Last updated: Tuesday 6 October 2026 (Europe/London).
Next update: at the start of the January 2027 term, or sooner if the prices below change.
By: Switch Editorial Team, Switch Squid Ltd
As of 6 October 2026, the best-value student SIM for a full academic year is Mozillion’s 150GB plan: £108 paid once for 12 months of unlimited calls and texts, which works out at £9 a month, with no credit check, no mid-contract price rises and EU roaming in 41 countries. The catch is that you pay the whole year upfront, so if you would rather pay month by month, a rolling SIM such as giffgaff’s £6 25GB plan costs less per month but gives you far less data. SwitchSquid compares the options below; we may earn a commission if you buy through our links.
Sources: Mozillion — 150GB 12-month plan, Ofcom — rules on mid-contract price rises and GOV.UK — student finance.
Mozillion 150GB for 12 months — £108 upfront
- Equivalent to £9 a month when we checked on 6 October 2026
- Unlimited UK calls and texts, no credit check, no mid-contract price rises
- EU roaming in 41 countries, hotspot and wifi calling included
- Main limitation: the full £108 is paid upfront for the year
What makes a good student SIM in 2026
Students do not need a special “student” SIM so much as a SIM that fits student life. Three things matter more than any discount badge. First, flexibility: courses, accommodation and term dates change, so long phone contracts with steep exit fees are a poor fit. Second, plenty of data at a low price: halls wifi can be patchy at busy times, and most students lean on mobile data for maps, music, video calls home and hotspotting a laptop when the library network is slow. Third, easy approval: many students, and almost all international students arriving in the UK, have little or no UK credit history, so a plan without a credit check removes a common barrier.
Budgeting matters too. GOV.UK explains that Maintenance Loans are paid into your bank account to help with living costs such as rent, food and travel. If your money arrives in larger sums rather than a steady monthly wage, paying for a year of mobile in one go can be a tidy way to take one bill off the list. If you work part time and are paid monthly, a rolling plan may sit more comfortably with your income.
The student SIM options we compared (checked 6 October 2026)
We focused on SIM-only plans that suit a typical student year: no phone bundled, high or sensible data, and either a 12-month term or a one-month rolling term. Prices are the ones shown on each retailer’s own site when we checked.
Mozillion 150GB, 12 months — £108 upfront. Mozillion’s plan gives 150GB of data a month with unlimited UK calls and texts for 12 months, paid once at £108. Its plan page lists no credit check, no mid-contract price rises, hotspot use, wifi calling, keeping your number and EU roaming in 41 countries, including Spain, France, Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Poland. An eSIM is available for compatible phones. Mozillion’s fair-use terms limit roaming data to part of your allowance on each plan, so check the roaming figure on its page if you are planning a long trip.
Mozillion 150GB, 24 months — £180 upfront. The same allowance over two years for £180, equivalent to £7.50 a month. It is cheaper per month, but two years is a long commitment for a first-year student whose plans may change.
giffgaff 25GB rolling — £6 a month. giffgaff runs on the O2 network and its £6 plan rolls month to month, so you can change or stop it whenever you like. It is the cheapest monthly option here, but 25GB is a sixth of Mozillion’s allowance.
Smarty one-month plans — 16GB for £8. Smarty, which uses the Three network, sells one-month plans that can be cancelled at any time and says there is no annual price rise. When we checked, its 16GB plan was £8 a month.
Student SIM comparison: cost over 12 months
| Plan | Data each month | How you pay | Term | Cost over 12 months | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozillion 150GB (12 months) | 150GB | £108 once | 12 months | £108 | Whole year paid upfront |
| Mozillion 150GB (24 months) | 150GB | £180 once | 24 months | £90 equivalent | Two-year commitment |
| giffgaff 25GB rolling | 25GB | £6 a month | Rolling monthly | £72 | Much less data |
| Smarty 16GB rolling | 16GB | £8 a month | Rolling monthly | £96 | Less data than the cheaper upfront option |
Per gigabyte, the 12-month Mozillion plan is far ahead: 1,800GB over the year for £108. The rolling plans win on flexibility and a smaller monthly outgoing. If you are confident you will want a lot of data all year, the upfront plan is the better buy. If you are unsure, or you might leave the UK for an internship or year abroad outside Europe, a rolling plan keeps your options open.
Mozillion 150GB — £108 for the whole academic year
- 1,800GB of data over 12 months, against £72 for giffgaff 25GB rolling
- No credit check, so it suits students with no UK credit history
- Keep your number with a PAC code
How much data does a student actually use?
It depends heavily on how good your accommodation and campus wifi are. If you are in purpose-built halls with reliable wifi and mostly use mobile data for messaging and maps, 15 to 25GB a month is often enough. If you commute, stream music and video on the way in, make video calls to family abroad or tether a laptop to finish assignments when the halls network is struggling, usage can climb to 50GB or more. The easiest way to find out is to check the mobile data figure in your phone’s settings after your first few weeks of term.
Plenty of data also helps with the odd emergency. When halls wifi goes down the night before a deadline, being able to hotspot your laptop for a few hours is worth a lot. A large allowance turns that from a worry into a non-event.
Advice for international students
If you have just arrived in the UK, a SIM without a credit check is the simplest way to get a UK number quickly. Many recent phones support eSIM, which means you can often activate a UK plan without waiting for a physical SIM in the post; Mozillion’s compatibility guidance says you can dial *#06# and look for an EID number to check. A UK number also makes it easier to register with a GP, open a bank account and receive delivery texts.
Before you buy, check your phone is unlocked if you brought it from home, and think about where you will travel. EU roaming is included on the Mozillion plan in 41 countries, but calls to numbers outside the UK are usually charged separately, so for keeping in touch with family abroad, data-based calling apps on wifi or mobile data are usually the cheapest route.
Upfront plan or rolling plan: how to choose
Choose the 12-month upfront plan if you use a lot of data, want one less bill to manage, and have the £108 available now. You will know exactly what you are paying for the whole year and you will not see a price rise during the plan.
Choose a rolling plan if your income comes in monthly, you are not sure how long you will stay on one network, or you use modest amounts of data. The £6 giffgaff plan costs £72 over a year, and you can stop it at any time.
Avoid long contracts that bundle an expensive handset unless you really need a new phone. For new fixed-term contracts, Ofcom rules require any planned price rises to be set out in pounds and pence before you sign, which helps, but a 24- or 36-month handset deal is still a big commitment on a student budget.
How to switch and keep your number
- Check coverage on the network your new plan uses, at your accommodation, campus and home address.
- Text PAC to 65075 from your current phone to get a switching code. The code is free and lasts 30 days.
- Order your new SIM or eSIM and enter the PAC when asked so your number moves across.
- Keep your old SIM in until the switch completes, which usually takes one working day.
- Check your old account has closed and that you have no remaining contract charges.
Fit summary
- Good for the Mozillion 12-month plan: students who use lots of data, want the lowest cost per gigabyte, have no UK credit history, or travel in Europe.
- Consider a rolling plan instead: students paid monthly, light data users, or anyone who may leave the UK or change plans mid-year.
- Consider the 24-month plan: postgraduates or later-year students who know they will stay in the UK for two years.
Important conditions
- Prices and allowances were checked on 6 October 2026 and can change. Confirm the price in your basket before you pay.
- Upfront plans are paid in full at the start; check the provider’s refund and cancellation terms before buying.
- Roaming allowances and fair-use limits differ by plan; calls to non-UK numbers are usually extra.
- Coverage varies by network and location, especially indoors in older buildings.
- eSIM needs a compatible, unlocked phone.
- We may earn a commission if you buy through our links.
Final decision card
Heavy data user with £108 available now → Mozillion 150GB for 12 months is the best value for the academic year.
Paid monthly or light user → giffgaff 25GB rolling at £6 a month keeps costs and commitment low.
Unsure how long you will stay → pick a rolling plan and review it after the first term.
Check Mozillion 150GB for your phone
- Check network coverage at your halls, campus and home address
- Check your phone supports eSIM, or order a physical SIM
- Confirm £108 for 12 months in the basket before paying
FAQ
What is the best SIM-only deal for students in the UK?
For a full academic year, Mozillion’s 150GB plan at £108 for 12 months offered the most data for the money when we checked on 6 October 2026. It works out at £9 a month and has no credit check. If you prefer paying monthly, giffgaff’s rolling 25GB plan costs £6 a month.
Can I get a SIM-only deal without a credit check as a student?
Yes. Upfront plans such as Mozillion’s and many one-month rolling plans do not need a credit check. This is especially useful for international students and first-year students with no UK credit history.
Is it better to pay for a SIM upfront or monthly as a student?
Paying upfront is usually cheaper per month and removes one bill from your budget. Paying monthly costs less at the start and lets you stop at any time. Choose based on how your income arrives and how sure you are about your plans for the year.
How much mobile data does a student need?
With reliable halls wifi, many students manage on 15 to 25GB a month. Commuting, streaming, video calls and hotspotting a laptop can push usage to 50GB or more. Check your phone’s data usage after a few weeks of term to see where you land.
Can international students get a UK SIM straight away?
Yes, a plan without a credit check is usually the quickest route. If your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, you can often activate a UK plan without waiting for a SIM in the post. A UK number also helps with banking, GP registration and deliveries.
Will my student SIM work when I travel in Europe?
Mozillion’s 150GB plan includes EU roaming in 41 countries, subject to its fair-use roaming allowance. Rolling plans from other networks have their own roaming rules, so check before you travel. Calls to non-UK numbers are usually charged separately.
Can I keep my number when I switch to a student SIM?
Yes. Text PAC to 65075 to get a free switching code, then enter it when you order your new SIM. Your number usually moves within one working day.
