Student SIM for studying abroad: land with a local number and data working, from ₹2,999 ($35.99)
A local number in your name before you fly, 30GB to 50GB for your first 30 days, 100 minutes to India, and a monthly plan from ₹1,699 after that. Nine countries, one QR code, parents can pay from India.
Student SIM at a glance
The Universal eSIMs student SIM, sold as the Arrive Connected kit, gives students moving abroad a local number before departure, 30GB to 50GB for the first 30 days and 100 India minutes for ₹2,999 to ₹3,999, then a monthly plan from ₹1,699. It covers 9 countries including the USA, UK, Canada and Australia.
Prices checked on 25 October 2026 · Hotspot allowed on every plan · Full refund if your phone cannot install the eSIM
Student SIM plans by country
Every kit includes the number, the starter data, 100 India minutes, hotspot and 24/7 support. Prices include GST. Click a country for the local-number checklist, carrier comparison and first-week guide.
Arrive Connected kits, launch pricing
What students need in week one, and why each needs a local number
Bank account
Every student bank in all nine countries verifies a local mobile by SMS during sign-up and for transfers. With the number already on your phone, you can start the application from India and finish it at a branch on day two.
Government ID number
SSN in the USA, National Insurance in the UK, SIN in Canada, TFN in Australia, Anmeldung in Germany, PPS in Ireland, IRD in New Zealand, Emirates ID in the UAE. Each sends appointment details to a local number.
University portal and 2FA
Duo, Okta and Microsoft Authenticator all want an SMS fallback. Registering before orientation week avoids the queue at the IT desk.
Ride, food and transit apps
Uber, Lyft, Bolt, Careem, Deliveroo and transit cards verify a local number on first use. Booking a ride from the arrivals hall is the first thing most students do.
Housing
Landlords call back on local numbers. Students report far higher reply rates on rental listings when the contact number matches the country.
Calls home
Parents may not always have data. 100 regular minutes to any Indian number are included so the first call home does not depend on Wi-Fi.
The Arrive Connected kit
Arrive Connected is a pre-departure kit, not a tourist eSIM. You order it after your visa is approved. Within 48 hours we assign a local number in your name and email the eSIM QR code with a one-page setup sheet. You install at home on Wi-Fi, give the number to your bank and university, and switch the line on at the gate. The 30-day starter begins when the eSIM first connects abroad. On day 25 you choose a monthly continuation at ₹1,699 to ₹2,499 or a hand-off to a local carrier partner, and the number stays the same.
Everything in the kit, the timeline and the exact contents of the email are on the Arrive Connected page. Students without an eSIM phone get a physical SIM posted anywhere in India in 1 to 3 days; see delivery and KYC.
In every kit
- Local number in your name, live before departure
- 30GB to 50GB for 30 days on two or three national networks
- 100 minutes to India, unlimited WhatsApp over data
- Hotspot for your laptop until home internet is installed
- Setup sheet with your country's first-week checklist
- 24/7 WhatsApp support in English and Hindi
Student SIM vs local carrier prepaid vs Indian roaming
Local carrier figures are approximate, indicative for October 2026, and converted at indicative rates. Each country page lists the specific carriers.
How students get connected in the first month
Pre-departure timeline: how the student SIM works
Visa approved: order the kit (2 to 8 weeks before you fly)
Choose the Arrive Connected kit for your destination, enter your passport details and travel date, add a consultant code if you have one for 10% off. Pay by UPI or card.
Within 48 hours: your local number is assigned
We email your local number, the eSIM QR code and a one-page setup sheet. The number is yours from this point; give it to your university and bank.
One week before departure: install on Wi-Fi
Scan the QR on your phone at home. Takes two minutes. The data plan stays dormant until the eSIM first connects abroad, so nothing is used in India.
Departure day: switch it on at the gate
Turn on the Universal eSIM line and data roaming for that line only. Local networks connect automatically on landing and your 30 days start then.
Day 25: choose how to continue
Renew the monthly plan in the app, or take the hand-off to a local carrier partner. Your number stays the same either way.
Parent calling pack, ₹999
For the parent who flies with you, and for the ones who stay. 300 minutes from India to your destination number plus 3GB of data valid in the destination for 30 days, for ₹999 ($11.99). Parents travelling for move-in week install it on their own phone; parents staying home use the minutes to call you on the local number when WhatsApp is not an option. Buy it from the student's account at any time.
Consultant discount code: 10% off
If an education consultant helped with your admission, ask them for their Universal eSIMs code. It takes 10% off the starter kit at checkout and the consultant earns 15% commission, so both sides gain. Consultants can join through the education consultants page. There is no code that makes the price higher.
Intake seasons and when to order
Student intake calendar, 2026 to 2027
Demand from India peaks from June to August and again from November to January. During those months the number assignment still takes 48 hours, but visa appointments, flights and accommodation all compete for your attention, so order as soon as the visa is approved.
Policies that apply to every student plan
Student SIM questions
What is a student SIM and how is it different from a travel eSIM?
A student SIM is built for a stay of 12 months or more. The Universal eSIMs Arrive Connected kit includes a local number in your name, active before departure, a 30-day starter of 30GB to 50GB, 100 minutes to India and a monthly continuation from ₹1,699. A travel eSIM is data-only and has no local number.
Why do I need a local number before I land?
Banks, university 2FA, ride apps, housing portals and government ID appointments all verify a local mobile by SMS. Without one, each set-up waits until you have bought a SIM in a shop, which in Germany, Australia and the UAE also needs an identity check. Having the number a week before you fly means you can register for all of these from India.
How much does the student SIM cost?
The Arrive Connected starter costs ₹2,999 to ₹3,999 ($35.99 to $47.99) depending on the country and includes 30 days. The monthly continuation costs ₹1,699 to ₹2,499. The parent calling pack costs ₹999. A consultant code takes 10% off the starter.
Which countries does the student SIM cover?
Nine countries at launch: the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Ireland, France, New Zealand and the UAE. Together these take more than 85% of Indian students going abroad. Other countries can use the Global eSIM with a data-only plan.
Can I keep the number for the whole course?
Yes. The number stays yours while any Universal eSIMs student plan or the local-carrier hand-off is active. If you take a break of more than 90 days without a plan, the number is released; we warn you by email and WhatsApp 30 and 7 days before.
Does it work on my phone?
Any carrier-unlocked phone with eSIM support: iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer and most recent OnePlus, Motorola and Xiaomi models. Check your model. If your phone has no eSIM, we post a physical student SIM anywhere in India in 1 to 3 days; see physical travel SIM.
How do calls to India work?
The starter includes 100 minutes of regular calls to any Indian mobile or landline, which matters when a parent's phone has no data. Monthly plans include 100 minutes a month. WhatsApp calls over data are unlimited and do not use the minutes.
What is the parent calling pack?
A ₹999 ($11.99) add-on for a parent's Indian phone: 300 minutes to your destination number and 3GB of data valid in the destination for 30 days, for parents who fly with you for the first week. It can be bought any time from the student's account.
How does the consultant discount code work?
Education consultants who join our reseller programme get a code. Enter it at checkout for 10% off the starter kit. The consultant earns 15% commission. The price you pay is never higher with a code.
What happens after the first 30 days?
You choose in the app: renew the monthly continuation from ₹1,699, or take the hand-off to a local carrier partner where we transfer your number. We remind you on day 25 and day 29. Nothing renews without your confirmation.
Related pages
• USA student SIM
· • UK student SIM
· • Canada student SIM
· • Australia student SIM
· • Germany student SIM
· • Ireland student SIM
· • France student SIM
· • New Zealand student SIM
· • UAE student SIM
· • Arrive Connected kit
· • For education consultants
· • Check phone compatibility
· • Install on iPhone
· • Install on Android
· • Student connectivity checklist
· • Physical SIM for non-eSIM phones
Land with your number already working
Order after your visa is approved. Number within 48 hours, install on Wi-Fi, switch on at the gate. Full refund before the number is assigned.
Arrive Connected student SIM
Pre-departure student SIM with a local number, 30-day starter data and India calling minutes for nine study destinations.
Product Brand: Universal eSIMs