6 Ways Students Can Travel for Free

By Vivian El-Salawy on August 29, 2016

Students will never discontinue their bickering and moaning over the “broke college lifestyle”, mostly because it is undeniably a realistic lifestyle.  Between skyrocketing tuition, textbook costs, and food (because we all know that’s where a large portion of our cash goes) – there really is no room to afford any kind of luxurious travel.  It is no wonder that students nowadays are experiencing increased rates of stress and anxiety.  But what if I told you there were ways students can travel for free?

Complete an Internship

Image via UConn Career

While most internships are done locally, there are countless of opportunities for students to travel somewhere across the country or even across the glove in order to fulfill a (non)required internship.  A majority of the time, these internships are not necessarily paid internships, but they will provide for housing and occasionally food.  While this is not necessarily a full-blown vacation, it is an opportunity to travel for free.  Think about it – any time that is not spent working can be spent exploring a place you may not have ever gotten the chance to visit without the financial aid from an internship program.

Visit a friend that is completing an internship

Image via Campus

Ever heard of the phrase “don’t buy a boat, have a friend with a boat”?  Maybe you do not have the opportunity to complete an internship, or at least not one that isn’t local.  Instead, visit a friend who is completing an internship!  If you have a painfully dull summer, really the most you will have to cover is your method of transportation – but other than that it spares you any additional housing fees! Additionally, if you visit a city, there will be less of a chance of having to use additional methods of transportation, as most things are within a walking distance.

Teach abroad at a camp or school

Image via Oxford Seminars

There are countless programs that allow for students to travel for free, whether they are with a university or an exterior club, camp, or church group.  Teaching offers the opportunity to travel almost anywhere in the world and it is probably one of the most rewarding things you can do as a young student as well.  Traveling globally with the intention of teaching does more than almost any kind of vacation.  There is almost no other way to immerse yourself culturally in a new environment and I guarantee that you will have learned more from this trip than any other.

Study abroad

Image via Kudzu

Studying abroad can be expensive.  I’m sure that if any student was given the opportunity to travel for free, they could.  But here is the thing – every student does have the opportunity to travel for free, they just have to work for it.  Many study abroad and international programs at universities offer scholarships and grants to those that apply.  If you present a strong enough reason (perhaps you have a thesis that involves a specific culture), it is highly likely that the university or a specific program will provide you with some type of grant to help aid the expenses of your trip.  It is crucial that wherever you may choose to study abroad is relevant to your coursework, major, minor, or so on, in order to justify the reason for financial aid.

Go Hiking

Image via My Club My Life

If you are an outdoorsy person, a hike is perfect for you.  Honestly, if you have the proper equipment – the only thing you will be paying for is food.  If you do not have the proper equipment, ask a friend!  While many hikers go on long-term hikes, others go on shorter hikes more frequently and can likely lend you some equipment for at least a week or two.  Explore some trails, meet new people, and discover something outside of what you think you have already experienced!

Work for a charity or non-profit organization

Image via MBS Accountancy

There are many opportunities to fundraise on campus for a variety of different charities or non-profit organizations, however have you ever thought of expanding that charity work outside of said resources?  There are many different charity challenges, one of them being “Jailbreak”.  According to the Business Insider, Jailbreak raises money for charity via the university, but in a very unique manner.  The general idea is to travel as far as possible for a weekend or longer without spending any money.  Over the course of your travel, family and friends will sponsor you per mile.  If you’re raising money for a good cause,  companies and individuals are more likely to sponsor you and you will have the travel experience of a lifetime.

Of course these are only a few out of many ways to travel at an affordable rate.  In some cases, a little bit of spending money is necessary, however in others – your trip can come out to be entirely free.  While being a college student can take a toll on your financial standing, take a break and experience the world while you’re still young and take advantage of your resources.

“Travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money will ever be.” -Unknown

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