Insurances

All students coming to Spain to engage in an exchange programme or a voluntary student internship at the EHU must take out an insurance policy covering: travel assistance, medical assistance and civil liability.

If your mobility programme requires an authorization to stay for study purposes/visa request, we recommend checking whether the insurance you take out for the visa covers travel assistance and civil liability, in addition to medical assistance. The insurance offered to its students by the EHU (the IBILI, see below) covers the requirements demanded by Spanish law for obtaining an authorization to stay for study purposes/visa.

It should cover the entire duration of your stay at the EHU.

All exchange students and voluntary internship students must provide the University of the Basque Country (EHU) with proof of the documentation that shows the coverage required by the EHU (travel assistance, medical assistance and civil liability insurance).  

The coverage can be provided through a single insurance policy or several that complement each other. The "European Health Insurance Card" can be valid to prove the "medical assistance" contingency.  

Exchange students must submit it to their host faculty/school when required, usually at the time of registration. On the other hand, students coming for internships must give it to the person responsible for the organizational unit hosting the internship.

Students must submit documentation proving that they have coverage for the following contingencies:

1. Travel assistance

• Medical repatriation of the insured person to their country of origin in the event of accident or illness.
• Repatriation of the insured person’s remains in the event of their death.

2. Medical assistance

Medical, surgical and hospitalisation costs.

Please note that medical assistance will vary depending on the group to which you belong:

• Visitors from the EU, the UK, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

If you belong to this group and manage to get the European Health Insurance Card in your home country before traveling, you will be able to use the Basque Public Health system, Osakidetza. Some private insurance plans also cover care provided by Osakidetza.

If you don’t get the European Health Insurance Card, you must show that you have access to medical care in Spain, either through the public or private network, thanks to coverage provided by some private insurance.

• People from countries with healthcare agreements with Spain.

Spain has signed healthcare agreements with a number of different countries (Andorra, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Morocco, etc.). Before travelling, check with the Spanish embassy or consulate to see if your country has one of these agreements, and find out what documents you will need to access healthcare coverage.

• Other nationalities.

If your country does not have an agreement with Spain, you will need to take out a policy covering medical, surgical and hospitalisation costs. Make sure your policy is provided by an insurer authorised to operate in Spain.

3. Civil liability

General civil liability insurance is required to study at the EHU.

Furthermore, some activities carried out at the EHU (for example, laboratory work) may require a more comprehensive civil liability cover.

Before taking out specific civil liability insurance, we recommend checking whether your home university provides its students with such insurance valid for stays abroad.

If you will be engaging in other activities at a company or organisation other than the university, check whether said company or organisation provides civil liability insurance.

The EHU offers a policy for visiting students that covers the three contingencies mentioned above at a competitive price, called IBILI.

This insurance is also valid for non-EU students who need to obtain an authorization to stay for study purposes/visa. You can check what is required by Spanish law on this in section 6 of the criteria and exceptions published in 2025. Specifically, the IBILI insurance offers 'Medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, and hospitalization expenses' with unlimited coverage, as long as you go to the medical centers that the insurer makes available to the insured. If you have any problems with the acceptance of your IBILI insurance when processing your residence study visa/permit at the Spanish consular offices, please, get in touch with info.welcomecentre@ehu.eus 

Check the terms of your insurance policy to ensure that it covers your entire stay. Upon arrival, review the procedure you should follow if you fall ill or have an accident, and find out which hospitals or medical centres you can go to should the need arise. Visiting an outpatient’s clinic or health centre not included in your policy may result in you having to pay the full amount of the costs incurred.

Further information on the Basque Country’s healthcare system.