Health and Travel Insurance for University Students, Including Exchange Programmes

Starting university is, for many young people, the first step towards a life apart from their family. Studying in another city, spending a term abroad on an exchange programme or travelling in the summer all change what insurance is needed. This guide focuses on students at universities in Türkiye, including those in and around Sarıyer, who join short exchange programmes, rather than on long-term study abroad. If you are planning a full degree abroad, our sister site’s guide to student insurance for studying abroad will suit you better.

A student’s health cover in Türkiye

University students often use healthcare through a parent’s SGK (Social Security Institution) registration. Under which conditions and until when this continues is set by legislation, so the best approach is for the student to check their own status through SGK records. International students in Türkiye are in a different position: residence permits for study generally require valid health insurance, and the university’s international office can explain the current rules.

On the private side, the most common arrangement is for the student to stay on the family’s health policy. A few points need attention:

• Age limit: many family policies set an age up to which children can remain on the policy. The limit and conditions vary by policy.
• Change of city: if the student studies elsewhere, check that there are contracted hospitals in that city.
• Leaving the policy: find out in advance how the student can move to a policy in their own name without a gap once they reach the age limit.

Own policy or stay on the family policy?

Staying on the family policy is often the practical choice. But if the student will work independently after graduation or is nearing the family policy’s age limit, a policy in their own name can keep the insured history continuous in the long run. For students registered with SGK, complementary health insurance is also a budget-friendly option; it covers the difference fee at SGK-contracted private hospitals within the policy terms.

Graduation is another key transition. The new graduate may join an employer’s group plan or take out their own policy, and timing this with the exit from the family policy avoids a gap. If there will be a period of job hunting, think about how to cover it, because a gap may mean new waiting periods on a future policy.

Travel health insurance for an exchange programme

A term or short exchange abroad is a typical situation in which a student needs health cover abroad. If the programme is in a Schengen country, travel health insurance is required for the visa application. In other countries, the host university or local rules may also require insurance in certain cases.

1. Learn the host university’s requirements: some institutions ask for a specific cover structure or recommend their own insurance.
2. Check the consulate’s requirements: get the required cover and duration for the visa from official sources.
3. Cover the whole stay: allow for possible changes to arrival and return dates.
4. Check the countries covered: if the student will travel to neighbouring countries, geographical scope matters.
5. Keep the policy to hand: save the assistance number on the phone and keep a digital copy of the policy.

If sports or volunteering are planned during the programme, ask whether these activities are excluded. You can find options on our travel health insurance page.

Summer holidays and short trips abroad

Students may go abroad in summer to work, volunteer or travel, and each trip may have different visa and insurance needs. For work programmes in particular, read the organiser’s insurance requirements and ask whether the policy covers trips made for that purpose. Some policies exclude certain activities, depending on the policy terms.

Also think about how the student’s policy in Türkiye works while they are abroad. Some private health policies offer limited cover abroad, but this may not replace travel health insurance. Knowing in advance which policy applies in which situation avoids confusion. If parents keep a copy of the policy documents and assistance details too, supporting the student from Türkiye in an emergency becomes easier.

A short checklist for students and parents

• Is the student’s SGK status and place on the family policy clear?
• Are there contracted hospitals in the city where they study?
• Are the host institution’s and consulate’s requirements known?
• Are the dates and countries on the travel policy correct?
• Is the assistance number saved on the student’s phone?

Plan it with us

As Ailenizin Sigortacısı, in insurance since 1996 and working with several insurers, we help families plan a student’s health cover at home and travel cover abroad together. Students at universities in Sarıyer and nearby, and their families, can easily reach our office in Maslak.

If you would like to talk it through, call us on +90 530 375 89 61 or send a message on WhatsApp. English support is available, and you can also reach us through our contact page.