STUDENT VISA · HEALTH INSURANCE
Health insurance: what the consulate (and Italy) require.
Italy has a public health system (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), but international students are not automatically enrolled in it. For the visa application you need a private policy valid in Italy with minimum medical cover of €30,000. After arrival you can also enrol, on a voluntary basis, in the Italian national health system. Below you will find: what your consulate checks, what we recommend, and indicative costs.
06 Student visa
Health insurance requirements
Italy has a public health system (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), but international students are not automatically enrolled in it. You will need:
For the visa application. A health insurance policy valid in Italy covering the entire stay, with minimum cover of €30,000. After arrival (optional but recommended). Voluntary enrolment in the Italian national health system (iscrizione volontaria al SSN): annual cost of about €150, giving access to Italian public healthcare, including your general practitioner (medico di base). Home-country insurance. Many students also keep their home-country travel insurance alongside the Italian cover. Recommended provider: Blue Assistance. We recommend Blue Assistance, which offers health insurance plans designed for international students in Italy. The plans meet the €30,000 minimum medical cover required by the Italian authorities, satisfy the consulate requirements for the student visa, and offer assistance in English. Instructions for obtaining a Blue Assistance policy are included in the enrolment documentation sent to accepted students.
Students are responsible for verifying that the policy they choose meets all the Italian consulate's current requirements for their country of residence. Enrolment in the Italian National Health Service (SSN) is optional and not required for visa purposes. Students enrolled through partner institutions may instead use internationally recognised plans such as GeoBlue (Blue Cross Blue Shield), provided the cover meets Italian regulatory requirements.
Need help choosing the right policy?
Tell us where you are applying from and your dates. We will share the list of providers our students have used in the past, all compliant with the Italian consulate requirements, and the documentation we issue on our side.
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