Insurance for International Students in the UK

Protect yourself and your family with insurance

You should think carefully about insurance cover to help protect your health, your home and your belongings.

Health insurance

Even if you are eligible for free treatment under the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), you might still wish to take out private insurance. Your insurance can give you access to private medical care – which generally means much shorter waiting periods than NHS treatment – and also helps cover other medical costs such as:

• Lost fees if you’re unable to complete your course
• Costs of returning home if a relative is ill
• Costs of a relative visiting the UK if you fall ill
• Cost of returning to your home country for treatment

If you already have medical insurance in your home country, you should check if they can also cover your stay in the UK.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance covers your belongings, such as your furniture, clothes and appliances, and can be helpful if you have valuable items that would be hard to replace if lost or stolen.

Some companies offer special policies for students, so you should research your options first in order to find the best deal.

Travel Insurance

If you’re planning to travel outside the UK during your studies, you might want to purchase travel insurance, just as you would if travelling abroad from your home country. Remember, you will need to buy insurance that is suitable for an international student rather than a UK citizen.