Money recommendations

• You should arrive with some small amount of currency for that country for layovers and missed connections. Most airports and train stations have ATMs and you can get cash through these. The currency exchange kiosks tend to have a high rate for exchanges.

• Traveler’s checks are not easily cashed in some areas because of the high fraud rate.

• Consider using RFID-proof wallets or card slips to deter thieves from scanning your cards while you carry them in your wallet.

• Students and faculty should have a secure way to carry money, credit cards, and passports in order to avoid being the victim of a pickpocket. Money belts and locking purses or bags are more secure than wallets in pants’ pockets or open backpacks. Even using a carabiner to hook zipper pulls together will slow down a pickpocket.

• To avoid having credit card and passport numbers skimmed, consider an RFID-proof wallet or card slips. Technology now allows thieves to skim information from your cards, even when the cards are in your wallet or purse.

• Have students find out what fees and exchange rates are for using their preferred credit cards in other countries. Some banks offer special cards that waive some fees.

• Don’t take traveler’s checks. These have been subject to a great deal of fraud and many places will not accept them.

• Students need to determine how much money they will need access to on the trip. They should allot money for each meal they will buy, snacks, entertainment, fares and sites not covered by the study abroad fee, souvenirs, and some emergency money.

• Students should be familiar with the currency they will be using on the trip. Knowing how the foreign currency relates to dollars and cents will enable them to make better choices. This will also protect them against unscrupulous vendors.