Health Insurance for International Students

With regard to foreign students coming to study in Turkey, Turkish laws allow them to obtain their own residence permit from the immigration directorates in the state in which they reside.According to this residence permit, the student can provide himself/herself with health insurance, free treatment at government hospitals, and at reduced prices at private hospitals.

Foreign students can obtain one of the following types of health insurance:

 Private health insurance

Obtaining private health insurance is a prerequisite when obtaining a residence permit, of different types, from the Immigration Directorates in Turkey.Private health insurance can be obtained from one of the private companies, which provides different types of this type of insurance, the most important of which are:

Ordinary insurance for applications for residence or renewal: It covers the duration of the residence and many general medical aspects, but does not receive substantial deductions from the cost of treatment in private or government hospitals, and does not cover the price of the medicine, but is characterized by its low price and ease of access.

Insurance for accidents, medical and analysis: This insurance covers the price of examinations, analyzes, and accidents in Turkish hospitals.

Comprehensive insurance: Insurance companies provide a comprehensive type of health insurance, covering all types of treatments, operations, and accidents, but it is the most expensive type of insurance.

 Public health insurance

Under Turkish law, you have access to public health insurance, through getting one of the types of residence reserved for foreigners in Turkey, and through this health insurance you, with the exception of children over 18 years of age, are able to enjoy the free medical benefits provided to you at state hospitals.

 What to Choose?

Students have to have valid health insurance during their stay in Türkiye. Please pay attention to following your insurance process in order not to face any problems or pay any debt later. Once your initial health insurance expires, you have to renew your health insurance inform Migration Office regarding your health insurance renewal. Please do not forget to renew your health insurance for it might produce unfortunate legal and health problems.

Governmental health insurance (General Health Insurance/GHI/GSS) available for international students is strongly recommended by the university or you can have private health insurance. In order to have GSS, you need to apply to the Social Security City Directorate or to the Social Security Center (SGM).Students who do not apply for the GSS within the 3-month legal period for the application cannot benefit from this right afterward. Therefore, students are strongly advised not to ignore this procedure. If you change your program or your program level (e.g. from undergraduate to master’s) you have the right to apply again. Once again, we would like to state that International students who have valid health insurance in Türkiye through their parents or by bilateral agreements are to submit a document proving this to the Migration Management. Those, again, need to visit the Social Security Center (SGM).