Pocket Money, Cards and Phones at Summer School: A Parent Guide

Pocket money at summer school abroad usually covers personal spending that is not included in the program fee: souvenirs, snacks, optional small activities and personal items. The amount and rules are set by the framework your school decides. Balancing a little cash with a card, planning phone use abroad in advance and agreeing basic digital safety habits with your child prevent most problems on the ground.

This guide is written for parents; it also gives school management a framework for what to cover at the parent meeting. To see what the program fee covers, visit our summer school prices page.

What does pocket money cover, and what does it not?

The first step in planning pocket money is knowing what the program fee covers. In providers’ public price lists, tuition, accommodation, full board and activities are usually included; flights, visa, insurance and pocket money are not. For school groups the scope is set out in writing in the offer, so go by your school’s offer.

Pocket money typically goes on:

• Souvenirs and personal shopping.
• Snacks and drinks between meals.
• Optional small activities or entry fees not included in the program.
• Small needs such as toiletries.
• On some programs, lunch on excursion days; check in the offer whether it is included.

Pocket money should not be used for items within the program’s scope: planned excursions, included meals and transport. If a student is asked to pay for something, consulting the chaperone teacher first is the right step. For the other budget items, see our group summer school budget guide.

How is the amount decided?

This guide deliberately does not suggest a fixed amount. The right amount depends on the country, the city, the program length and what the program covers. Exchange rates also change over time.

What matters is the framework your school sets. Most schools share an upper limit or a suggested range for pocket money at the parent meeting or at orientation. Keeping to it has two benefits: large differences between students do not arise, and the money carried, and so at risk of loss or theft, stays limited.

If the school has not set a framework, it is worth asking the project lead. A note for school management: sharing the pocket money framework in writing during registration cuts down repeat questions from parents.

How do you balance cash and cards?

Relying on a single payment method is risky. If the card does not work or the cash is lost, a second option makes things easier. The table below compares the options in general terms.

Payment method	Advantage	Watch out for	Best suited to
Local currency (cash)	Practical for arrival day and small purchases	Not recoverable if lost; carry only a little	All ages; under teacher supervision for younger students
Prepaid card	Limited to the amount loaded; parents can see the balance	Check use abroad and fees in advance	Middle and high school
Additional card linked to a parent’s account	Parents can adjust the limit when needed	Keep the spending limit low; turn on notifications	High school; students ready for responsibility
Parent’s own card (held by the teacher as a backup)	Can be used in an emergency	Depends on the school’s rule; never share card details	Where the school allows it

A few practical tips:

• Get a small amount of local currency before departure for arrival day. Currencies differ: pound sterling in the UK, the euro in Ireland, Malta and Germany, the US dollar in the USA and the Canadian dollar in Canada. For country information, see our destinations page.
• Check with your bank that the card is enabled for use abroad, and review contactless and daily limit settings.
• Be aware that transactions abroad may carry exchange-rate differences and fees; ask your bank about them.
• Share the card PIN with your child only in person and remind them never to tell anyone.
• Agree in advance what to do if the card is lost: the bank’s number for calls from abroad should be on paper with both the parent and the child.

How does managing pocket money change with age?

How pocket money is managed depends on the child’s age and experience of responsibility. The framework below is a general guide; the school’s rule always comes first.

• Primary (ages 8-11): Money is mostly managed under the teacher’s supervision. The child makes small purchases with an adult. A card is not usually needed at this age.
• Middle school (ages 12-14): The student can carry a small daily amount. A prepaid card can be a way to build responsibility while keeping spending limited.
• High school (ages 15-17): The student usually manages their own budget. A parent following things remotely through a spending limit and notifications strikes a balance between independence and reassurance. Our high school ages 15-17 page has a readiness list for this age.

How do you make a simple spending plan with your child?

A short spending plan before departure keeps pocket money from running out in the first days. It does not need to be complicated.

1. Divide the school’s framework by the number of program days to get a rough daily amount.
2. Set aside a separate share for souvenirs; it is usually spent in the last days.
3. Keep a reserve for small unexpected needs.
4. If your child is willing, ask them to note their spending on their phone or in a small notebook.

This habit is a valuable experience, especially for students managing their own money for the first time.

What is the chaperone teacher’s role with pocket money?

The chaperone teacher’s role is decided by the school and should be put in writing in advance. Schools usually choose one of these approaches:

• Students manage their own money: More common with high school groups. The teacher only reminds students of the general rules.
• Pocket money is held under the teacher’s supervision: Especially for younger groups, money is handed to students on set days and in set amounts.
• A mixed arrangement: The student carries a small daily amount and the rest is kept somewhere safe.

Whatever the arrangement, teachers are not expected to lend students their own money or to act as a go-between for money exchanged between students. Clear limits protect both the teacher and the student. For more on the division of duties, see our chaperone teacher guide.

At middle-school age, managing pocket money can also be seen as part of learning responsibility. Our middle school ages 12-14 page has a readiness list for this age.

How should phone use abroad be planned?

The phone matters for both communication and safety, but unplanned use abroad can lead to high bills. These steps help before departure:

1. Check the line: Ask your mobile operator whether the line is enabled for use abroad and how it is charged.
2. Compare the options: There are broadly three routes: an international add-on on the current line, an eSIM (a digital SIM profile installed on the phone without a physical card), or a local SIM bought in the destination country. An eSIM needs a phone that supports it. Buying a local SIM may require an ID document.
3. Factor in Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi at the accommodation is often enough for daily messaging and video calls.
4. Check mobile data: Without a package, turning off mobile data abroad prevents unwanted charges. Setting app updates to Wi-Fi only also helps.
5. Save emergency numbers: The chaperone teacher’s, the program’s and the parents’ numbers should be on the phone and on paper.

The school’s phone rules are part of this plan too. Many schools use clear rules rather than a total ban, such as limits during lessons or collecting phones after a set time at night. Discussing these rules with your child before departure reduces friction on the ground.

What should you discuss with your child about digital safety?

Abroad, the phone is also a device that carries personal information. No absolute safety promise can be made, but a few habits reduce risk noticeably.

• Screen lock: A passcode or biometric lock should be on.
• Find-my-device feature: Turn on the phone’s lost-device feature before departure.
• Location sharing: Share location only with the family; never post live location or the accommodation address on social media.
• Sharing photos: Do not share other students’ photos without their permission. Follow the school’s rule on this.
• Public Wi-Fi: Avoid banking or payments on public networks.
• Suspicious messages: Do not respond to messages or calls asking for card details, passwords or verification codes; tell the teacher and a parent if this happens.
• Backups: Even with digital copies of documents on the phone, keep paper copies in a separate place.

For the school’s overall safety framework, see our safety checklist.

What if a card, money or the phone is lost?

When something is lost, acting calmly and in order matters. Talk through these steps with your child before departure:

1. The student tells the chaperone teacher straight away.
2. If a card is lost, the parent calls the bank to block it.
3. If the phone is lost, the find-my-device feature is used to locate or lock it, and the operator is contacted about the line.
4. If needed, the teacher and the program’s local team give guidance on local procedures.

Paper copies of documents and key numbers mean these steps can be taken without the phone.

What are the common mistakes with pocket money and phones?

• Carrying all the money in one place or on a single payment method.
• Not checking in advance whether the card works abroad.
• Leaving without planning phone use abroad.
• Going well beyond the pocket money framework set by the school.
• Sending the card PIN by message.
• Not discussing in advance what to do if something is lost.

How do we support your school’s parent information?

When we plan a program for a school group, we add topics such as the pocket money framework, phone rules and the contact plan to the parent information content together with your school, and we answer parents’ questions on these topics in line with the program’s scope.

If you are planning a program for your school or would like to review your parent information content together, you can see how we work on our For Schools page and get in touch.