Being immersed in another culture while earning college credit can be a transformative experience that enriches academic and personal growth. But no amount of intellectual prowess can prevent things from going wrong during a trip. Let’s say your student is seriously injured in a biking accident. Or they have to fly back to the U.S. early because of an emergency back home. 

Buying student travel insurance is a smart move if you want a financial safety net for these types of unexpected scenarios. Travel insurance can pay for medical bills, trip delays and interruptions, and other expenses associated with unforeseen problems during the trip. It can also prevent you from losing your trip investment if you have to cancel.

Types of Travel Insurance for Students

Travel insurance for students generally comes in two forms:

• Standard travel insurance plans are suitable for many students and cover common pre- and post-departure problems all travelers may face, such as cancellations and delays.
• You can also buy student travel insurance plans that serve as short-term international health plans and have modest coverage for unexpected post-departure events, such as interruptions and delays. 

Differences Between Travel Insurance and International Student Health Plans

Whether standard travel insurance or an international health plan is best for your student primarily depends on the trip’s length and the amount of medical coverage they need.

Standard Policies: Study Abroad Travel Insurance 

Standard travel insurance policies are ideal for short-term trips, such as when your student is away for less than three months, and for those who only need medical coverage for emergencies. These policies have more generous coverage for pre- and post-departure problems than global health plans.

Here are details on what travel insurance covers.

Examples of the Best Travel Insurance for Students

Here are some top-rated policies from our rankings of the best travel insurance companies that are suitable for students:

• Atlas Journey Elevate. This policy from WorldTrips is competitively priced compared to other top-rated plans and provides $250,000 in medical expense coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. It has a short five-hour waiting period for coverage for travel delays and includes coverage for adventure sports, “interruption for any reason” and CFAR upgrades. IFAR partially reimburses you if you cut a trip short for a reason listed in the policy.

• iTravelInsured LX. This policy from IMG has $500,000 in travel medical expense coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. You also get $50,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage and $10,000 for search and rescue. It offers CFAR and IFAR upgrades.

• Luxe Plan. This policy from PrimeCover provides $250,000 in medical expense coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. It includes $100,000 in non-medical evacuation benefits. The Luxe policy reimburses 200% of costs for trip interruption claims, exceeding the 150% offered by many competitors. It offers IFAR and CFAR upgrades.

Global Health Plans: International Student Travel Insurance

Global health plans work similarly to U.S. health plans. They have deductibles, copays and coinsurance. They also have higher medical coverage limits than standard travel plans. For example, you can find policies with unlimited coverage or in the millions. 

They’re a good fit for a student if you want wellness and routine medical coverage in addition to emergency care. They are also worth considering if a student is away for an extended period, such as three or more months. You can find policies that cover shorter trips, but many global health plans only cover trips of 90 days or more.

Global health policies typically cover a wide range of issues like a home-based health plan. These can include:

• Ambulance service
• Doctor visits
• Emergency room care
• Intensive care
• Lab work and X-rays
• Many cover mental healthcare, but not all
• Physical therapy
• Prescriptions
• Many cover preventive care, such as physicals, but not all
• Urgent care and walk-in clinic visits
• Vaccinations

Examples of International Health Plans for Students

Navigator For Students

This plan from GeoBlue requires a trip duration of at least three months. Here are some key benefits:

• Alcohol impairment-related incidents are covered.
• Collegiate sports activities are covered.
• Contraceptive services and supplies are covered.
• In-patient and out-patient benefits for both mental health and substance abuse; the plan deductible is waived and there is no limit on the number of visits.
• Meets the F1 and J1 Visa requirements.
• Offers an unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximum and $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.

IMG Patriot Lite and Patriot Platinum Plans

The Patriot plans from IMG require a minimum trip duration of only five days. However, they do not cover expenses for treating mental health disorders. 

The Patriot Lite policy provides up to  $1 million in medical expense coverage and $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. The Platinum plan offers the choice of $1 million, $2 million, $5 million or $8 million in medical expense coverage. The Platinum policy also includes $25,000 in evacuation benefits for non-life-threatening medical incidents.

StudentSecure Smart, Budget, Select and Elite Plans

The StudentSecure policies from WorldTrips meet J1 visa requirements and have a zero deductible. They require a trip duration of at least 30 days.

The series provides the following maximum medical and medical evacuation limits:

• Smart: $200,000 in medical, $50,0000 evacuation
• Budget: $500,000, $250,000 in evacuation
• Select: $1 million, $300,000 in evacuation
• Elite: $5 million, $300,000 in evacuation

The Elite and Select plans cover collegiate sports. The Elite, Select and Budget plans cover mental health disorders. The Smart plan also covers mental health disorders, but excludes treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Only the Elite plan covers preventive care.

Does Student Travel Insurance Cover Tuition?

Travel insurance doesn’t cover the cost of tuition for students studying abroad. 

However, you may be reimbursed for accommodations if lodging is billed separately from tuition. If that’s the case, you would include that amount in the trip cost you’re insuring. 

Before you buy a policy, it’s best to call the travel insurance company to confirm whether student accommodations and tuition can be reimbursed.

Can Travel Insurance Help Find a Doctor if My Child Gets Sick or Injured?

Yes, standard travel insurance policies come with a 24-hour emergency assistance hotline that can assist in arranging medical care and payments. The number is usually listed on the policy or can be found at the company website. Other services typically provided include:

• Arranging medical evacuation 
• Emergency cash transfer
• Emergency message relay
• Emergency translation
• Legal assistance 
• Medical referrals
• Payment guarantees for medical facilities abroad
• Prescription replacement

Global health plans also provide 24/7 assistance. For example, GeoBlue plans have 24/7 hotline, web, mobile and telemedicine support. It also has the following services:

• Destination health and security information and news alerts
• Direct insurance billing with some foreign providers, so you don’t have to file a claim
• Drug, medical terms and phrases translation guide
• Equivalency tools for medication doses
• Global TeleMD app that allows you to make same-day virtual telemedicine appointments
• Personal health management tools
• Profiles of notable clinics and pharmacies worldwide

Is It Mandatory for Students Studying Abroad to Have Travel Insurance?

Whether or not travel insurance for a study abroad trip is mandatory depends on the school’s program. The school may require travel insurance covering a student’s trip outside the U.S.

Some schools may include travel insurance as part of the study abroad program, but the policy provided might only cover medical expenses. 

Be sure to contact the school and find out the details about what is and isn’t required and what’s included in the school-provided policy when preparing for a study abroad trip.

Student Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)