2 Sites Every College Student Should Know About Before Traveling Abroad

College is a great time of your life to travel--you’re young, and curious, and full of energy to explore the world. College is also one of the hardest times to travel, because if you’re like most college students in America, you probably aren’t flush with cash. Finding the balance of how to travel without breaking the bank is the way to go while in college, and companies like Student Universe and STA Travel are here to help with that.

Both companies focus specifically on teen and college age travelers, because they know the time and money constraints these age groups face. If you’re looking for an affordable way to take the trip of a lifetime, these groups are the way to go. Here’s the breakdown:

Student Universe

Student Universe negotiates with over 90 airlinesfrom all around the world to get you the best discounts possible, and then they help broker the transaction so that you don’t have to deal with any risk. They also have discounted rates for hotels around the world and different tours, which you can search by activity or region. If you’re looking to travel solo, Student Universe is a great resource for finding cheap flights, letting you save money for other things, like boarding, food, and fun while you’re there!

But, if you’re interested in a more communal trip, Student Universe has got you covered there as well. They have an option for group travel, which allows you to book flights and accomodations for groups of up to ten people or more. Coordinating plans for all those people can get overwhelming, and the group travel option lets you consolidate everything to one reservation and on Student Universe manager to help you keep track of everything. Whether you’re planning a graduation trip with all of your besties or a crazy family, group travel will take all the stress out of planning.

STA Travel

STA Travel is a kind of all inclusive travel resource. If you want to travel the world but are intimidated about where to start, STA Travel should be your first stop. They also offer discounted flights, as well as rail and bus passes in various countries, making the actual traveling part easy. Once you’re there, they can help you find hotels or hostels, plus travel packages and deals to help you save money on the entire trip. Stravel’s main focus, though, is their tours.

You can search STA Travel tours by region, by activity, or by date. They have a section of “last minute tours” for when the travel bug just won’t go away, as well as “tours for under $800” for those of us on a budget. Whatever your criteria, STA Travel has an option for everyone, and they’re all geared towards students. Not only does that mean they have an understanding of what college ages kids are interested in, but it gives you a built in travel-buddy system. You’ll meet people from all over the world on your trip no matter where you go, but having a built in group to explore with makes it that much more special.

Both of these groups understand how difficult it can be for young people to find the resources or the money to travel successfully, and they want to help. Other travel agencies can probably hook you up with some of the same activities or suggestions, but when your travel experts exclusively work with students, they have a better idea of what you might want, and more importantly, what you’ll be able to pay for it. If you’ve been wanting to travel and have been putting it off for financial reasons, here’s your chance! Happy exploring.