StudentUniverse’s earns a 2.0-star rating from 53 reviews, showing that the majority of student travelers are somewhat dissatisfied with booking experience.
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flight ticket with united airlines - ripped off with non-refundable ticket
Hi there,
I have talked to your customer service today. Due to lengthy visa processing with US embassy in Sydney, I can not make my conference anymore. I have to cancel my trip. Unfortunately, Student Universe customer care told me that the ticket I bought online on 17/03/2017 was non-refundable. Dodgy enough, the money was taken from my credit card within a second while I had no chance to agree with a non-refundable ticket (proof of money taken and request to help desk next day to have a copy of ticket is attached). As I am dealing with an exceptional case and Student Universe sold the ticket without my consent or information about the cancellation policy, I want to make a full refund on my ticket as soon as possible. Please let me know if we should discuss this further.
Regards
Saeed
Atm card
My Name is Syed Zakir Hussain from Pakistan. I applyed 3 month ago for Payneer Card but my card don't recived .
I text for help on facebook many time but he don't reply me and after help my card deactivate.
I am so confuse and so sad to the payneer managment on pakistan.
please help me to create ATM CARD, my account regester on this email ([protected]@gmail.com).
I am thank full to you .
customer service was terrible
I called StudentUniverse to get a refund on my flight, and I repeatedly told the woman on the phone to cancel my flight under my name and not my friend's. I even confirmed with my birthdate, but she just said "yeah, yeah, yeah whatever" the entire time, and it turned out at the end that she didn't cancel my flight, but my friend's instead, and she was going to go! Since they couldn't change any cancellations, my friend had to get her's cancelled as well, and I just think that this is ridiculous because of the lack of care that customer service had. It was a serious issue because my friend really wanted to go.
No refund
I am very dissapointed in Student Universe. I have been travelling with Student Universe for years now and recommended to so many friends. I was told I had 24 hours to change my flight and when I called within 24 hours of my confirmation they were not willing to make the change because apparently it had to be from 24 hours from booking the flight. It makes no sense to me that without a flight being confirmed, why the time starts. Words can not describe how disappointed I am. In the name is the word "student" yet they have no empathy for a student's financial problems.
I am still willing to travel with Student Universe for the many international flights I have to take this year if I can just have my one issue resolved. All I ask is to get a refund so that I may book with Student Universe again a ticket that is more suitable for me.
They refused to give me a refund
I booked a flight via StudentUniverse and next day I contacted them and said that I wanted to get my booking cancelled. I changed my plans and wasn't able to go on a trip.
They said that there was nothing they could do and that they were not able to refund my money. But it was clearly said on their website that there was a possibility to cancel and I was aware that they would take 25% for cancellation service. But for some reason they didn't want to do that! And I asked what was the reason they said that flight was an exception. That was what they said, but I don't believe them and in my opinion they are just a bunch of liars who stole my money. Keep away!
My account blocked
Good day sir my name is Esther Onyinye.please i have a complain to make my account on badoo has been blocked since last year 2016 please it is my mistake i fair to upgrade my account please sir sorry for my mistake i am begging please reopen my account as soon as possible thank you my phone number [protected] hoping to hear from you soon.waiting patiently to hear form you fast.
Walking difficulty car in the middle of footpath meant for walking
Hai i am a studient recentl i took my mom for walk she is 75 at neredmet road opposite to bhavani textiles and there was full of traffic jam i could not take her on the foothpath as there was a car parked in the foothpath near to reshiba jewellery foothpath is ment for walking not for parking so i request to do something about it as other people as find it difficultly to cross
Reschedule
Biggest joke of an organization if there is ever any issues with your flight. my flight was changed on me to later without my consent. I tried to switch to an earlier flight and gave them 5 days of flexibility. They claimed it was impossible, kept blaming the airlines, and had the worst customer service. The reason is that they have no relationship with airlines and purchase very few flights in bulk. If they were able to change my flight, they would have charged an extra $100 fee on top of what I already would have to pay to change it because I went through StudentUniverse. I would never use this business again because it has a terrible model and poor service.
Refund/reschedule
I booked a so called BOLD ticket to Colombia, and the Colombian Consulate didn't return my passport on time, so I asked for a help from studentuniverse to reschedule or so mutual solution. They refused and kick the balls with the airplane company, and lied about they can't do anything, which have been confirmed their supervisor at SU has the authority to help. But they just gave me cold attitude and refuse to do anything. I know it was my problem that I couldn't make the trip, and I know the rules is the rules, but I never experience anything like this in the United States while any other customer services will try their best to HELP the customer or to solve the problem, or even provide mutual solution, instead of simply kicking the ball out of your own responsibility. Not every single person can handle 500 dollars' lost in vain, and just pretend nothing hurts. Actually in my case, I am the most innocent victim, because of passport, and then I have to take the fully responsibilities. That's not fair, and the attitude student universe were refusing to help is very very disappointing, I simply can't believe this is the customer service that I deserve after being a loyalty customer ever since I got to know Student Universe. And the worst thing is, the ticket I booked wasn't even a cheap one! but you call it bold ticket so that you bully your customer and get out it easily... Thank you for being NOT helping and being a boss! #GAVEMYMONEYBACK #STOPbullyCUSTOMER
they don't help you if you have problems
I used the services of the company www.studentuniverse.com. I booked flight through them, and they seemed to be so helpful. I tried to cancel the booking, because I have some serious problems, but when I contacted them, it turned out that they weren’t interested in returning money or helping people. Just avoid these guys, because no one from this company really cares about their customers.
Yes, i cancelled a ticket within 72 hours of departure.They charged a change fee of 500 dollars and promised to keep the residual value of 900 dollars for one year, the next July. However, I called on January to schedule my flight and they told me my money will be expired on March! They agreed to check previous conversation for me, but they ended up lying about that! The woman representative had a bad attitude and did not care about customers! So my money is all gone! I will never use student universe again and will strongly discourage my friends of using it!
Refund refusal
A month after my first flight had been deemed ineligible for my trip to Italy, I booked a second flight. While waiting for the consulate to approve my second flight, I submitted a transaction dispute for my first one. To put things in perspective, I'm leaving in July, and this is the first time I've traveled alone like this, so I just wanted to get everything done asap before the time gets the best of me.
Student Universe refused to refund me the first flight, so I had my bank involve and they disputed the transaction for me. Now Student Universe determines to screw me over with my second flight, by canceling it, if I don't agree to pay for the first one.
Since the flight is tied to the eligibility of my visa documents, and I'm leaving in 4 weeks, I don't have enough time to send my paper back to the consulate and have them approve another flight. It would take them at least a week to even get back to me.
I have been planning for this trip for a very long time and cannot afford to skip it all, so I will unhappily pay for both flights. Student Universe has greatly dissatisfied a customer.
They provided fake number and overcharged me for nothing
Scam, scam, scam. Don’t buy any tickets through the company www.studentuniverse.com. I ordered 2 tickets, but these scammers overcharged me and provided fake confirmation number. I argued with them within couple of weeks, but they continued to provide some fake info and only told that they needed time in order to solve this problem. These people are scammers and liars, who promise a lot, but in result you get nothing. Please post your comments about this company.
Change policy
I booked my flight to Bolivia months ago for my study abroad program for my Masters in Public Health. Shortly before I left they emailed me and said my return flight had been altered due to airline scheduling and I needed a new flight. They booked a different flight which would get me home much later. A month before I was to return home, I emailed them asking were there any flights that would get me home earlier. The representative emailed me back stating once a flight was confirmed there were no changes. This was outrageous since they were the ones who re-booked me to a later flight. If I did not confirm their choice I would have lost my entire return flight reservation! This is poor customer service and business practices to switch customers and not accommodate them when it was not their fault in the first place that the flight was changed.
Airline schedule changes happen for a variety of reasons that the travel agency is not in control of. These changes are initiated by the operating airline. In this case, an airline schedule change happened on August 27. The customer accepted the schedule change via email on August 28. At that point, since a confirmation had been received, the agency re-issued the ticket in accordance to the Airline Rules and a Confirmation email was sent.
Unfortunately, there were only two flight options for that day. One was the itinerary the customer confirmed and another arrived even later that night. There were no flights that would arrive in the morning without an overnight stay. Should the passenger decide to change, the airline change fee, and any possible fare differences, had to be paid. As a courtesy, StudentUniverse offered to waive our $100 flight change fee.
Policy
Even though they make it clear that they are hardnosed about their change policy, they know they are dealing with cashless students who jump stupidly at a cheap quote for a flight. Of course, when our daughter's emergency occurred (heads up, parents), which was that she got left in the Athens airport after her stupid friend booked flights without knowing that 1:40 means a.m., a call to Student Universe brought this great news: we can't change your original flight at all, because we don't "use" Athens airport. Or something like it. They were happy to charge her $425 to cancel the flight she was supposed to have taken from Spain, however. We opted NOT to pay for that privilege, since they would not even reimburse the portion of the flight left after the change charge. They are jerks and headed for a special hell full of people who take advantage of college students who either don't have money or call their parents in the middle of the night with an emergency. No one should ever depend on these people, because they simply don't care what happens to anyone who uses their services. Stick to airlines who might care if they strand you, even if it costs more.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Service
Do not utilize Student Universe Services. Extremely poor
customer service almost no knowledge of how the travel industry works. I was on
hold for over twenty minutes every time I called assistance. Just think of this
when you or your children are traveling abroad. Student Universe would not make
the calls that they and only they needed to make to the airlines. The first
contact would not help me because they are not trained in what their job is and
they refused to transfer me to a supervisor or manager. The travel deals
through Student Universe are no better than any other travel agency. So why use
a travel agency that does not support their customers. My recommendation is to
use any other travel agency other than this one. It is very apparent that
Student Universe preys upon student traveling as a parent I am appalled by this
company.
Do not utilize Student Universe Services. Extremely poor
customer service almost no knowledge of how the travel industry works. I was on
hold for over twenty minutes every time I called assistance. Just think of this
when you or your children are traveling abroad. Student Universe would not make
the calls that they and only they needed to make to the airlines. The first
contact would not help me because they are not trained in what their job is and
they refused to transfer me to a supervisor or manager. The travel deals
through Student Universe are no better than any other travel agency. So why use
a travel agency that does not support their customers. My recommendation is to
use any other travel agency other than this one. It is very apparent that
Student Universe preys upon student traveling as a parent I am appalled by this
company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I am so sorry I booked my daughter's flight on Student Universe. They are incompetent in every way. Should be closed down!
After a recent experience with Student Universe, I agree with this review. In the event of a travel problem, the representative will apologize, but they will not advocate for your student. They will listen and tell you they are sorry you had a negative experience, but nothing more. This student travel agency does not take care of students, most of whom are inexperienced first-time travelers. If you need to reach StudentUniverse immediately, they are unavailable, unless you call at odd hours. Managers or supervisors are nearly impossible to reach. The company is hard to communicate with and they have difficulty communicating with the airlines. When I contacted them about a travel problem, it was passed from one department to another within the airline, and from the airline back to StudentUniverse several times, with no resolution. As a parent, I would not recommend this company to other parents or to students who are traveling abroad. Pay a little more to travel on a reputable airline that you can contact directly if you have an issue.
Website problems
So I bought plane tickets through the website Student Universe for my study abroad trip to Argentina. After I bought them, I logged into my account to check all the details of the flight so I could write them down. But when I went on the website and logged in, my flight I had just bought didn't show up. I called them and they vaguely tried to help and told me that it should show up. I tried again, but still nothing showed up in my account about buying these tickets. I called yet again, and they gave me the details I wanted (plane numbers and times of leaving) in a brisk way and were not polite at all. Terrible customer service! But at least I had the information and then they told me that this time for real they had fixed the problem and I should be able to see my flight info on my account. But no. It STILL didn't show up. So I gave up... I would NOT suggest using this company, even if it saves you a couple hundred on tickets. It's not worth it to deal with this rude and unorganized company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Bought a $280USD airplane ticket. When I needed to change the date I was tols the fees where $300USD + price difference, the same was applied for any cancellation fee. Lost my money with this guys! STAY AWAY! Totally unethical company, SCAM!
Service
I have booked the air tickets on their website for the first time. I have to say it did badly. I can't believe that the tickets I have bought is more expensive than the tickets shown on their website couple days later.They are totally the same airline company and the same date . I called to them but didn't get a satisfied answer. Like others said: the customer service is useless. So I will never book the air tickets on their website. NEVER!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Carrie, I work for StudentUniverse and would be happy to respond.
If I understand your complaint correctly, you purchased tickets from us then a few days later the price went down. If this is correct, then yes, that is the nature of booking flights anywhere. When people ask us will the price go up? Or should I book now? We honestly tell them that there are no guarantees either way, the price can go up or down based on the future demand for the flights themselves. We always tell students to check multiple places for tickets, and once they've found the best price/itinerary, to purchase then. Too often we hear just the opposite; students who waited for some reason, and now the price went up, and ask us to honor a price they saw a few days ago. This is the same as if you purchased your tickets on another website, including the airline's itself: you pay the price you agree to at the point of purchase knowing that the price may rise or fall.
Statistically speaking the prices generally go up as the date approaches, but that is never 100% of the time.
I disagree with you about the customer service team, they cannot just change the price of a ticket any more than they could guarantee the quality of the food or an on-time departure. Again, had you booked on the airline's site or on a competitor, the information you received would be the same.
Major fraud
This is the most lunatic website that I had business with. Last night I was charged a total of $800 in my account, have tried calling the poor quality costumer service that made me wait 30 mins just to tell me that the person taking care of this is not available. The next day I called them again they told me they're gonna call me back but they did not! I've sent fraud claims to my bank, blocked my card, and got a new card, and guess what they just charged me another $400! So in total they have charge me $1, 200 without any authorisation. This is crazy. I am an international student, only studying in california without any income, and that $1, 200 is part of my allowance! Last month I struggled living off from my friends. Studentuniverse told me their payment has been reversed by my card and so they're charging it now. Okay, if that's the case please stop sending emails, start sending evidence about the reversed charge! And when did I get the credits back because I don't remember receiving any credits back on my card. I bought tickets to paris for last winter break and definitely sure that I have made a complete payment of the whole price, since my mother has sent me twice the amount of the tickets and my bank account has not stated there is any reverse payment. Don't ever buy tickets from this website. Their costumer service is very poor, they make you hold, transfer to another staff, and gives you no result in the end. Don't ever buy anything from this website if you don't want $1, 200 to be taken from your account for no reason. They have definitely crossed the line!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Paid $60 to withdraw the tax fee for not using the ticket. No reply at all after charging me the money.
No refunds, $360 cancellation fees
Paid $550 for a flight booked with studentuniverse.com. Due to a medical emergency I had to cancel or move the flight to a different date. Called student universe and they demanded $280 just to change the date of the flight. I asked them "What if the new flight actually costs less than the new one? Do I get a reimbursement for the difference?" Their response "No. We would call that AN EVEN EXCHANGE". So If I were to book a new flight in the winter (when its less expensive) for say $400 I will have in effect paid Student Universe $830 for the flight (included the rebooking fee). So bottom line is if you want to change your flight you they make you pay the price of the original flight plus $280 and will not refund you the difference if the flight is less expensive
Now if you want to cancel it's $360 for my $550 flight. That's a 65% penalty. Unheard of.
Bottom line, Studentuniverse.com is a BOOKING AGENCY. It has nothing to do with the airline you booked your flight. You are at the mercy of the unscrupulous studentuniverse people and their unintelligible call center operators (their call center is in India, don't get me started).
AVOID the shoddy booking agency that is STUDENTUNIVERSE.com
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Student Universe is the worst kind of agency. I had booked 4 tickets round trip worth of $1200 within is. The trip was cancelled due to medical emergency (accident). When I asked for refund that too a week before the flight, they said it's non refundable. OMG, who loots people like that?
Their call center is unreliable. I called them three times to cancel a flight past weeks and all they could say was to wait till they send me a refund email. They said they need to wait for the airline to respond them as to the refund amount. I waited and waited, and today, I received the check-in email from the airline because it departs in 9 hours. I'm about to call them again. I'm not really hopeful if I could get a refund. It wasn't a cheap flight because it was international. This is outrageous. I will never NEVER use their use their service. I learned a big lesson.
better to avoid student universe
As an Agency, StudentUniverse is bound by the contract they have with the airlines. If it says that residual value is forfeited, then they are bound to follow that.
A helpful tip would be to actually click the fare terms and condition before finalizing a ticket it would actually show you the ticket rules in its entirety. That would make sure that all the rules contained in your ticket is shown including how much the refund fee is.
P.S. Regular Tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE so it is still helpful that they actually give you an option for a refund.
Wish I could see your comment earlier! Actually, the price that Student Universe provides is the same as other agencies, just cheaper than airline‘s websites in 10 dollars. I forgot who recommended Student Universe to me and I started booking tickets from it.
Another disadvantage of booking through agencies is that if the price decreases after your booking, you can not get the fare difference back as credit, which is possible if you book from airline's website directly.
I just booked a round-way ticket this Monday with 484 dollars, and today (Friday) when I was searching for another trip, and I accidentally found that the price decreased by 200 dollars! I called Student Universe, they said that it is refundable, and the cancellation penalty is very high! They are not responsible for returning any fare difference.
Anyway, I won't use Student Universe any more.
Tricked into buying
Student Universe preys on students and people who are desperate for a good deal. I really needed a plane ticket. There was this great deal for around $1, 000. A round-trip flight to Italy for just a little over a thousand dollars. I couldn’t resist. Sadly, each time I tried to purchase this flight I’d receive an error message. The Student Universe error page would state that it’s probably due to another tab or that this airline doesn’t have enough seats for that particular flight. So all day Friday I would come back to the site and see that same flight still showed up with the same amount of seats. Sure Student Universe would remove it, but it’d be right back the next time I did a search. I looked around at several sites. The expense of what I could find scared me. I thought that if I didn’t purchase one of their tickets then, which were the least expensive I could find at the time, that I wouldn’t have the money to buy a ticket later. Now, just this morning I see another ticket on Student Universe, albeit from a different airline, that’s even less expensive. If you decide to use Student Universe don’t let them scare you into purchasing a ticket just because it seems like they’ll only get more expensive. This is a scare tactic I should have spotted. Hunt wisely and don’t be prey to vultures like Student Universe.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
TBBG-I work at StudentUniverse, and would be happy to help. I obviusly don't have any details to go on now, but can be reached at phil@studentuniverse.com if you'd like help in booking your ticket
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About StudentUniverse
One of the key features of StudentUniverse is its exclusive discounts for students and youth travelers. By partnering with airlines, hotels, and other travel providers, the website is able to offer prices that are significantly lower than what is available to the general public. This makes it easier for students to afford travel and explore new destinations, whether it's for study abroad programs, spring break trips, or summer vacations.
In addition to its discounted prices, StudentUniverse also offers a range of tools and resources to help students plan their trips. The website features a user-friendly interface that allows users to search for flights, hotels, and activities based on their preferences and budget. It also provides helpful information about travel visas, travel insurance, and other important considerations for international travel.
Overall, StudentUniverse is a valuable resource for students who want to travel the world and experience new cultures. With its exclusive discounts, user-friendly interface, and helpful resources, the website makes it easy and affordable for students to explore the world and create unforgettable memories.
Overview of StudentUniverse complaint handling
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StudentUniverse Contacts
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StudentUniverse phone numbers+1 (800) 272-9676+1 (800) 272-9676Click up if you have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (800) 272-9676 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (800) 272-9676 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (800) 272-9676 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (800) 272-9676 phone numberUSA / Canada+44 80 8234 4107+44 80 8234 4107Click up if you have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +44 80 8234 4107 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +44 80 8234 4107 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +44 80 8234 4107 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +44 80 8234 4107 phone numberUK+1 (617) 924-6140+1 (617) 924-6140Click up if you have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 924-6140 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 924-6140 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 924-6140 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 924-6140 phone number+1 (617) 321-3109+1 (617) 321-3109Click up if you have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 321-3109 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 321-3109 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 321-3109 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached StudentUniverse by calling +1 (617) 321-3109 phone numberPublic Relations Manager
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StudentUniverse emailsPR@studentuniverse.com100%Confidence score: 100%Supportcarlo.fabros@studentuniverse.com99%Confidence score: 99%Salesandre.azer@studentuniverse.com98%Confidence score: 98%Marketingdavid.sanderson@studentuniverse.com98%Confidence score: 98%danielle@studentuniverse.com98%Confidence score: 98%Communicationsocial@studentuniverse.com96%Confidence score: 96%communication
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StudentUniverse address130 Turner Street, Suite 530, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02453, United States
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StudentUniverse social media
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Checked and verified by Michael This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn moreJun 13, 2024
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Recent comments about StudentUniverse company
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