Studying abroad can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s important to make sure you’re taking every precaution to protect yourself in an unfamiliar place. This might come as a surprise to some, but travel insurance isn’t just for vacation. You can also opt to purchase an insurance plan when you’re a student studying outside of your home country. 

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There are a number of risks when traveling out of the country, especially if you’re traveling alone. Here, you’ll learn all about the positives and negatives of studying abroad, what to look out for, and how to keep yourself safe while you’re away from home and becoming familiar with a new area. 

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All About Studying Abroad

As a young student, getting the opportunity to travel and experience new places while earning your education at the same time is a win-win. Before you venture out on your exciting journey, make sure you’re prepared for anything that might come your way. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind.

Tips for Protecting Yourself With Medical Insurance

Anything can happen while you’re traveling as an international student. You might need a medical evacuation or other forms of medical care, so it’s important to have the proper health insurance plan. 

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You’ll also want to look into travel insurance plans from a reputable insurance company to see what other protections are available to you during your trip, as well as what exclusions you need to know about. Here are some things that could come up and how you can protect yourself from them. 

• A natural disaster. With the proper travel insurance coverage, you can be covered in the event of a natural disaster during your study abroad trip. The elements are unpredictable, and when you’re outside of the country you live in, you’ll want to make sure you’re protected. Insured Nomads can provide accommodations, and even emergency evacuation in the event a natural disaster occurs in the country you’re studying in. 

• Medical emergencies. If you find yourself sick or injured during international travel, you can have your healthcare and medical expenses covered with travel insurance, including assistance services, emergency medical evacuation from your host country, repatriation of remains, in the event of accidental death, and more. As long as you have valid health insurance in your home country, you’ll be eligible for travel coverage through Insured Nomads. 

• Trip interruption or trip cancellation. If you find yourself needing to leave your trip abroad early, or even cancel it before it begins, you can receive reimbursement for a covered event. Whether you have a medical emergency or the trip is impacted due to other circumstances out of your control (like the pandemic), you could be refunded for your prepaid expenses (hotel, airfare, etc.). 

• Travel delays. When a trip is delayed, travel assistance from your insurance plan can cover any accommodations needed in the meantime such as a hotel or meals at the airport. As long as the delay is through no fault of your own, it’s likely covered under your travel insurance plan. 

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There are a number of issues people face when traveling abroad. You can lessen your chances of being stuck in a bind by taking the proper precautions.

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Benefits of Studying Abroad 

There are a number of benefits to studying abroad, and if you’re given the opportunity, it could be the perfect way to figure out what you want your career focus to be down the line. While it can be daunting to travel long far away from home all alone, it’s worth it to consider how rewarding of an experience it could be for you. 

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Perks that come with studying abroad: 

• Cross-cultural immersion. Immersing yourself in another culture can be quite eye-opening. You’ll have the chance to learn a new language, educate yourself on how others live around the world, and meet new people who can help and support you along the way. 

• Become more independent. Going to school abroad also teaches independence. You’ll learn how to problem-solve on your own when issues arise and become more comfortable navigating life’s ups and downs. You’ll also become more confident in yourself and your abilities the longer you thrive as an individual. 

• Friendship around every corner. Do you like making friends? Traveling abroad to study is an excellent way to find and connect with people your own age who have similar interests. You’ll be able to practice your communication skills and create bonds that can last forever. 

• Become bilingual. The most efficient way to learn a new language is to fully immerse yourself in the culture and mingle with the people who live there. Practicing on your own is good, but the opportunity to learn from those who are native to that language is a very valuable one. 

• Resume highlight. Time spent learning abroad can also look really great on a resume. It shows potential employers that you’ve gone above and beyond to expand your knowledge.

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Things That Make Studying Abroad Difficult 

There are also a number of downfalls that can come with traveling abroad. You’ll need to be prepared to possibly face these and take the necessary steps to make the transition into a new country as seamless and safe as possible. Here are some things that could make life difficult for a young student studying abroad. 

• Not knowing how to speak the language. A big problem that many students face when studying outside of the country is that it is quite challenging to communicate. Colleges and universities tend to teach their courses in their native language. Although some may offer alternative options, you shouldn’t rely on this. Make it a point to learn to speak and comprehend the language (at least on some level) before you go. This way, the transition will be easier for you, and you’ll be less likely to fall behind. 

• You’ll be spending a lot of money. Studying abroad is quite expensive. Not only will you need a passport to exit the country, but you’ll also need to apply to the consulate that serves the jurisdiction of your desired university. A consulate is a government office you can find in your home country that is controlled by the country you intend to study in. They will help you navigate the process and fees associated with obtaining a student visa. The process will differ depending on where you wish to study, and fees can be as high as $1,000. 

• Adapting to a new culture is hard. Things that are everyday experiences or habits for you might be considered rude or inappropriate in other cultures. It’s a good idea to take the time to do some research before you head out so you can be as informed as possible. Of course, it will be impossible to learn everything, but getting the basics down can go a long way when it comes to building relationships with the other students you meet abroad.

• You can’t leave on a whim. Traveling, in general, is quite difficult, but traveling into and out of different countries can be even more complex. It can be hard to get last-minute flights, and on top of that, the airfare is much pricier. 

How Insured Nomads Works

The last thing we want is to make your experience studying abroad more difficult. With our comprehensive travel insurance plans, you can head off to study with the peace of mind that you’ll be taken care of in an emergency. 

We can insure a single trip for up to 364 days, which means you’ll have a while before you need to think about renewing. On top of that, our coverages include 24/7 emergency medical assistance, COVID coverage, emergency relocation back to your home country, and more.

We want travelers to feel safe and protected wherever they may be. If you’re considering studying abroad. 

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Here are some more things Insured Nomads can do for you. 

Coverage for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Do you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition? If you do, you’re probably used to seeking out regular medical care for it. If you anticipate having your trip interrupted by your condition, travel insurance could help with that. With 24/7 medical coverage, you’ll be able to focus on your studies instead of stressing over what might happen if you don’t have it. 

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Coverage for Lost Personal Items

If any of your personal items go missing, such as luggage or a cell phone, you can be reimbursed under your travel insurance policy. No need to worry if you lose something during your trip or are a victim of theft. Just file a claim, and we’ll help you out. 

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Transportation to Local Medical Facility 

We can also get you transported to your local medical facility at no charge to you. Ambulance fees can be expensive in some countries, but when you get travel coverage through us, you won’t need to worry about those excessive fees. 

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Thinking of Studying Abroad? 

If you’re planning on going out of the country for school, as mentioned before, you’ll want to be aware of any associated risks. While there are a number of benefits that come with studying abroad, you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared for anything urgent that could arise. 

You’ll also need to take a number of steps long before you ever leave such as obtaining a passport (if you don’t have one), and applying to the consulate to get approved for your student visa. 

Once you’re cleared to travel, Insured Nomads can make sure your travel is protected with quality coverage. Get a quote today.

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About Insured Nomads   

Insured Nomads is the first to take an integrated traveltech, fintech and insurtech solution to the world for remote workers, globally distributed teams, expats, and travelers. Their purpose is to make travel as safe and smart as staying at home. They do this by providing health insurance with exceptional medical benefits in tandem with wellbeing, safety, security, and advanced tech-enabled solutions for ease of payment for healthcare, emergency response and evacuation. Insured Nomads is available through affinity relationships, direct, embedded and through select brokers and partners for groups and individuals. 

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Information on integration, collaboration and partnership contact Brett Estep: brett@insurednomads.com

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When researching destinations and travel, Try Peanut - a free google chrome extension. It automatically displays travel requirements, visa rules and more on booking.com, expedia & google flights.

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Sources:

Do You Need Travel Insurance for Studying Abroad? | Rolling Stone 

Travel Insurance For A Student’s Trip Abroad | Forbes Advisor 

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Abroad? | MyAyan