SIM cards for Indian students abroad — best options by country in 2026
By Arjun Kapoor (Sneha Reddy is a returned-student travel blogger who documented her own journey from Hyderabad to Melbourne and back. She covers packing, first-week logistics, part-time work rules and the practical side of being an Indian student abroad, drawing on five years of lived experience across Australia and Germany.) · Published · 9 min read
Getting a local SIM card is one of the first things Indian students should do after landing abroad. Here is which carrier and plan to pick in each major study destination.
Quick answer
Buy a local prepaid SIM at the airport or a nearby store within your first day. UK: Three, Voxi or Giffgaff (GBP 10-20/month for unlimited data). US: T-Mobile or Mint Mobile (USD 15-30/month for data + calls). Canada: Public Mobile, Freedom or Lucky Mobile (CAD 25-40/month). Australia: Amaysim, Boost or Optus prepaid (AUD 20-35/month). Germany: Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect or Fraenk (EUR 8-15/month). Singapore: Singtel, StarHub or M1 prepaid (SGD 10-20/month). Keep your Indian SIM active on a minimal recharge plan for OTPs and bank verification.
Before you leave India
Keep your Indian number alive: Do not deactivate your Indian SIM. You will need it for OTPs from Indian banks, UPI authentication, Aadhaar-linked services and government portals. Put it on the cheapest recharge plan available (INR 100-200/month) and keep it in a secondary SIM slot or a spare phone. If your phone is single-SIM, carry a cheap secondary phone from India for the Indian SIM.
Enable international roaming (temporarily): Activate international roaming on your Indian SIM for the day of travel only — this lets you receive OTPs and make emergency calls during transit. Jio, Airtel and Vi all offer short-term international roaming packs (INR 500-1,500 for a few days). Deactivate after you have your local SIM working.
Unlock your phone: If your phone is carrier-locked (common with phones bought on EMI from Jio or Airtel stores), get it unlocked before departure. A locked phone will not accept a foreign SIM card.
United Kingdom
The UK has some of the cheapest mobile plans in the developed world. Recommended options for students:
Three (3): Unlimited data plans from approximately GBP 10-12/month on pay-as-you-go (PAYG). Excellent for heavy data users. Coverage is good in cities, weaker in rural areas.
Voxi (Vodafone sub-brand): Plans from GBP 10/month with unlimited social media data. Popular among students. Rolling monthly contract, no long-term commitment.
Giffgaff (O2 network): Plans from GBP 10/month. Community-driven with no-contract flexibility. Buy the SIM online before departure and have it shipped to your UK accommodation — it arrives activated.
You can buy SIM cards at the airport (Heathrow and Gatwick have mobile-phone shops in arrivals) or at any high-street phone shop, supermarket or Argos. No long-term contract is needed — PAYG and monthly rolling plans are standard. Fly to the UK via our Delhi to London route.
United States
US mobile plans are more expensive than UK or European options. Budget-friendly choices for students:
Mint Mobile: Prepaid plans from USD 15/month (when buying 3 months upfront) with 5-20 GB data. Uses T-Mobile's network. Good coverage in cities.
T-Mobile Prepaid: Plans from USD 25-30/month with generous data. T-Mobile's network has strong coverage in urban areas and university campuses.
Google Fi: Flexible pricing, good if you travel between the US and other countries. Data works internationally without extra charges. Plans from approximately USD 20/month.
You will need a US address to set up some plans (use your university accommodation address). Buy the SIM at a T-Mobile store, Target, Walmart or online. Airport SIM availability at US airports is limited compared to European airports — plan to buy in town on your first day.
Canada
Canadian mobile plans are notoriously expensive. Budget options for students:
Public Mobile (Telus network): Plans from approximately CAD 25/month with 4-5 GB data. No-frills, prepaid, reliable.
Freedom Mobile: Plans from approximately CAD 25-30/month with larger data allotments. Coverage is strong in major cities but weak outside urban areas.
Lucky Mobile (Bell network): Budget brand with plans from approximately CAD 25/month. Good coverage.
Buy SIM cards at phone shops in malls, Walmart, or carrier stores. Airport availability is limited. Many Canadian universities have deals with local carriers — check your university's student services website. See flights on our Delhi to Toronto page.
Australia, Germany and Singapore
Australia: Amaysim (Optus network), Boost (Telus network) and Optus prepaid offer plans from AUD 20-35/month with generous data. Buy at the airport (all major Australian airports have SIM shops in arrivals) or at any post office, newsagent or Coles/Woolworths.
Germany: Aldi Talk and Lidl Connect are the cheapest options (EUR 8-10/month for 3-7 GB data). Fraenk (Telekom network) offers EUR 10-12/month plans with good coverage. You can buy Aldi Talk SIM cards at any Aldi supermarket — bring your passport for identification verification (required by German law for SIM activation). Activation involves a video KYC process in German or English.
Singapore: Singtel, StarHub and M1 all offer prepaid tourist and student SIM cards from SGD 10-20/month. Buy at the airport (Changi has SIM vending machines and shops in arrivals) or at any 7-Eleven. Singapore's mobile coverage is excellent across the entire island.
Compare flights to all these destinations on FlightGPT.
Frequently asked questions
Should I keep my Indian SIM card while abroad?
Yes. Keep it active on a minimal recharge plan for OTPs from Indian banks, UPI and government services. Use it in a secondary SIM slot or a spare phone.
Can I buy a SIM card at the airport when I land?
In the UK, Australia and Singapore, yes — airports have SIM shops in arrivals. In the US and Canada, airport SIM availability is limited — plan to buy in town on your first day.
Which country has the cheapest mobile plans for students?
Germany and the UK are the cheapest among major study destinations, with plans from EUR 8-10/month and GBP 10/month respectively. Canada and the US are the most expensive.