Useful information for international degree-seeking students:

• An Essential Guide for International Students (EU/EEA Nationals)
• An Essential Guide for non-EU Students coming from abroad

If you need further information, you can contact the Advisory Service (study@unibz.it, +39 0471 012100).

There are three different types of health cover that you can get in Italy, which we will describe below.

However, it is your own national health service that decides which documents to give you and therefore which one you can apply for.

Cover through the E106, E109/E37 or S1 foreign insurance policies

You have to go to the health authorities in your own country and ask them to issue you one of the policies listed above. These policies will enable you to register for health cover in South Tyrol as if you were an Italian citizen.

With one of these policies:

• you can choose your family doctor/GP,
• you can seek assistance at Accident and Emergency at a hospital and you’ll only have to pay the standard price (the so-called “ticket”),
• you can access all planned specialist services,
• you can access all services for preventative medicine,
• you don’t have to pay for the services of the duty doctor, if needed, finally, if you are a resident: you can access any discounts that may be due to you and any exemptions on the standard prices of medicines or appointments with specialists (the “ticket”).

Cover through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you have the EHIC that is issued by your country, you have the right to any treatment that is necessary during the time you’re studying in Italy. However, this is a more limited cover and allows people to seek medical care in the country they are staying in without having to return to their own country.

All you have to do is go to the doctor/place that provides the treatment (GP, Accident and Emergency, Out-patient department). If you go to a GP, you can see them for free, but this is on an occasional basis.

The cost of the treatment will then be charged to your own health care provider abroad.

Cover though Italian private health insurance schemes (e.g. INA) or private foreign health insurance, instead of the E 106/E109/E37/S1 policies

You can also buy a private health insurance that will cover you for all accidents you may have and treatment you may need during the time you’re studying in Italy. In this case, you will be regarded as a “paying foreign citizen” and as such you do not need to register for the local health service.

If you do NOT have the EHIC, or you do not have health cover in your own country and you do not want to take out private insurance

The Health Ministry, in an information bulletin from 19 February 2008, has stated that EU citizens – and particularly citizens of new EU countries – who do not have the EHIC, who do not have health cover from their own countries and who do not have private health insurance only have the right to urgent treatment or treatment that cannot be postponed.

If you do not have any type of health cover, it is advisable to stay in a EU country that isn’t yours for a maximum of three months only.
Further, in this situation, you will not be able to register with the local council for the duration of your studies.

In order to get the residence permit, you need health insurance. Private health insurances are usually fine. But please bear in mind that the expiry date of your permit will be the one of your health insurance. If you want a one-year permit, you need a one-year insurance.

One of the cheapest one is the one offered by Welcome Association Italy. You can buy it online by registering on WAI’s website. You can either buy a 6-month insurance (for €71) or a 12-month one (for €120). After you bought your insurance, you can log in and download the certificate to hand in with the residence permit kit.