarily for students, but it’s much more than that. Here’s a guide to who can book with it, what discounts are on offer, and how to make the most of this platform – regardless of whether you’re a student or not.
Short Answer: No, StudentUniverse isn’t just for students
StudentUniverse is a travel agency, mostly geared towards students, but it welcomes all. The website is accessible to anyone 15 years or older, and you can book flights, hotels, and tours. StudentUniverse started in 1999 and since then has worked with over 220 airlines to secure exclusive discounts – some as high as 30% of the original price. But just how good those discounts are will depend on what type of person you are and which category you fit into when you register.
So think of StudentUniverse as a loyalty card that identifies students first, offers them the best rewards, young adults next, offering them second-best rewards, and then lets everyone else who wants to book travel through at realistic prices.
StudentUniverse Eligibility Guidelines
Here are some of the guidelines that you need to take a look at:
1. Students
This is StudentUniverse’s strong suit. If you are a full-time or part-time student at a college, community college, or university that is accredited by a government authority, you are eligible for student fares, the lowest fares on StudentUniverse. Teachers at these institutions are also eligible. Registration is free, and you’ll have access to fares that airlines do not offer to the public once your status is validated (either by ID card or confirmation of enrolment).
There’s no student fare for high school students, but they may be eligible for Youth fares depending on their age when they book.
2. Young Adults (Non-Students)
Don’t have a student ID? Not a problem, all you need is to be between the ages of 18 and 25 to qualify for Youth fares. And some airlines even offer these young adult fares to passengers aged 35\ You don’t have to be a student anywhere; simply enter your date of birth, and StudentUniverse will figure out the best fare. If you’re both a student and a young adult, enter both bits of information to get the best chance of securing the lowest fare.
3. Adults (Everyone Else)
If you’re not a student or youth-aged, you can use StudentUniverse as an adult. You won’t have access to the special student or youth fares, but you will still be able to book competitive flight fares from hundreds of airlines. For many destinations, rates are at par with, or even better than, other travel sites, such as Google Flights or Skyscanner.
Not Just Flights, But More With StudentUniverse
StudentUniverse is more than just a flight search platform. It offers a range of travel services such as:
- Hotels – Discounted hotels, particularly good for economy-minded travellers.
- Tour packages – Group and individual tours at discounted rates.
- Car rentals – With clear rates including Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), theft, airport fees, and taxes.
- Travel guides and blogs – Information to plan your journey, explore destinations, and be a savvy traveller.
And for students, there are even student-specific features such as flexible booking options to accommodate study abroad and spring break itineraries, and discounted baggage fees.
Setting Up on StudentUniverse
Setting up with StudentUniverse is easy:
- Set up your free account – Register for a StudentUniverse account and select the member type: Student, Youth, Faculty, or Adult.
- Confirm membership status – Students will have to prove they are students by providing a University ID or school email address. Youth will need to declare their birthdate.
- View and select – View and scan dates in the date calendar to identify the best travel deals. Jewels indicate the cheapest dates, so you can save an additional $50-$100 by changing your travel dates.
- Use promo codes – StudentUniverse at times provides discount codes, which can be combined with offers. So it’s worth looking out for.
The Bottom Line
StudentUniverse is more than just a student travel agency: it’s a travel agency by and for students. Students benefit from the best exclusive airfares and travel deals, younger travellers take advantage of big youth travel discounts, and others get a healthy variety of competitive air and hotel options. If you are a college sophomore heading home for Christmas, or if you are in your 40s and looking for international air travel, check out StudentUniverse before you travel.
You might not be a student, but it’s savings for all.
FAQ
No. Students receive the best discounts, but anyone aged 15 or older can book with StudentUniverse, including young adults (18-35 years old) and adult travellers.
Youth fares (18-25 years old) are available for non-students, and some airlines allow bookings for people up to 35 years old. Beyond these ages, you still get competitive adult fares, just not the special student fares.
Yes, to get student fares. Usually, just an ID card or confirmation of enrollment is required. It’s a fast process (less than a minute) and free to join.
The student discount is only valid for your ticket. You can add travel companions as adult members on StudentUniverse or book directly with the airline.
StudentUniverse deals directly with 220+ airlines to get fares up to 30% cheaper than the price listed on their website – offers not publicly available from the airlines. Students can apply promo codes for further discounts.
