International student mobility reached the 5 million mark in December 2021. Moreover, apparent benefits, such as the standard of higher learning, availability of scholarships, increased cross-cultural interactions, and the prospect of a brighter future, attract hundreds of thousands of aspiring minds. Students wish to pursue their dream careers in the top study-abroad destinations, such as the USA, the UK, Germany, France, Singapore, and so forth every year.
Although the proportion of the international student group has grown in the past decade, so has the expense associated with overseas education. Therefore, a foolproof financial plan coupled with a top-tier student Forex card is helpful to stay afloat as an international student in an expensive university destination.
HOW CAN STUDENTS MANAGE THEIR FINANCES BETTER IN THE STUDY ABROAD DESTINATION
A recent report by the Fifth Estate reveals that Indian students in Canadian institutions have to pay five times the fees paid by local students. Moreover, 20-hour-per-week work-study opportunities that International students get in the top study-abroad destinations are mostly minimum wages. Such reports are sad, but they are harsh truths. However, simply because international education is expensive does not mean it is unattainable. There are multiple ways to streamline expenses and stay afloat in the most expensive study-abroad destinations, such as the USA, the UK, or France. How? Let us find out!
- Student Loans Can Help – In recent times, student loans have gotten a bad reputation for draining the pockets of young graduates. However, when used strategically, student loans can be of tremendous help. Most banks offer study abroad loans, and you can choose the one that suits your needs and has reasonable terms and conditions. Many of these loans come with waivers and minimal interest rates. In addition, they not only pay for your tuition and fund your living expenses abroad.
- Engage in timely financial planning – Experts say that young people keen on studying abroad should start planning their future education costs at least eight to twelve months in advance. Timely financial planning allows study abroad aspirations to gauge their fund inflows and outflows and identify if any aspect of their overseas education is going way over budget. Moreover, financial planning helps distinguish between need and desire, enabling you to remove extra burdens on your wallet.
- Scholarships – More than 1000 scholarships are available to international students in higher learning institutions worldwide. Therefore, it is imperative to make the most of such funding and ease the burden of expenses overseas. For instance, the Fulbright Scholarship is one of the most comprehensive scholarships in the United States, which is offered to 4000 international students from 155 countries. Although not every scholarship amount is sufficient to cover your entire study abroad expense, it adds up to something worthwhile.
- Apply for a Student Forex Cards –Many financial instruments that claim to help study abroad students; however, a student Forex cardstands out. It is an international card that enables young learners abroad to save money and ensure its security. In addition, the associated rewards and benefits can, in fact, help students grow their accounts while they make transactions. Although there are several student Forex cards in the current financial market, some stand out due to their customer-oriented approach and trustworthy policies. Are you curious to know about Forex cards catering to students? If yes, then we have got you covered.
WHAT IS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FOREX CARD? HOW DOES IT HELP IN FINANCE MANAGEMENT ABROAD?
A student Forex card is a prepaid travel card that helps students manage their finances abroad. When compared to other options, such as making transactions using Debit or Credit cards, or setting up an account in a local international bank abroad, Forex cards that cater to students are much more advantageous.
To begin with, setting up a bank account in a foreign nation is a complicated and lengthy process. You need a lot of time, energy, effort, and documents to complete the process.
Also, wiring money is not an option for daily or recurring transactions, as they take a few days to materialize.
Thirdly, Debit and Credit cards can be convenient, but they can burn a hole in your pocket owing to the final sum up of all overhead charges, such as FOREX markup fees, issuance charges, merchant service fees, and more.
In addition, they do not have exchange rate lock-in features, meaning that you can lose even more of your precious money.
TOP EIGHT BENEFITS OF A STUDENT FOREX CARD FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
There is light at the end of the tunnel. Solving this problem, international student Forex cards help the the student groups abroad in various ways. What are they? Let us find out!
- Uncompromised Security – The most significant benefit of carrying a student Forex card is its safety and convenience. Traveling with a single card instead of physical money is much safer for students studying abroad. For instance, the best Forex cards for students are enabled with a chip and pin technology that keeps money safe. Moreover, if the card is lost or stolen, blocking it entirely or freezing the balance is easy and quick.
- Helps Reduce Study Abroad Expenses – When an international student uses the standard Debit or Credit card for transactions abroad, the currency exchange is automatically done by the card issuer based on the current FOREX rate. In return for convenience, the credit company charges an overhead fee of 1 percent to 5.95 percent (sometimes even 11 percent), which is reflected in your total withdrawal costs. Such surcharges sum up into huge amounts, adding to the financial burden of study abroad students. However, a student Forex card has no FOREX markup fee, meaning that payments made on an international merchant’s card swiping device or via an online seller’s payment gateway are processed without extra currency conversion charges. Simply put, international students save a lot of money on transactions that involve foreign money, such as tuition fees, flight bookings, etc.
- Exchange Rate Lock-in – Forex cards catering to the international students help these young people protect their money. When you load a student Forex card with INR, the money is loaded at a fixed rate that cannot be changed. As the rates are locked in, you are protected against currency fluctuations. For instance, if you have loaded USD 2000 in your Forex card, its value will remain the same irrespective of alterations in the INR-USD exchange rate. The lock-in feature is a blessing for students as it saves them from surpassing their estimated expenses, thus financial planning made easy!
- Forex Cards Help Regulate Expenses – Student Forex cards can help study abroad students by allowing them to keep track of their transactions. International students have a limited monthly budget after they move to the host country. However, the right Forex card has features that allow you to restrict your daily withdrawal limit or transaction limit. In addition, you are notified whenever the daily threshold is touched. Such checks help in financial management, especially if you are the quintessential spender.
- Forex Cards Catering to Students Help in Financial Growth – Some Forex cards come with an interest-earning savings account. This means that while you go about your daily life, transacting money overseas, your account still continues to grow. For instance, with the right student card, you can get an interest of up to 5 percent per annum. In addition, with thorough research, you can also find student Forex cards with zero savings account features, implying that you will not have to stack a considerable amount in your digital wallet at all times.
- Easy Online Transactions – Study abroad aspirants can vehemently gain from a Forex card because it offers top-tier ease and comfort in making online payments after moving to a new country. International cards allow instant cash through an ATM in a foreign nation. In addition, the card can be refunded or reloaded in just a few clicks via internet banking. Therefore, money management becomes a breeze when you have a reliable forex card.
- Worldwide Acceptance – A student Forex card lets you load INR before your study abroad trip or even after you reach your destination. The auto-convert feature instantly changes the INR amount to the local currency of your university’s location. Be it the USA, France, Canada, Germany, or any other country, the best student Forex cards support top-ups in up to 22 currencies.
- Travel Security – The best student Forex cards come with travel security features, such as travel insurance, auto rental collision damage waivers, lost luggage reimbursements, emergency evacuation, trip delay reimbursement, and more. An international student has to make multiple international trips from their source country to the host country and vice versa during their study abroad stint. As such, travel security and insurance become necessary during such international trips. Forex cards catering to students are designed to benefit them with relevant travel insurance for a safer and more protected trip.
So, there we have it, a comprehensive overview of how a student Forex card can help international students lower their financial stress and make their study abroad experience all the more relaxed and enjoyable.
