Comprehensive sickness insurance for student

[stellios28]

Hello everyone. I am a 28 years old Greek history teacher, who decided to switch careers, after some time in unemployment. I was accepted for a graduate entry 4 years medicine course in a British university starting next year. In the UK border agency it says that every student in the UK should get comprehensive sickness insurance for the duration of his studies. What I don't understand is whether you need that only if you want to be issued a registration certificate as a student in UK, or you need it anyway. To put it simply, can I stay in the UK as an EU student for the 4 years using only the NHS service the university provides, or do I need this comprehensive sickness insurance as well. If so can anyone know where do you get it and what's the cost?

[Gyfrinachgar]

To put it simply, can I stay in the UK as an EU student for the 4 years using only the NHS service the university provides, or do I need this comprehensive sickness insurance as well. If so can anyone know where do you get it and what's the cost?

That depends what your long-term plans are. If I understand you correctly, you want to stay 4 years and that's it. In that case, you don't need to book comprehensive sickness insurance (CSI). NHS works very well and is open to all residents. If, however, you want to apply for permanent residency/citizenship at a later time, you need to have had CSI during your time as student or wait a few years longer. Acceptable CSI in the eyes of Home Office is either private sickness insurance, or alternatively a non-UK (i.e. Greek) EHIC card.

[Obie]

I agree. As the Greek EHIC and a confirmation of your university place and declaration that you will have sufficient resource, should enable you to obtain a Registration certificate.

[stellios28]

I intend to stay in the UK and do the foundation years and residency there, after I finish my degree. If I don't get any comprehensive sickness insurance will I be able to do that after I finish my degree? From what I understand this insurance is needed only if you want your student years to be counted in order to get permanent residency in the UK. So if I get a private insurance (I don't have EHIC because of my age and unemployment) I will be able to register as a permanent resident after 4 years as a student and 1 working as a doctor right? Otherwise I need to spend 5 years working as a doctor (2 in foundation and 3 in residency), after my degree is over, in order to become a permanent resident? If I got anything wrong please let me know.

[Gyfrinachgar]

From what I understand this insurance is needed only if you want your student years to be counted in order to get permanent residency in the UK.

Correct. In the eyes of the Home Office, a person doesn't exercise EU reaty rights as a student without comprehensive sickness insurance. Which is, at least in my eyes, a slightly bit paradoxical since that student would be fully covered by the NHS.

So if I get a private insurance (I don't have EHIC because of my age and unemployment) I will be able to register as a permanent resident after 4 years as a student and 1 working as a doctor right? Otherwise I need to spend 5 years working as a doctor (2 in foundation and 3 in residency), after my degree is over, in order to become a permanent resident?

Correct. So in essence, if you get private insurance from the start of your studies in 2013, you can get PR in 2018 (after exercising EU Treaty rights for 5 years, counting from the start of your studies) and citizenship in 2019. Otherwise, you can get PR in 2022 (after exercising EU Treaty rights for 5 years, counting from the start of your employment) and citizenship in 2023. If you don't have the money for private insurance now, you can compromise of course - for example take it halfway through your studies, saving you two years later.


P.S.: One completely unrelated bit of advice: keep a record of your flights when you enter/leave the UK. Since EU citizens don't have stamps in their passport, they often find it very difficult to reconstruct their travel history 5 years later. You seem to be the type of person who plans well ahead, but I thought I mention it anyway.

[stellios28]

From what I understand this insurance is needed only if you want your student years to be counted in order to get permanent residency in the UK.

Correct. In the eyes of the Home Office, a person doesn't exercise EU reaty rights as a student without comprehensive sickness insurance. Which is, at least in my eyes, a slightly bit paradoxical since that student would be fully covered by the NHS.

So if I get a private insurance (I don't have EHIC because of my age and unemployment) I will be able to register as a permanent resident after 4 years as a student and 1 working as a doctor right? Otherwise I need to spend 5 years working as a doctor (2 in foundation and 3 in residency), after my degree is over, in order to become a permanent resident?

Correct. So in essence, if you get private insurance from the start of your studies in 2013, you can get PR in 2018 (after exercising EU Treaty rights for 5 years, counting from the start of your studies) and citizenship in 2019. Otherwise, you can get PR in 2022 (after exercising EU Treaty rights for 5 years, counting from the start of your employment) and citizenship in 2023. If you don't have the money for private insurance now, you can compromise of course - for example take it halfway through your studies, saving you two years later.


P.S.: One completely unrelated bit of advice: keep a record of your flights when you enter/leave the UK. Since EU citizens don't have stamps in their passport, they often find it very difficult to reconstruct their travel history 5 years later. You seem to be the type of person who plans well ahead, but I thought I mention it anyway.

Ok everything is clear now. Thanks very much for your help and advice