What is student travel insurance? A complete guide
Student travel insurance provides emergency medical coverage for extended study periods — international students in Canada, or Canadians studying abroad. It covers illness and injury during the stay, filling the gap where provincial or home coverage doesn't apply. Cost depends on age, length of study and coverage amount.
Key takeaways
- Two streams: international students in Canada and Canadians studying abroad.
- Covers emergency medical care for the length of the study term.
- International students in Ontario generally are not covered by OHIP.
- Length of coverage and coverage amount are the main price drivers.
A term or year of study away from home is a long time to be without health coverage, and students often fall into a gap where neither provincial nor home-country coverage applies. Student travel insurance is the extended medical coverage built for that situation.
Two streams of student coverage
Student insurance covers two groups. The first is international students in Canada — people who have come to Ontario or elsewhere to study and generally are not eligible for OHIP. The second is Canadians studying abroad — students who leave Canada for a semester or degree and lose the practical benefit of OHIP while overseas. Both need emergency medical coverage that lasts the length of their programme, and both are served by student travel insurance.
What it covers
The foundation is emergency medical coverage: hospital admission and physician fees, diagnostics, prescriptions, emergency dental and emergency medical transport, supported by a 24/7 assistance line. The coverage period is set to the study term rather than a short trip, which is the main structural difference from an ordinary travel plan. Some plans include extras relevant to students, so review what each offers. As with all travel medical coverage, it is for emergencies, not routine or planned care.
Why OHIP leaves a gap
For Canadians abroad, OHIP pays little or nothing for care outside Canada and never pays a foreign hospital up front, so a student overseas is effectively uninsured without a policy. For international students in Ontario, most are not OHIP-eligible at all, meaning an emergency hospital visit would be billed in full. In both directions, student insurance fills a real gap.
Matching the coverage period
The key practical step is to match the coverage dates to your entire time away or in Canada, including any travel before and after the academic term. A gap at either end leaves you exposed. If your plans change — a programme extends, or you travel afterward — adjust the coverage so it still spans your whole stay.
Pre-existing conditions and age
Many students are young and healthy, and no medical questions are required under age 60. Older students, or those 60 and over, complete a short medical questionnaire that sets the premium, not eligibility. Where a pre-existing condition applies, coverage usually depends on it being stable for a defined period before the coverage start date, so read that clause.
What it costs
A student policy has no single price. It is driven mainly by the length of the study period, the coverage amount chosen, age, and health. A longer term and a higher coverage amount raise the premium; a higher deductible lowers it. Because study periods are long, the total reflects many months of coverage rather than a few days.
Practical tips for students
A few habits make student coverage reliable. Keep the assistance number and proof of coverage saved where you can reach them, and tell a roommate or family member where to find your details. If your programme dates shift or you add travel before or after term, update the policy so it still spans your whole stay. Use telemedicine where available for minor issues rather than defaulting to a clinic. And answer any medical questionnaire accurately, since an inaccurate answer can affect a claim. These small steps keep the coverage working across a long time away from home.
To set up coverage that spans your full term — in Canada or abroad — compare your options and get a quote before the programme begins.
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Purchase now →Frequently asked questions
Do international students in Ontario get OHIP?
Generally no. Most international students are not eligible for OHIP, so they need private medical coverage for their studies. Some institutions arrange a plan, but where they do not, student travel insurance fills the gap for the study period.
What does student travel insurance cover?
The core is emergency medical coverage — hospital and physician care, prescriptions and emergency transport — for the length of the stay, with 24/7 assistance. Some plans include extras suited to students. It is emergency protection, not routine or ongoing care.
Can a Canadian studying abroad use it?
Yes. There is a stream for Canadians studying outside the country, covering emergency medical care while abroad since OHIP pays little or nothing outside Canada. Match the coverage period to your full term away.
TripCovered is a licensed insurance referral service operating in Ontario. Insurance is administered by North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd., doing business as TuGo®, a licensed insurance broker in all provinces and territories. The issuer of the contract is Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Industrial Alliance Pacific General Insurance Corporation. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. This website provides general information only and is not a contract of insurance. Always read your policy wording before you travel.