Health insurance

Irrespective of whether you are an Irish, EU or Non-EU/EEA student, RCSI strongly advises all students to hold personal health insurance for the entire duration of their studies.

Personal insurance brings many benefits and comes into its own when unexpected or unplanned health matters arise. Relying solely on the public health system can be problematic, with long waiting lists and delays for treatment. There is a risk that you may not be able to access a service as and when you need it. This can be very stressful and possibly disrupt your studies. One way to mitigate this is to ensure you take out health insurance. In addition, students who take out insurance early in life, may benefit from attractive discounts later down the road. Insurance is not just for today or tomorrow – it has lifelong advantages and it is important to see it as a benefit and not as a burden. All insurance providers provide student packages and many also offer student discounts.

All Non-EU/EEA* students are required to have private medical insurance/health insurance to obtain their Irish Residence Permit. It is also recommended from a personal welfare perspective.

(*EEA - European Economic Area comprising of European Union (EU) member states, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway)

Before settling on a plan, be sure to ask for full details of the benefits. For example, not all policies include cover for every hospital. Minimum Benefit Legislation states that every health policy must provide a minimum level of cover for hospital services. For general mental healthcare or general psychiatric cover, the minimum benefit amounts to 100 days of care in any given calendar year.

Some insurers provide extra cover of up to 180 days; this depends on the insurance plan you choose. Insurance cover is also provided for alcohol and substance abuse treatment; this is restricted to 91 days in any five-year period. It is also important to know that a health insurer cannot refuse to sell you insurance, even if you have an existing medical or health condition. However, there may be a waiting period from when you begin the plan to when you can claim benefits under it.

If you have a pre-existing illness, we strongly recommend that before purchasing a policy with any provider, you ensure that the pre-existing condition is covered. Policy cover can vary significantly depending on the provider. Be clear on what is covered from the outset to avoid any surprises down the road.

Important questions for you to ask, when reviewing policies/providers:

  • Are any terms of the policy dependent on age for the people named on it?
  • What are the limits, if any, to my cover in any given calendar year?
  • Is there a waiting or exclusion period before I can claim mental healthcare benefits if I join or switch my policy?
  • What are the benefits for mental healthcare provided by this policy?

Newly arrived first year students have two options to fulfill the health insurance requirement:

Purchase health insurance – which must be purchased in Ireland– or travel insurance which must cover the student for:

  • The entirety of their stay up to a maximum of one (1) year;
  • A minimum of €25,000 for accident and €25,000 for disease; and
  • Any period of hospitalisation.

It is important to note that travel insurance can only be used for newly arrived first year students. Private health/medical insurance, purchased in Ireland, must be used for all subsequent years. Insurance policies purchased in your home country will not be accepted by the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD).

The following health insurance providers offer health insurance policies and will be happy to discuss a plan to cover your immigration and personal needs. It is each student’s responsibility to compare the available options that will be best suited to their personal needs.

You can compare all providers through Cornmarket. Cornmarket is Ireland’s largest health insurance broker and compares plans from all four major insurers—VHI, Irish Life Health, Laya Healthcare, and Level Health. Cornmarket reviews all available options to help international students access exclusive schemes and discounts. Options can include free travel insurance, waiver of waiting periods, access to extensive digital health services, mental health support, and cashback on everyday healthcare such as GP and physio visits—depending on the plan and insurer. Visit the Cornmrket website for more information.

Further information on health insurance in Ireland, including health insurance comparison tools, is available through Cornmarket, the Health Insurance Authority website and comparison websites such as switcher.ie and chill.ie.

More information about the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) health insurance requirements can be found on irishimmigration.ie.