Many college students have probably thought about studying abroad. Imagine studying ancient Greece with the ruins of the Acropolis nearby or touring the Tower of London while reading Shakespeare’s Richard III. Studying abroad is truly an opportunity to make the world your classroom. If you’re planning to study internationally for the upcoming school year, you’re in for an amazing experience. However, students need to make sure they have the student travel insurance to help keep them safe.
In the United States, colleges will often provide students enrolled in study abroad classes with some form of health insurance. However, this insurance generally doesn’t offer the comprehensive coverage students may need to keep them safe as they venture overseas. Medical travel insurance for students is designed to fill in these coverage gaps.
Additionally, it may be surprising to learn that many international student insurance plans from private providers are actually more affordable than the ones provided by the universities in the U.S.. Plus, they usually provide better coverage. If you purchase a plan from a private provider, your college or university may even ask you to show proof of medical travel insurance at the time of your enrollment to deduct the health insurance premium from the cost of tuition.
Here’s a rundown of what some study abroad medical travel insurance plans offer:
- Medical care with high coverage limits
- Affordable deductibles
- Coverage that meets J-Visa requirements
- COVID-19 coverage
- Many plans are cancelable or extendable
- Flexibility to choose preferred doctors or medical facilities
- Intercollegiate sports club riders
Student Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Coverage
Undoubtedly, whether you’re a parent or a student, Covid coverage must be top of mind. No parent wants to send their child into a foreign country unprepared as Covid variants and surges wreak havoc all over the world. And of course, no college wants to put its students in harm’s way. While your school’s study abroad program may offer Covid coverage as part of its study abroad insurance, a more robust travel insurance policy is often needed. For parents looking for travel insurance to keep their child as safe as possible, or students who want to make sure they’re covered for Covid treatment, there are a number of travel insurance plans with Covid coverage.
The Best Travel Insurance for Students Studying Abroad
There are a number of great plans that offer great coverage for both American students studying abroad, and international students coming to the U.S. to study.
- Student Secure – Smart
- Student Secure – Budget
- Student Secure Elite
- Student Health Advantage – Standard
- Student Health Advantage – Platinum
The Best Travel Insurance for OPT Students
Sometimes, college students travel overseas not just to study but to receive job training. Foreign students studying in the U.S. on an F1 (academic student) visa or enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate program can take up a practical training job known as OPT (Optional Practical training). OPT students can work without an H-1B (Employee) visa for up to 12-29 months, depending on their field of study. Students on an M-1 (vocational student) visa may also take up OPT for a maximum period of six months. They are allowed one month of training with four months of study.
Whether you’re a parent preparing to send your child overseas or a student eager to head off for an amazing semester abroad, travel insurance should be at the top of your packing list.
