What health insurance do I need for a Spanish student visa?
US students have to buy private health insurance for a Spanish student visa. The policy needs to cover everything Spain's public health system covers, with a minimum of around EUR30,000 of cover, no co-payments, no deductibles and no waiting periods, plus repatriation. Travel insurance and insurance cards are not accepted, and the insurer must be authorised to operate in Spain. Cover typically has to run from a month before your course starts until 15 days after it ends, or a full year for longer courses.
Why there's no free option
UK students can often use the free GHIC card. There is no US equivalent, so this is a real cost every US applicant has to plan for. Your existing US health plan, however good, almost never satisfies the consulate's rules, because those rules are about co-payments, deductibles and Spanish authorisation rather than quality of cover.
What the policy must say
- Minimum around EUR30,000 of cover, including repatriation
- No co-payments, no deductibles, no waiting periods: this is where most US policies fail
- Issued by an insurer authorised to operate in Spain, which you can check on the DGSFP register
- Certificate in Spanish, not just a policy summary
- Valid from a month before your course starts to 15 days after it ends, or a year for longer courses
If you're going through a study-abroad provider
Programmes like CIEE, IES Abroad and API often bundle insurance into the fee. Do not assume the bundled policy meets the consulate's requirements: check the co-payment, deductible and waiting-period terms specifically, and ask for the certificate in Spanish. If it qualifies, you have nothing else to buy. If it doesn't, you need your own policy on top.
Streamline the whole process
Visado puts every step in the right order for your course date and walks you through them one at a time. Nothing missed, nothing late.
Start my free planFrequently asked
Can I use my US health insurance for a Spain student visa?
Almost never. Consulates require no co-payments, no deductibles and no waiting periods, plus an insurer authorised in Spain, which typical US plans do not satisfy.
Is travel insurance enough?
No. Travel insurance and insurance cards are explicitly not accepted.
How long does the policy need to cover?
Commonly from one month before your studies start until 15 days after they end, or one year if the course is longer than a year.