What health insurance does a child need to study abroad, and how does it work in different countries?

Question

Priscilla Han · Accepted Answer

More than you might expect — and in most destinations it is not optional. Health cover is frequently a condition of the student visa itself, not a nice-to-have you can skip to save money. The model differs sharply by country: in the UK you pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the visa application, which then gives access to the NHS; Australia requires Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full length of the visa; the US has no national health system, so universities usually mandate their own or an approved private plan and the cost of being uninsured there can be financially ruinous; Canada varies by province (some provincial plans cover students, others require private cover); Europe varies country by country. The honest takeaway: budget for health cover as a real, non-trivial line item, check whether your child must use the university's plan or may bring an approved external one, plan ahead for any pre-existing conditions, medication and mental-health access — and never, ever let a child be uninsured abroad. Start from the mechanism, because that is what determines the cost and the paperwork. In the UK, the Immigration Health Surcharge is paid up front as part of the visa application — once paid, your child can use the NHS broadly like a local resident, though some things (prescriptions, dental, optical) still carry charges. In Australia, Overseas Student Health Cover from an approved insurer must be in place for the entire visa period, and you typically buy it before the visa is granted; lapses can affect visa compliance. The US is the one that catches families out: there is no national system, treatment is expensive, and almost every university either enrols students in its own plan automatically or requires proof of an approved plan that meets minimum coverage levels. Canada depends on the province — Ontario, British Columbia and others treat students differently, with some provincial plans covering international students and others leaving you to buy private cover, often through a university scheme. Europe ranges from EU-style public systems to a private-insurance requirement attached to the residence permit. The single most useful question to ask each university is simple: 'Is your plan mandatory, or can we use an approved external policy?' — because that one answer can change the bill by a lot. Then plan for the things families forget until they go wrong. Pre-existing conditions and ongoing medication need real thought: confirm the child's prescription is legal and available in the destination, that the plan covers the condition (some exclude or cap pre-existing conditions), and how to carry or re-prescribe medication safely. Mental-health access matters just as much as physical cover — homesickness, anxiety and the strain of being far from family are common, so check what counselling and psychiatric care the plan and the university actually provide, and how to reach it. Finally, remember that surcharge amounts, what each country mandates, and provincial rules all change from year to year, so the figures you read online age fast. Confirm the current requirement directly with the destination's official immigration source and with the specific university for your child's entry year — the mechanisms above are durable, but the numbers are not. BrightKey takes no payment from anyone, so our only interest here is that your child is genuinely covered, not over-sold a policy they don't need.