Save Money in the Netherlands with the Brave Ones ISIC Student Card

Summary Box

• Student life in the Netherlands is expensive—but it doesn’t have to be
• The Brave Ones ISIC card gives instant access to thousands of discounts
• You can save on travel, food, shopping, and subscriptions
• It’s an official international student ID accepted worldwide
• The earlier you get it, the more you save throughout the year

Why saving money as a student in the Netherlands is challenging

Living in the Netherlands as an international student is exciting—but also financially demanding. Rent alone can take up most of your budget, and everyday costs like groceries, transport, and social activities quickly follow.

What most students don’t realize at first is this:

You’re probably overpaying for things every single week.

From full-price train tickets to regular-priced meals and subscriptions, small missed discounts can easily cost you €50–€150 extra per month.

That’s money you could spend on:

• Traveling across Europe
• Going out with friends
• Saving for emergencies
• Or simply reducing stress

The difference often comes down to one thing: whether you use student discounts consistently or not.

What is the Brave Ones ISIC student card?

The Brave Ones ISIC (International Student Identity Card) is more than just a discount card—it’s one of the easiest ways to immediately lower your cost of living as a student.

It gives you:

• Access to thousands of verified student discounts worldwide
• A globally recognized student ID
• Both online and in-store savings opportunities

Most importantly, it helps you avoid paying full price when you don’t have to.

How the ISIC card helps you save money (step-by-step)

1. Save on travel and transport

Travel is one of the biggest expenses—and also one of the biggest missed opportunities for savings.

With the ISIC card:

• You can reduce costs on flights and international trips
• Get discounts on transport services
• Travel more often without stretching your budget

Without it: You pay full price
With it: You travel more for less

2. Turn daily spending into automatic savings

Think about how often you:

• Grab coffee
• Eat out
• Buy clothes
• Go to the gym

Now imagine getting a discount almost every time.

That’s where the ISIC card becomes powerful—not in one big saving, but in consistent small wins that add up fast.

3. Reduce your fixed monthly costs

Subscriptions are easy to forget—but they quietly drain your budget.

With ISIC discounts, you can save on:

• Study tools and software
• Streaming platforms
• Online learning resources

Over a year, this alone can cover the cost of the card multiple times.

4. Always have proof of student status (anywhere in the world)

As an international student, you won’t always have access to local student IDs that are recognized everywhere.

The ISIC card:

• Works internationally
• Is accepted by thousands of partners
• Makes claiming discounts easier and faster

5. Start saving from day one (this is where most students miss out)

Here’s the reality:

Most students only discover these discounts months after arriving—after they’ve already spent hundreds of euros unnecessarily.

By getting the ISIC card early, you:

• Avoid those initial “overpaying months”
• Start saving immediately
• Build smarter spending habits from the beginning

What do you need to get the Brave Ones ISIC card?

To apply, you typically need:

• Proof of student status
• A valid ID or passport
• A photo

Apply here:

What happens if you don’t get it? (honest reality check)

If you skip the ISIC card, you’ll likely:

• Pay full price on travel and daily expenses
• Miss out on discounts you didn’t even know existed
• Spend more than necessary without realizing it

It’s not about spending more—it’s about not leaving money on the table.

Why Brave Ones recommends the ISIC card

At Brave Ones, we help international students build a stable and enjoyable life in the Netherlands.

The ISIC card is one of the simplest tools to:

• Reduce financial pressure
• Make your budget last longer
• Give you more freedom to enjoy your experience

Combined with a part-time job through Brave Ones, it puts you in a much stronger financial position.

Glossary

• ISIC Card: International Student Identity Card, a globally recognized student ID with discounts
• Student Discount: Reduced price offered to students
• Fixed Costs: Regular monthly expenses like subscriptions or memberships

Sources

• Brave Ones ISIC Card Page: https://www.braveones.com/library/brave-ones-isic-student-card
• ISIC Official Website