We highly recommend having a fully functioning phone while abroad. Relying solely on WiFi is typically not sufficient. Check with you phone service provider about international plans, or use a local SIM card. To use a local SIM card, your phone must be unlocked. If your phone is paid off, you can ask your phone service provider for the unlock code. Make sure you do this before you go abroad.

Here are some comments from previous students regarding the phone:

• “I bought a plan from Orange, it was around 15-20 euro a month”

• “I brought my phone from home. I have TMobile and they had unlimited texting there but they charged you if you talked on the phone without wifi. I used WhatsApp or Facetime most of the time to communicate.” 

• “I bought a pay as you go SIM card from Vodafone, which has multiple locations. It was super easy and effective in every country I went to. Once you buy it, you can re-charge it online too.”