GETTING HOT STUDENT TRAVEL DEALS OVERSEAS

Even though airline ticket bargains are harder to find and exchange rates are less favorable than in years past, avid student travelers haven't lost their fervor for international travel. Despite these conditions, great student travel deals are still possible. Here are several ways to substantially trim your costs.

Bringing perfect student travel deals to life requires a magnifying glass, focused on the details of your itinerary. A careful plan can save you hundreds of dollars. The dollars you save can be spent on partying, entertainment, or a longer trip.

With today's new security requirements, which can change from day to day, there's no telling what you may or may not carry in your baggage. Toiletries, such as shampoo and toothpaste, must be in specific container sizes and be packaged in a single gallon-size plastic bag. The number of items within the bag are specified as well. Instead of wasting time and money, hoping to pass muster at baggage check, leave them out of your baggage altogether. It's easy to pick up these inexpensive items upon arrival at your destination. The space you save in your baggage can be used for extra clothing or a couple of travel guides.

Cheap accomodations are key to a successful student travel deal program. Housing typically eats up a big chunk of your total trip cost. If you're staying a week or more in one city or geographic area, consider renting an apartment or house instead of staying in a hotel. Hotels are pricey, any way you cut it.

Renting an efficiency apartment or private home saves you, big-time. These accomodations are fully furnished, with a kitchen equipped with cookware and dishes. In addition to cutting your per-day cost, you save even more if you eat in for breakfast and an occasional picnic dinner from the local deli. Shopping for food in the marketplaces is fun and gives you a good dose of the flavor of the local culture.

Another cost-cutting accomodation option in the student's travel deals program: book a room at a convent or monastery. You'll find them just about everywhere, with rates up to half that of two or three star hotels and with comparable amenities. These accomodations are also often quite romantic and serene in ambience.

A careful eye to your transportation is another essential element for smart and cheap student travel. For example, let's say you're staying in Paris for a few days before traveling on to Rome. Schedule your travel to Rome on an overnight train. You get a private room with a sleeper for less than a hotel room and have this fun adventure to add to your memories. You arrive refreshed and ready to see the sights, while essentially gaining a day of  sightseeing time.

The key to good student travel deals is planning. With a thoughtful plan, you may well find you can extend your trip abroad by several additional days!