Types of Identity Cards

International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This one is for fulltime students of accredited institutions. You can also be a student of a high school or post-secondary educational establishment, but you must be at least 12 years old. The Card serves as your passport that certifies you are a full time student. ISIC is accepted in nearly 100 countries of the world and about 4 million students use this card annually.

In order to be issued the Card, you only need to present a document certifying your full time student status (for example, your current student ID), passport size photo, and to pay a fee (in Ukraine – about $5 depending on agency). ISIC is valid for maximum 16 months.

The ISIC provides you, as a cardholder, with the following services and advantages:

– access to thousands of discounts in about 100 countries;

– discount student airfares;

– proof of your being a full time student;

– 24-hour emergency Help Line;

– sickness and accident travel insurance;

– ISIC Benefit Guide (a guide containing information on ISIC benefits in countries of the world, travel tips, dos and don’ts, etc.).

Discounts comprise a lot of opportunities of reducing your expenses: from accommodations and transport to retail outlets and restaurants. You can save up to 100% on admissions to theatres, cinema, clubs, exhibitions, etc. – just present your ISIC.

Discount student airfares let you travel by air for less. With ISIC you can buy tickets, change destination cities, travel dates and routes (on way), get refund for the unused portions of tickets, etc. A special organisation arranges this for you.

24-hour emergency Help Line is a 24 hour a day, multilingual emergency assistance service available to all ISIC holders. The main aim of this service is to give advice on emergency situations (lost documents, sickness, etc.). When you receive your ISIC, you can find a special phone number printed on the back of the Card. So, once an emergency happens, dial the given phone number and the operator will be there for assistance. The operator will need to know your name, Card number, nationality, language you prefer to speak, the kind of emergency. The service is available in English, French, German and Japanese. Help Line service includes: medical referral, legal referral, referral to a student travel office, emergency message handling, referral to cardholder services.

Travel insurance is a specifically designed for Card holders insurance programme. The main advantages of the programme – its flexibility and adaptation to limited budgets of young travellers. Note, under this programme’s terms you are to purchase insurance policies before you start out. Most policies include options for basic medical and accident insurance, trip cancellation and baggage tracing.

International Young Travel Card (IYTC). If you are not a fulltime student, do not despair. You may benefit from almost the same advantages as those of ISIC. You can apply for IYTC. It is issued to the young aged up to 25 years old even if they are not students. Each year about 400.000 young people travel around the world with IYTC.

In order to receive IYTC, you will be asked to present: proof of your age (photocopy of your birth certificate, passport or a validated ID card with a picture) and one passport size photograph, and to pay a fee. IYTC remains valid for one year from the date it was issued.

The benefits and discounts you can receive by holding IYTP are named below:

– special young airfares;

– commission free currency exchange;

– discounts on airfares, restaurants, etc.

Reading tasks

A. Understanding main points. Answer these questions:

1. What benefits do identity cards?

2. What types of identity cards are there?

3. Which services and advantages does ISIC provide?

4. What do discounts comprise?

5. What is 24-hour emergence Help Line?

6. What is the aim of this service?

7. What is Travel insurance designed for?

8. What are the advantages of Travel insurance?

9. Which card can you apply for if you are not a fulltime student?

10. What documents must you present to receive IYTC?

11. What benefits and discounts can you receive by holding IYTC?

B. Understanding details. Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text:

1. Identity Cards encompass lots of discounts.

2. Identity Cards have only one benefit.

3. If you are not a fulltime student, you are not issued the Card.

4. ISIC is valid for a year and a half.

5. ISIC is accepted in many countries.

6. You cannot receive ISIC if you are under 12 years old.

7. Discounts comprise admissions to exhibition.

8. You can get advice on emergency situations from Help Line.

9. Help Line service is available only in English and French.

10. You are to purchase insurance policies under Travel insurance terms.

Vocabulary tasks

A. Match the words in column A to the words in column B as they occur in the text:

B. Complete the following sentences using the words from the above exercise:

1. Fulltime teaching staff can apply for this c___________

2. The benefits encompass t________ discounts, special fares and recognition as a teaching professional wherever you go.

3. Multilingual e_________ assistance service is available to all ISIC holders.

4. You can find a special p_________ number printed on the back of the Card.

5. Dial the given phone number and the operator will be there for a__________ .

6. With ISIC you can change d__________ cities.

7. The price for the p________ tickets is really high.

8. You must present your current student ID, p________ s________ photo and pay a fee.

9. Discounts comprise r__________ outlets and restaurants.

10. Teachers are eligible for a discount i__________ card.

Speaking

Create a dialogue:

Student A is a carholder and has just returned from trip to Britain

Student B asks her/him about the advantages ISIC provides her/him with

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 849