Are you a high school student who feels drowned in a sea of cash every time you need to pay for lunch, buy books, or school supplies? Or maybe you’re a parent looking for a safe and practical way to manage your teenager’s expenses? The Postepay IoStudio Card could be the solution for you!

Born from a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) and Poste Italiane, this prepaid card is completely free and is specifically designed for high school students. In addition to simplifying money management, it also offers a series of exclusive benefits, such as discounts at numerous businesses partnered with the MIM and access to the ScontiPoste program. Just think: you could buy movie or museum tickets at a reduced price, or get discounts on books, school supplies, and even travel!   

And that’s not all: the Postepay IoStudio Card is also a secure and versatile tool. You can use it to pay online and in stores, withdraw cash worldwide, and even manage your finances simply and intuitively through the Postepay app or the Poste Italiane website. And if you have a smartphone, you can link it to Apple Pay or Google Pay to pay even faster and more conveniently.   

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Postepay IoStudio Card: how to get it, how to make the most of it, what its benefits are, and how it can simplify the lives of students and parents. Get ready to enter the world of smart financial management!

What is the Postepay IoStudio Card?

The Postepay IoStudio Card is a personal prepaid card issued by Poste Italiane. It is free for students of state and state-recognized private high schools. In addition to being a payment tool, it certifies your student status in Italy and abroad, allowing you to access discounts and special offers at businesses partnered with the MIM.   

With the Postepay IoStudio Card, students can:

• Make payments online and in stores: Thanks to the Visa network, the card can be used to make purchases in all physical and online stores that accept Visa cards.   
• Withdraw cash: You can withdraw cash at Postamat ATMs, Visa ATMs, and all post offices. It’s important to remember that although the card is enabled for the Visa network, it may not be accepted at all ATMs. It is always recommended to check for compatibility.   
• Pay with contactless: The card supports contactless technology, allowing for fast and secure payments by simply tapping the card on the POS terminal.   
• Use Apple Pay and Google Pay: You can link the Postepay IoStudio Card to your Apple Pay or Google Pay digital wallet to make payments with your smartphone.   
• Manage your finances: The card can be used to manage your finances simply and securely, by checking your expenses and available balance.   

How to Get the Postepay IoStudio Card

The IoStudio Postepay Card is distributed for free to high school students. The card request is made by families through the school. The school’s administrative offices are responsible for distributing the cards to students. If you do not receive your card, you can contact your school’s office or email iostudio@istruzione.it for assistance.   

How to Use the Postepay IoStudio Card

Once you have the Postepay IoStudio Card, you need to activate it to use it for payments and withdrawals. The card activation involves the following steps:

1. Request the PIN: Access the dedicated section of the Student Portal (www.istruzione.it/studenti) and follow the instructions to request your PIN.   
2. Activation at a Post Office: After receiving the PIN, go to any Post Office to activate the card. Minors must be accompanied by a parent.   
3. Presenting documents: At the counter, present a valid ID and your tax code (codice fiscale). The accompanying parent must also present their ID and tax code.   

After activation, the card can be used to:

• Make online purchases: When paying on a website, you will need to enter the card details, including the card number, expiration date, and CVV code, in the appropriate fields.
• Make in-store purchases: You can use the card for POS payments, either by entering the PIN or using contactless technology. To pay with contactless, simply tap the card on an enabled POS terminal.
• Withdraw cash: You can withdraw cash at Postamat ATMs, Visa ATMs, and post offices.
• Top up the card: The methods for topping up the card may vary. It is recommended to check the Poste Italiane website or the Postepay app to see the available options.   
• Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay: With the IoStudio Postepay Card, you can enable Apple Pay or Google Pay to make contactless and online payments using your iOS or Android device. Simply hold your device near a contactless POS terminal or pay in apps that accept Apple Pay or Google Pay.   

How to Top Up the IoStudio Postepay Card

The IoStudio Postepay Card can be topped up in several ways, offering flexibility and convenience for students:

• At Post Offices: You can top up the card at any Post Office, paying with cash or using a BancoPosta or Postepay card.   
• At Postamat ATMs: Postamat ATMs allow you to top up the card using any payment card from the Postamat network, a BancoPosta card, or a Postepay card.   
• Online: You can top up the card on the postepay.it website, through smartphone and tablet apps, by using another Postepay card, or by debiting the amount from a Bancoposta account via the home banking service – BancoPosta online.   
• Home delivery: You can request a home top-up, paying with any BancoPosta or Postepay card. Simply request the service from authorized Poste Italiane mail carriers.   
• Authorized retail points: Some retail locations are authorized to top up Postepay cards, offering another option for students.   
• Automatic top-up service: Poste Italiane offers an automatic top-up service for Postepay prepaid cards. This service allows you to set up automatic top-ups on a “timed” basis (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) or a “threshold” basis, which are executed whenever the available balance on the card drops below a defined amount. Finally, the top-up at purchase feature allows you to top up the card in real-time when the funds are insufficient to complete a transaction.   
• Postepay Open: The Postepay Open service allows you to top up Postepay cards directly in the Postepay App using payment accounts held at other authorized banking institutions.   

The topped-up amount will be available on the Postepay Card within a few minutes. For the economic conditions of the top-up, consult the Information Sheet for the personal IoStudio Postepay Card.

Benefits of the Postepay IoStudio Card

The Postepay IoStudio Card offers numerous benefits for students:

• Free of charge: The card is completely free, with no issuance fees or annual charges.   
• Discounts and special offers: The card provides access to discounts and special offers at merchants partnered with the MIM. These discounts can apply to the purchase of books and school supplies, movie and museum tickets, phone and internet service subscriptions, travel, and much more. For example, students can get reductions on train tickets or admission to exhibitions and shows.   
• ScontiPoste: The card also offers the benefits of the ScontiPoste program, which provides discounts at numerous partner stores throughout Italy. The ScontiPoste program offers a wide range of discounts and promotions on products and services in various categories, such as clothing, technology, travel, dining, and entertainment. Students can check the Poste Italiane website or the Postepay app to discover all available discounts and how to use them.   
• Secure payments: The card is equipped with advanced security systems to protect user data and prevent fraud.   
• Expense tracking: The card allows you to monitor your expenses and available balance easily and intuitively. Thanks to the Postepay app or the Poste Italiane website, students can keep track of all transactions made with the card and check their balance in real time.   
• International use: The card can be used worldwide thanks to the Visa network. This means students can use the card for payments and withdrawals even during study trips or vacations abroad.   

Costs and Fees

The Postepay IoStudio Card is completely free, with no issuance fees or annual charges. However, some transactions do have fees.   

Withdrawal Fees

The withdrawal fees for the IoStudio Postepay Card are as follows:

• 1.00 euro from a Postamat ATM
• 1.00 euro from authorized Post Offices (POS)
• 1.75 euros from an authorized bank ATM in Italy and Euro countries
• 5.00 euros from an authorized bank ATM in non-Euro countries + 1.10% of the withdrawal amount since July 1, 2018

Payment Fees

Payments with the IoStudio Postepay Card are generally free. Specifically, there are no fees for:

• Payments at authorized Post Offices (POS)
• Payments on POS (Visa Network)
• Mobile phone top-ups
• Payments via telematic connection from Poste Italiane websites
• Payments on virtual POS (online merchants)
• Payments on terminals (POS) of merchants in the Visa/Visa Paywave network, in Italy and abroad, with a mobile device and Postepay Standard Card enabled for payments

A fee of 1.10% of the payment amount is charged for transactions in currencies other than the euro on terminals (POS) of merchants in the Visa/Visa Paywave network abroad with a mobile device.

For full details on costs, consult the Information Sheet for the personal IoStudio Postepay Card.

Restrictions for Merchant Categories

To ensure greater security, card payments are blocked at merchants and sites belonging to certain merchant categories identified by a specific code: gambling (MCC 7995, 7800, 7801, 7802, 7995), adult services (MCC 7273), liquor sales (MCC 5921), cigarette vending machines (MCC 5993), massage parlors (7297), pharmacies (5912, online payments only).

Security and Assistance

Poste Italiane has implemented several security measures to protect the Postepay IoStudio Card and user data:

• Temporary block: You can temporarily block the card for payments, withdrawals, and online purchases through the Postepay app, in the “Card Settings” section. This feature is useful if you think you may have lost the card or suspect unauthorized use.   
• Blocking in case of theft or loss: In case of theft or loss of the card, you can block it by contacting the dedicated number for the IoStudio Postepay Card. Immediately blocking the card prevents any fraudulent use.   
• Restrictions for merchant categories: To ensure greater security, payments at certain merchant categories are disabled. These categories include: gambling, adult services, cigarette vending machines, massage parlors, pharmacies, and others.   

For any issues or assistance needs, you can contact Poste Italiane customer service via the dedicated toll-free number or the website.

Summary Table

Conclusions

The Postepay IoStudio Card presents itself as a complete and advantageous solution for high school students. Its free-of-charge nature, security, and numerous special offers make it an ideal choice for young people who want to manage their finances independently and responsibly, offering them a first taste of economic independence.   

The integration with Apple Pay and Google Pay and the ability to use it internationally further enhance its practicality and flexibility, simplifying the lives of students both in Italy and abroad. Thanks to the Visa network, the card is accepted at millions of merchants worldwide, allowing for hassle-free payments and withdrawals.

But the benefits of the Postepay IoStudio Card are not limited to practicality and convenience. It can help promote financial inclusion and financial literacy among young people, helping them learn to manage their money and develop responsible spending habits from a young age. Through the Postepay app or the Poste Italiane website, students can monitor their expenses, check their available balance, and learn to manage their budget consciously.   

Furthermore, the Postepay IoStudio Card can be a valuable tool for parents who want to teach their children the importance of money management. By topping up the card with a set amount, parents can give their children the opportunity to manage their own expenses independently, learning to make conscious choices and plan their budget.

Ultimately, the Postepay IoStudio Card is much more than just a prepaid card: it is an ideal companion for student life, a tool for personal growth, and a first step towards financial independence.

Frequently Asked Questions