Money

The amount of spending money needed varies from student to student. Some students are very careful with their money and get by with less while others spend it quickly and need more. ISE recommends about $40-50 a day for meals and incidentals (outside of the family stay). Please keep in mind that if you plan to buy a lot of souvenirs or gifts, eat in the finest restaurants, or spend money on stamps, postcards, snacks, etc., more may be necessary.

ISE recommends bringing debit or credit cards for cash access. Please check with your bank or credit card company before you leave regarding possible limits and/or other service charges. Using a debit or credit card will probably off the best exchange rates, as well as more flexibility considering many countries’ limited banking hours. Make sure you know your 4-digit PIN number in numerical form. The ATM machines abroad may not have the alphabet on the keys.

Traveler’s checks have become increasingly difficult to cash in the last few years. ISE does not recommend utilizing traveler’s checks as you encounter tremendous difficulty in cashing them.