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!
You can sign up to get updates from our blog either by email, or through our RSS feed directly:
When you are planning your study abroad, you would no doubt have to make a decision on where you want to go and which college or university to attend. Many of the factors that would help you determine which college is right for you is similar to that of choosing your college at home.
The first step is to get to know yourself. You need to ask yourself, “why am I going to study abroad?” You will need to think about what you expect to get from your experiences.
Are you looking to just have a lot of fun on your trip and use the opportunity to travel to other countries around the region? Are you looking to learn a new language?
For example, if you are looking to have a lot of community support while you are abroad, you might want to consider joining an exchange program that your University has already set up. This gives you the advantage of knowing that many students have already been there – or perhaps there is a sizable community of people from your own country that would be able to help you adjust to the new environment. But if you are confident with your ability to do things by yourself without much hand-holding, you are freer to choose to go to school where there is relatively few people from your country so you can focus more on your other goals like learning a new language.
Choosing a location
This step is obvious if one of your goals is to learn a new language. If you want to learn Chinese don’t study abroad in Spain and if you want to learn Spanish don’t study abroad in China! Additionally, there are also other considerations when choosing a location. Do you enjoy a big city with a lot of people even if that means your living space may be small? How about the traffic or commute? What is your budget keeping in mind that the cost of living is higher in big cities?
How long is your study abroad trip? Will you be abroad for over a year or just one semester? If you are planning to study abroad just for one semester in the middle of the winter, you might want to reconsider going to study in places like Finland (unless you really enjoys the cold).
Consider your financial need
Many colleges and universities offer scholarships and grants for international students, you would just have to look and apply for it. Not only do you have to consider the tuition costs, you will also have to think about your cost of living; living in London is going to be more expensive than living in rural China.
Many countries especially in Europe like Finland, Spain, etc. also require international students to buy health insurance to get a visa. Most universities in the USA also have school’s specific insurance requirements for their student. So it is important to choose an insurance plan that would provide you with good coverage in addition to an affordable price.
What do you want to do afterward?
Lastly, if you are going to be studying abroad as a full-time degree seeking student, you might want to consider where you want to work after your graduation. Most universities usually have connections to companies or specific areas in which they are located in, therefore if you want to work in the USA or Europe after graduation it may help if you graduate from college in your area of interest.
Good news for those traveling to Europe! Twenty-five countries have just agreed to make the visa process for short-term trips even more convenient. Under this newly instituted agreement, the Visa Code allows visitors traveling up to 90 days (for every 180 days) to travel country-to-country without passport checks. According to the European Commission, this area includes EU and non-EU countries including the following:
EU Member States, except for UK and Ireland
Iceland, Norway and Switzerland
And soon to be Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus once they become part of the Schengen area
Not only has it made the travel process easier, but it has also shortened your wait to find out about your visa status. With the implementation of the Visa Code, officials now have to interview you within 2 weeks and then provide a decision on your visa status within 15 days. Currently, visa requests can be denied without explanation, however on April 5, 2011 this will all change. Not only will you be provided with a reason should your visa be denied, but you will have the ability to appeal.
One of the requirements of the Schengen Visa is to show proof of insurance. The Atlas Travel plan meets and exceeds the Schengen visa requirements and is well suited for short-term trip through multiple countries. This plan also issues a customized visa letter that meets the Schengen visa requirements. Click here to find out more about our Travel Medical Insurance plan.
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.
As you prepare for your upcoming trip to the Czech Republic- whether for business or pleasure- it is important to become familiar with the country’s entry requirements. The Czech Republic is considered one of the Schengen countries. What does this mean? This is a group of countries that have signed the Schengen agreement. As part of this agreement, these countries do not require a visa if you are entering the country for up to 90 days within any 180 day period for business or pleasure. If you plan on studying or working in the Czech Republic, you will need to apply for a visa 3-4 months in advance. No matter what reason brings you to the Czech Republic, you are required to have Czech Republic Visa Insurance.
Czech Republic Visa Insurance is required for any foreigner entering the country and you will need to bring proof of insurance that meets the following:
- Valid coverage throughout Czech Republic
- Valid during the entire period that you will be in the Czech Republic
- Coverage for at least $45,000 USD (or € 30,000)
- Coverage including repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical care and/or emergency treatment in a hospital
According to the US State Department, a health insurance card will generally be accepted as proof of insurance to enter the country. With some Czech Republic visa insurance plans, you will receive a visa letter that is designed specifically to meet these requirements.
The Atlas Travel plan provides Czech Republic visa Insurance, covering travelers outside their home country. Not only will this plan meet the listed requirements, but after purchase, you will have access to your account where you can print out a tailored letter that will comply with the Czech Republic visa insurance requirements. With this plan, you can choose your dates of coverage, providing coverage anywhere from 5 days up until 1 year, and the plan can also be renewed for three years if you intend to stay longer. If you are interested in learning more about this plan, please do not hesitate to contact our representatives.
International students in the Netherlands are required to have international health insurance. The Netherlands require that international students have insurance that meets the Schengen visa requirements. Those requirements are as follows:
- The insurance company must have a representative office in Europe
- Medical evacuation/ repatriation coverage of at least US $37,500
- Insurance must be valid for the duration of stay in the Schengen countries
The Atlas Travel Series is an excellent solution for insurance for international students in the Netherlands. This plan provides coverage outside your home country for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. This plan allows you to choose your maximum coverage limit (from $50,000 to $1,000,000) and your deductible (from $0 to $2,500).
The Atlas Travel Series meets all the visa requirements for insurance for international students in the Netherlands.
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, visa letter and policy details. You can simply print these documents out to show proof of coverage.
As many of you might know, the Italian Embassy requires non-European citizens to have proof of health insurance. The policy needs to provide coverage specifically in Italy and meet the specific health insurance requirements the Italian Embassy has set forth.
The Italian government requires a signed declaration from the insurance company, also known as the certificate of coverage, that is accepted by the Italian Embassy as proof of insurance. This letter must include the following:
-The dates of coverage must be for the entire trip
-The policy is valid in Italy
-Emergency Medical Evacuation, Hospitalization, Medical Expenses and Repatriation are included in coverage
-The policy provides at least $45,000 (or 30,000 euros) in coverage
To further elaborate, Italy is part of the Schengen Treaty countries. Thus, your health insurance plan must meet Schengen visa requirements. You will need to provide a visa letter from your insurance company that states you are particularly covered in Italy. You will also need to show proof that you have coverage for medical expenses, hospitalizations, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. Coverage for these benefits must not be less than 30,000 euros. When you go to your visa consulate appointment, make sure you bring your visa letter from the insurance company. The visa letter must show that you are covered for all the above benefits as well as the particular dates you are requesting the visa for. We offer two policies that meet and exceed the visa insurance requirements for Italy.
The Atlas International plan provides coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. This plan allows you to choose your maximum coverage limit (from $50,000 to $1,000,000) and your deductible (from $0 to $2,500). This plan provides worldwide coverage excluding your home country. To be eligible for this plan, you do not have to be a student but you must be outside of your home country.
The Student Secure plan is for full time college 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.
You can apply directly online for these plans. 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. You can simply print these documents out, particularly your visa letter, and provide them to the Italian Embassy. Many plans, including the Atlas Travel and Student Secure, provide these letters once the policy has been purchased.
As many of you may be aware, the French Embassy requires non-European citizens to have proof of health insurance. This plan needs to provide coverage specifically in France or needs to be considered a worldwide plan. The French Embassy also has very specific requirements that your health insurance plan must meet in order for you to be eligible for the French visa.
Your health insurance plan needs to at least provide $37,500 worth of coverage for you in France. You must provide a letter of coverage to the embassy that states that you are covered at least this amount in France. For most U.S. citizens, their domestic health insurance plan will not extend coverage to them while in other countries. Some domestic insurance companies will but most will not. For those that do, it may be quite expensive and the most they will typically cover is for emergency situations. This will not meet the visa requirements and in addition, it is very hard to get a letter of coverage from them. For those that are students in France, you must also show proof of health insurance. Some students are eligible for student coverage under the French national health plan (sécurité sociale). For those students that are over 28 or at a college not recognized by the French social security system they must take out a personal health insurance policy (assurance personnelle).
Here are two plans that meet France’s visa requirements: Student Secure and Atlas International. You can apply directly online for these plans. 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. You can simply print these documents out and provide them to the French Embassy.
The Atlas International plan provides coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, prescription drugs, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, doctor office visits, etc. This plan allows you to choose your maximum coverage limit (from $50,000 to $1,000,000) and your deductible (from $0 to $2,500). This plan provides worldwide coverage excluding your home country. To be eligible for this plan, you do not have to be a student but you must be outside of your home country.
The Student Secure plan is for full time college 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.
For anyone that has every applied for a visa, whether a J1, F1 or even a Schengen Visa for Europe, they will know that getting through all the paperwork and red tape can be tough task. You need to comply with many requirements, make sure you have all your paperwork is in order, etc… the list goes on.
One of the main requirements of visa’s such as the Schengen or J1 Visa for the USA, is to require the applicant to show proof of a certain level of health/ travel insurance. At InternationalStudentInsurance.com we provide access to range of plans that will meet and exceed nearly all visa requirements – the most popular visa’s that we provide coverage for are:
If your visa is not listed above, please simply contact us to talk with our customer service team about your requirements and we can find a plan to fit your needs.
In June of 1985, seven European Union countries signed a treaty to make it easier for people to visit their countries and travel between them. Known as the “Schengen Treaty”, obtaining its name from a small town in Luxembourg, the original 7 member countries have now grown to 15 and they include:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
For international students around the world this Schengen Treaty makes it much easier to travel to and within these countries, as there is one simplified system and no need to apply to multiple countries. Part of the treaty is that all those who apply for a visa must show proof of adequate health insurance – and this must be:
- The insurance company must have a representative office in Europe
- Medical evacuation/ repatriation coverage of at least US $37,500
- Insurance must be valid for the duration of stay in the Schengen countries
At InternationalStudentInsurance.com we provide Schengen Visa Insurance to applicants from all around the world and and plans that fit these requirements are:
Please see the plans above for more information about Schengen Visa insurance and for background information the Schengen Visa please see http://www.eurovisa.info/BackgroundInfo.htm
