Welcome to the International Student Insurance Blog, providing you with news and information about international student insurance, international travel help and advice and much more!
Summer is right around the corner, close but not close enough. Sleeping has become difficult since all you can think about is your international adventure. You’ve just invested in a monstrous backpack that you’re debating to fill with either your clothing or the family dog. Eventually, you conclude after much thought and scrutiny, the family dog would not be as excited sitting in the baggage space compartment for the long hours. Instead, you settle on your clothes.
As summer approaches, you have accumulated your “must-haves” and sorted them into different piles nearside your bag. Your backpack is beginning to shrink as the size of your various piles are now overshadowing the size of your pack. As you open your bag and begin to fill it, you realize that the bag just doesn’t look as big as before – in fact, it doesn’t even close with half the stuff! Okay, you think, I’ll just economize and take only the most important items. After all, you have just embraced the life of a vagabond.
Then, when you thought the day couldn’t approach sooner – you finally are able to zipper the bag without having to sit on it. You have your boarding pass in hand; your friend is on his way to drop you off hours in advance to satisfy the special international traveling requirement; and you feel like you are missing something. You know that you have gone through the content of your pack at least a dozen times imagining different scenarios to ensure that you have everything.
All of a sudden, you realize you do not have insurance for your backpacking trip. You were planning to climb mountains, perhaps go whitewater rafting, and have always wanted to try the zip line! This is where international travel insurance is important as you backpack around. Not only will it cover you for your extreme adventures, but what about if your hostel roommate gets you sick? All of this is important when considering insurance for your backpacking trip. This way, you know that all the what-if’s are taken care of and it doesn’t even take up space in your pack!
Did you know that women are twice as likely to study abroad as men? After considering this statistic, it may be that more women are enrolled in colleges than men. Or perhaps there is another reason left unresolved.
Interestingly, a recent study from the University of Iowa tried to at least touch the surface surrounding this question. Why are more women studying abroad? In beginning to answer this question, we must first understand the influences causing someone to study in another country.
In the paper published by the University of Iowa, surveys were administered to students to find out why they wanted to study abroad. In reviewing the results, the study found that there were profound gender differences.
The study found that women were substantially more influenced by authority figures and educational factors while men were influenced more by personal values, experiences and peer influences. In fact, men who were more socially connected with their peers were less likely to study abroad; this was not the same for women. Another link was that men – and not women – who had yet to decide on a major were more likely to study abroad.
While this does not answer the question as to why this gender gap exists, it does begin to provide some insight into how men and women think which may later provide an explanation.
One interesting example of this is in Boston College where 52% of the student body is comprised of women. Moreover, Boston College found that a majority of males planned to study abroad when they first entered college. What do their statistics look like? When looking at the percentage of students studying abroad by gender, 65% are women and only 35% are male.
This raises an interesting question in the study abroad community. Not only is this effecting the overall international travel and study experience – but even larger gaps in the male to female ratio can be further effected by the destination or program. This has created a stir of discussion within the international education community on how to address this issue.
Learning English has become an important skill in today’s globalized world. More and more students are realizing the advantage of learning English including its growing importance in business. What better way to learn a language then to actually go abroad and be immersed in the culture and language?
ESL programs are designed as an intensive English study where you will take classes by day and be immersed in a reinforcing environment by night. This access is a unique opportunity that provides you with the tools and practice needed to pick up the language.
If you will be traveling to a foreign country to study English, you will want to make sure that you are properly equipped with health insurance for ESL students. It is common for programs to offer varying program durations from one week of classes up to several months. The Travel Medical planprovides health insurance for ESL students and will cover you outside your home country.
You will also want a plan that provides you with the option to extend coverage should you decide to continue with your stay abroad. Another consideration is that your health insurance plan should also cover you even if you decide to travel. The Travel Medical plan will allow you to purchase a minimum of 5 days of coverage up to one year. This health insurance will cover you outside your home country for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc.. Not only that, but this health insurance for ESL students also meet all government and visa requirements.
After China, India sends the greatest number of students abroad. The majority of Indian students study in the United States, which is followed by Australia, the UK, Germany and Canada. Health insurance for Indian students studying abroad in important especially as health care may work differently than in India.
Unlike India’s national health care, countries like the United States provide private health care. In the United States, the medical expenses can be costly and you’ll be expected to provide insurance coverage in many doctor’s offices and hospitals. Indian students studying abroad in the US under an F-1 visa may be required by their school or organization to have coverage before the first day of school. Indian students studying under a J-1 visa are required by the US government to have insurance, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation.
In Australia, the government provides insurance coverage through Overseas Student Health Coverage (OSHC), which will need to be purchased prior to arrival. In other counties like the UK and Canada where they do offer public health care, it is possible that you may not be covered. The British and Canadian Embassies recommend that Indian students have adequate health insurance before arrival since medical treatment can be expensive and students are not covered by their national health care. The exception to this is in the UK if you’ve been covered by a reciprocal health care agreement or enrolled in a course that is 6 months or longer.
Indians traveling to Germany to study are required to have insurance under the Student visa. Students under the age of 30 or until their 14th academic semester can take out the public health insurance, or you can choose to opt out for a private health insurance. International students over the age of 30 will no longer be eligible for the student rate and may voluntarily choose a public fund or a private health insurance provider.
When you are looking for your insurance while studying abroad or if you plan on traveling to other countries, you’ll want a plan that will cover you for the full duration of your studies or trip. The Student Health Insurance is designed to cover you up to 4 years of studying and meets many school and government requirements. The plan includes comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical coverage (doctor visits and hospitalization), prescriptions, mental health, maternity, sports coverage, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, etc.
If you are preparing to study in Spain, you will need Spain student insurance to meet the Spanish visa requirements.
Spain is considered a Schengen country, which requires that you have 30,000 euros in coverage. However, the Embassy has added additional requirements for students studying in Spain. In addition to the minimum coverage requirement, your Spain student insurance requires that you have 100% coverage up until 30,000 euros – or its $50,000 USD equivalent.
What does this mean to you? Your Spain student insurance must not have a deductible, co-payment, or coinsurance to be accepted by the Embassy. In addition, your Spain student insurance must include medical expense coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services.
When applying for your visa, you will need to provide a certificate of coverage/visa letter for proof of your Spain student insurance. Many insurance companies will allow you to purchase your Spain student insurance before departing on your trip. You will be able to choose your dates of coverage, which should be for the entire period you plan to stay in Spain.
Many students have opted for the Atlas Travel plan since this is a comprehensive insurance plan that meets all of the Spanish visa requirements. This Spain student insurance will allow you to choose a $0 deductible, or no deductible, and provides 100% coverage up until the policy maximum you select, with a minimum of $50,000 USD.
After you purchase the Atlas Travel plan, you will have immediate access to your visa letter at Student Zone. You would then just attach this letter to your student visa application. If for any reason you are not issued your visa, you would receive a full-refund. You will just need to send a written or emailed cancellation request before your plan begins.
Chinese students make up a large portion of students studying abroad. Health insurance is often times a big concern as most countries, colleges and Universities require that international students have it.
The Atlas Travel Series is an excellent choice for health insurance for Chinese students studying abroad. The Atlas Travel Series provides coverage to students studying outside their home country. It provides coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc.. This plan allows students to choose maximum coverage limits (from $50,000 to $1,000,000) and your deductible (from $0 to $2,500).
The plan meets all of the requirements for the Schengen and US visa’s. In addition to that it can protect students from financial burden in the event of an unexpected illness or injury. So whether it’s required or not – it’s a smart idea for all Chinese students studying abroad to have health insurance.
After this plan is purchased, they will immediately receive a confirmation e-mail. This e-mail will contain the insurance card, letter of coverage, receipt, visa letter and policy details. Students can simply print these documents out to show proof of coverage.
Sweden is a popular destination for international students – last year over 25,000 international students studied in Sweden. High-quality English language instruction, a high standard of living, and free tuition have all contributed to Sweden’s popularity with foreign students. Although Sweden has announced plans to begin charging tuition fees to non-EU students no later than January 1, 2010, Sweden is likely to remain a popular destination.
One item that all foreign students in Sweden must address is health insurance – in Sweden, medical care is very expensive if you do not have health insurance. Here are the Swedish health insurance requirements for different categories of international students:
Non-EU/EEA Students Staying Less Than 3 Months
International students or travelers in Sweden staying less than 3 months will not need a residence permit and will not qualify for public health benefits. Therefore students and visitors should purchase travel health insurance that meets all Schengen Visa insurance requirements (as Sweden is a Schengen country). For these travelers and students, the Atlas Travel Plan is the best insurance solution and will offer travel health benefits such as hospitalization, doctors visits, evacuation, repatriation and much more….
Non-EU Students Staying More Than 3 Months and Less Than One Year
Students planning to stay in Sweden for more than 3 months but less than one year must apply for a residence permit before they arrive; however, they will not be eligible for Sweden’s public health insurance benefits. In this case, a student should purchase comprehensive international travel medical insurance or international student health insurance that meets Sweden’s requirements. In both these cases, the Atlas Travel Medical plan and Student Secure plan would be ideal and can be purchased from 5 days up to 12 months (depending on the plan choice) and will provide a range of travel and student health benefits.
Non-EU/EEA Students Staying More Than a Year
Students staying in Sweden for more than a year must apply for a residence permit before arriving, and they are entitled to Sweden’s public health benefits. Immediately upon arrival in Sweden, you should apply for civil registration at your local tax office. Upon application, you will be eligible for public health benefits even while waiting for your registration to be complete. However, your travel to and from Sweden would not be covered, and the time you spend in Sweden before applying for registration would also not be covered. To fill those gaps, and for the comfort of having additional coverage anywhere you may travel to while studying in Sweden, many students purchase a supplemental travel medical insurance policy. In this case, the Atlas Travel Series would be the best plan.
Students from Nordic and EU/EEA countries
As a student from a Nordic or EU/EEA country, you must register beforehand at a social insurance office in your home country and obtain a European health insurance card, or a FormE128 or E111. When seeking medical care in Sweden, you simply need to bring that card or form with you.
Students from Nordic or EU/EEA countries that do not register with their social insurance office in their home country will need to purchase health insurance, just as non-EU/EEA students do.
To learn more about our plans for students and travelers visiting or studying in Sweden please see:
There are many countries that are becoming more popular destinations for Study Abroad programs. For example, Finland, Spain, Italy, France, and the UK are hot spots for international studies and health insurance is also requirement for most of these counties.
The Student Secure plan has become an ideal solution for many these students. Student Secure comes in two levels, budget and select. The plan provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical coverage up to $250,000 (budget) or $300,000 (select).
The plan also includes maternity, mental health, prescription drugs, sports coverage, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. You have the option to pay for it all at once or on a monthly basis.
After you purchase this plan, you will immediately receive a confirmation e-mail. In this e-mail, it will contain your insurance card, letter of coverage, receipt and policy details.
You will also have access (Client Zone) to what is called a “Visa Letter” that outlines what the plan coverage is, confirms the insured is covered and provide other information about the plan that you have purchased. You can just simply print out these documents to show proof of coverage.
If you are planning to travel to Russia, whether for work, school or fun, you should purchase adequate health and travel insurance. For some, insurance is mandatory – for instance, travelers from the European Union are required to have medical insurance for their visa (due to reciprocity for the insurance requirements of the Schengen Visa). According to the Russian Embassy, there are no specific requirements for the insurance, except that it be valid in Russia.
The US State Department has stated that “western medical care in Moscow can be expensive, difficult to obtain, and not entirely comprehensive.” Although US citizens are not required for their visa to have insurance before traveling to Russia, the State Department “strongly urges all travelers who visit Russia to purchase travelers’ medical insurance which includes coverage for medical evacuation.”
The Atlas International plan, health and travel insurance offered by International Student Insurance, provides comprehensive international coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. With this travel medical plan you can select the days of coverage to match your trip, ranging from 5 days up to one year, renewable for up to 3 years in total. Visit the Atlas International page to learn more, or to quote or buy online.
If you will work or live in Russia for a year or more, you should purchase long-term major medical insurance with Russian coverage. The Citizen Secure plan provides coverage for all medical providers in Russia and is a comprehensive annually renewable plan with $5,000,000 of coverage. Visit the Citizen Secure page to learn more or to quote or buy online.
This increasingly popular international student plan is now available with US coverage or without US coverage.
This makes the plan much more affordable for those students that will not need US coverage. For example, non-US citizens wishing to study in other countries (like Finland) can now exclude the US in coverage.
The Student Secure plan will still offer the same great comprehensive benefits. Student Secure is available in two levels, budget and select. As mentioned above, the plan provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical coverage up to $250,000 (budget) or $300,000 (select). The plan also includes maternity, mental health, prescription drugs, sports coverage, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc.
You have the option to pay for it all at once or on a monthly basis.
Like before, you can apply directly online for this plan. After you purchase the plan, you can receive all of your insurance documents immediately via e-mail. This e-mail will include your visa letter, receipt, insurance card and policy details
