5 Reasons Why eSIM Is the Best Option Among Students Studying Abroad

Further, it means a life-changing experience to the students for studying abroad. It offers them a great opportunity to be immersed in a new culture, make lifetime friends, and develop a global perspective on education. 

But with the excitement, students often face challenges such as staying in touch with friends and family and also getting access to educational resources while abroad.

International plans are really expensive, and it’s a big hassle to constantly have to change out SIM cards. That’s where eSIM technology is really a game-changer.

In the following blog post, we will discuss why the eSIM option is best for students going overseas to study. We are focusing on the cost-effectiveness of an eSIM, flexibility, the ease of usage, and other main advantages that this technology may give to international students.

What is an eSIM, and Why Does It Matter?

Before we delve into why eSIM is best for students, let’s first get an understanding of what eSIM actually is. Barring the conventional plastic SIM cards, an e-SIM, which is an abbreviation for an embedded SIM, is a type of digital SIM that comes inbuilt in your device.

It enables the activation of a mobile plan on your device without needing to have a physical SIM card. Using an eSIM means that users can switch from one network or plan onto another simply by tapping through a few screens on their device.

With eSIM, there’s no requirement anymore to buy, carry, and manually change different physical SIM cards every time one goes to another country to study.

It is flexible, seamless, and highly efficient to stay in contact with the rest of the world. Five major reasons an eSIM shall be used by every student going abroad are:

1. Affordability: It is time to say goodbye to expensive roaming charges

Among these border-crossing students, one major concern involves the costs accrued by endeavoring to stay in touch. International roaming fees add up fast, with many students receiving quite unexpected and heavy bills. Traditionally, SIM cards offer students two options:

• Paying for an expensive international roaming plan
• Purchasing local SIM cards in every country they visit

Neither of these options is ideal, especially to students on strained budgets. Enter the eSIM. eSIM for Students offers affordable international plans designed for global travelers.

These schemes are relatively cheaper compared to conventional roaming and allow a student to choose local or regional networks offering better rates.

The best thing is that many eSIM providers have special deals for students studying abroad, offering either pay-as-you-go plans, data-only plans, or longer-term options at way cheaper rates than traditional SIM-based plans.

This makes it easier for students to manage within their budgets while they enjoy high-speed internet and uninterrupted communication.

2. Flexibility: Many Plans in One Device

The other good thing with an eSIM is flexibility. While physical SIMs allow one carrier at a time, eSIM allows students to have multiple plans active on the same device.

This is especially helpful for students who will be crossing more than one national boundary during their sojourn. Consider a student studying in Europe: the student may first be in France, then relocate to Spain, Germany, or Italy.

No longer will one need to change a SIM card at every border. The students can retain their home country’s plan for calls or texts while using a local data plan in the country they are visiting—all this without changing SIMs.

Clearly, this makes for flexibility in an eSIM, since students can change carriers and plans as they see fit directly through phone settings.

Whether a student is in need of a local plan for heavy data usage or an international one with which to stay connected with family, the eSIM for study abroad is incredibly accommodating to their ever-rotating needs.

3. Ease of Use: Instant activation without the hassle of a physical SIM

Remember how, upon arrival in a foreign country, it was so crucial to hunt for a local SIM card? Or how frustrating this can be to change SIM cards around and risk losing the small chip? With an eSIM, those days are gone. One of the biggest benefits of eSIM for students is that it’s just so easy and simple to use.

With an eSIM, students activate their plans themselves, if not through some apps, then via the QR code provided by their service provider.

No need to go to the store or line up and buy a SIM card; that will save time, especially for students who arrive in a new country and desperately need the internet for maps, rideshare apps, or contacts with their new classmates or landlords.

Additionally, there is no risk of them losing or damaging the card without which critical moments may leave students disconnected. Since the eSIMs are digital and safely stored inside the device, students will always be connected.

4. Global Coverage: Stay connected across borders

One of the most attractive features about the eSIM, however, is that it allows you to have global coverage for which usually is a huge plus for students studying in multiple countries.
Indeed, most eSIM providers have global plans ready to go for more than 130 countries.

Such plans enable students to transition between borders seamlessly without changing a SIM card or hunting for a local carrier.

For students who study in multinational boundary regions, like Europe or Southeast Asia, this can be a lifesaver. Instead of having to juggle different SIM cards or spotty coverage, students enjoy uninterrupted service while traveling from country to country.

Many eSIM providers provide the service of automatically switching to the best network available in any region so that students get the fastest and most reliable internet without any hassle. 

Be it for research, catching up with family, or learning new cultures, global eSIM coverage keeps students connected without mess.

5. Eco-Friendly: An environmentally friendly alternative

Finally, using an eSIM is not only a smart option for the students because it is convenient and budget-friendly, but also a sustainable one.

From an environmental standpoint, however, traditional SIM cards contribute to plastic waste and require physical distribution, whereas eSIM technology does not.

Due to the use of an eSIM, students may cut down on waste and lower their environmental footprint by not using plastic SIM cards with their packaging.

Now, it might not sound that important on an individual scale, but since more and more travelers and students are switching to eSIM, this reduction in plastic waste will contribute to making a big positive difference on a global scale.

In addition, classic SIM cards presuppose transportation — meaning shipping and handling that is not required in the case of eSIMs — reducing carbon dioxide emissions. For ecologically sensitive students, this will be one more reason to take an interest in this modern technology.

For students abroad, a student should be kept connected — from families to better navigation around a new city to online coursework.

The choice is not confined to roaming plans or local SIM cards any longer. eSIM for students is cost-effective, flexible, and more environmentally friendly, ensuring seamless communication while abroad.

With affordable plans, flexibility in carrier changes, instant activation, global coverage, and the added advantage of being much more sustainable, eSIMs are clearly the best option for students studying abroad.

When, as a student, the time of planning international studies, now is the time to figure out all the benefits of eSIM technology and what choices are out there to pick an eSIM provider.

Ready to make your study abroad seamless? Find the best eSIM options for students today with Voye Global and stay connected wherever adventures take you!