Sanitas and Adeslas both sell a policy built for the Spanish student visa; MAPFRE does not publish one. Sanitas International Students starts at €41.45/month for students aged 14–35 and includes dental services. Adeslas Welcome starts at €660/year, paid once, is open up to age 70 and covers childbirth — but you need a valid NIE to buy it. MAPFRE has no student product with a published price; its standard no-co-payment health policy has waiting periods of up to 8 months, which consulates do not accept, so you would need a visa-specific offer confirmed in writing. Prices as of October 2026.
All visa policies must meet the same consular conditions: an insurer authorised in Spain, cover comparable to the public health system, no co-payments, no waiting periods and validity for your whole stay. This guide compares what each insurer publishes so you can decide quickly.
Price note: Prices are the insurers’ published “from” prices as of October 2026. Your price depends on age, region and length of stay — request a quote from the insurer before you decide.
What Do Sanitas, Adeslas and MAPFRE Offer International Students?
Sanitas is part of the Bupa group. Its visa product for students is Sanitas International Students: no co-payments, no waiting periods, for students aged 14 to 35 and stays of 3 to 14 months. Sanitas states a network of more than 58,000 doctors, 4,500 medical centres, 5 own hospitals and more than 225 dental clinics.
Adeslas (SegurCaixa Adeslas) sells Adeslas Welcome, a policy for people of any nationality who need health insurance to apply for residence in Spain. It has no co-payments and no waiting periods and comes with a certificate for the immigration office (Extranjería). Adeslas states more than 51,000 professionals, more than 1,400 medical centres and more than 200 private hospitals.
MAPFRE sells general health insurance with and without co-payments and says its health policies can be used for Spanish visas. On mapfre.es we found no product made specifically for students and no published student price. Its standard no-co-payment policy (Seguro de Salud Supra) lists waiting periods — see below.
Other insurers with visa policies for students are ASISA Health Students (2–12 months, not renewable) and DKV Visado (€0 co-payment for every service); both give prices through an online quote.
Sanitas: What Does Sanitas International Students Include?
Sanitas International Students is designed for the student visa: no co-payments, no waiting periods and repatriation cover. It costs from €41.45/month, with a 4% discount if you pay annually. You can pay monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or annually.
What it includes:
- Primary care, emergencies and specialists (e.g. cardiology, dermatology, gynaecology, psychiatry)
- Simple and complex diagnostic tests (blood tests, X-rays, MRI, CT)
- Surgery and hospitalisation
- Dental cover with more than 30 services included and discounts on other treatments
- Urgent medical care on trips abroad up to €12,000 per year
- Repatriation to your home country in case of death
- 24-hour video consultations and video-based programmes (e.g. psychology, nutrition)
- A visa certificate issued instantly when you buy online
Conditions: Ages 14–35 (maximum age to stay in the policy: 35). Your course must last more than 3 months; the contract follows your study period from 3 up to 14 months and can be extended while you keep studying in Spain. You need a passport or NIE and proof of studies (admission letter or enrolment).
Weaknesses: Not available from age 36. Care directly related to pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn is excluded.
Adeslas: What Does Adeslas Welcome Include?
Adeslas Welcome is a full health policy for foreigners applying for residence in Spain. It costs from €660 per year (about €55/month), paid in one annual payment by direct debit.
What it includes:
- General medicine, nursing and emergencies (at centres, at home and by ambulance)
- Direct access to specialists, including psychology and psychotherapy
- Diagnostic tests, including MRI and CT
- Surgery, hospitalisation and intensive care
- Pregnancy follow-up, childbirth preparation and childbirth
- Repatriation to your home country in case of death
- Certificate for the immigration office (Extranjería), sent by email as soon as you buy
Conditions: You need a valid NIE, and the policy is individual (policyholder and insured person must be the same). It can be taken out up to age 70, requires a health questionnaire and runs for one year, renewing automatically. It is aimed at people who are not yet resident in Spain.
Weaknesses: No cover for medicines of any kind; vaccines are paid by you. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation are reimbursed at only 50% (maximum €500 per year), podiatry at 50% (maximum €200 per year). The whole year is paid upfront, and you need an NIE before you can buy.
MAPFRE: Does It Have a Student Visa Policy?
MAPFRE does not publish a student-specific policy or price on mapfre.es. It states that its health policies can be used for Spanish visas and lists the conditions it considers necessary: cover for medical costs, hospitalisation and repatriation, validity throughout Spain, cover for the whole stay, and a Spanish insurer.
The catch is the waiting periods. MAPFRE’s standard no-co-payment policy (Seguro de Salud Supra) lists:
- 8 months for surgery
- 8 months for hospitalisation (except emergencies)
- 8 months for childbirth
- 6 months for rehabilitation and genetic tests
Consulates require a policy without waiting periods. If you consider MAPFRE, ask for a policy and certificate that confirm in writing: no co-payments, no waiting periods, repatriation, and cover for your whole stay. MAPFRE prices are only available through its online calculator or an office — we do not quote one.
Which Insurer Offers the Best English-Language Support?
Of the three, only Sanitas publishes an English version of its student product information (Sanitas International Students). Sanitas also offers 24-hour video consultations, where you choose the doctor you connect with.
Adeslas and MAPFRE publish their product pages and conditions in Spanish. We found no published information about English-language service from either — ask before you buy.
If you do not speak Spanish yet, ask each insurer:
- Is there a phone line or chat in English?
- Are the policy conditions available in English?
- Can I search the network (cuadro médico) for English-speaking doctors?
Which Has the Best Dental Coverage for Students?
Sanitas International Students is the only one of the three student-relevant policies with dental services published as included.
| Dental Feature | Sanitas International Students | Adeslas Welcome | MAPFRE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental services included | More than 30 services | Not listed on the product page | Ask — depends on the policy |
| Discount on other treatments | Up to 21% | Not listed | Ask |
| Own dental clinics | More than 225 (Sanitas figure) | Not stated | Not stated |
The public health system offers only limited dental care for adults (for example extractions), so dental cover is worth checking if you stay longer.
How Do Claims and Authorisations Work?
Spanish private health insurance mainly works through the insurer’s network (cuadro médico): you book a doctor in the network, show your insurance card and do not pay for covered services on a policy without co-payments.
Some services need the insurer’s prior authorisation:
- Adeslas Welcome: hospital admissions, medical tests, rehabilitation and clinical psychology need authorisation; you can request it online or in the app with a photo of the prescription. Physiotherapy, rehabilitation and podiatry are reimbursed (50%) — you submit a reimbursement form with invoices and prescriptions.
- Sanitas: appointments, test results, reimbursement requests and authorisations are handled in the Mi Sanitas customer area (app and web).
- MAPFRE: ask how authorisations work for the policy you are offered.
Visa certificate: Sanitas issues the visa certificate instantly online; Adeslas sends its certificate for Extranjería by email when you buy. For MAPFRE, ask how and when the certificate is issued.
How Do They Compare for Convenio Especial as an Alternative?
Some non-EU students who have lived in Spain for at least one year consider the Convenio Especial — Spain’s public healthcare agreement at €60/month (under 65) — as an alternative to private insurance.
The Convenio Especial gives access to the basic services of the public health system (SNS) without co-payments or waiting periods. Outpatient prescriptions are paid 100% by you, and the regional health service decides whether holders of a study stay are accepted.
When the Convenio Especial can make sense:
- You have lived in Spain for one year and are registered in the padrón
- Your regional health service accepts you
- You rarely need prescription medicines
- You do not need dental care beyond what the public system offers
When private insurance is the better choice:
- You are in your first year in Spain (the Convenio Especial is not yet available)
- Your region does not accept holders of a study stay
- You need a certificate from a private insurer for your visa or extension
- You want dental cover or the insurer’s private network
For a full breakdown of the Convenio Especial process and eligibility, see our Convenio Especial guide.
How Do I Check the Network in My City?
Network density differs by city, and none of the insurers publishes a city-by-city ranking. Check it yourself before you buy:
- Search the insurer’s directory (cuadro médico) for your postcode: Sanitas, Adeslas and MAPFRE all have an online search.
- Look for a general practitioner and a hospital near your home and university.
- Check the specialists you need — for example gynaecology, psychiatry or dermatology.
- Ask your university’s international office which private hospitals or clinics students usually use. In Granada, for example, the university names two private hospitals with agreements with private insurers.
Sanitas asks for a Spanish postcode in its price calculator; if you do not have one yet, it accepts the postcode of your place of study.
Full Comparison Table: Sanitas vs Adeslas vs MAPFRE
| Feature | Sanitas | Adeslas | MAPFRE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa product | Sanitas International Students | Adeslas Welcome | No student product published |
| Price (October 2026) | From €41.45/month | From €660/year | Online quote only |
| Payment | Monthly to annual (4% annual discount) | Single annual payment | Depends on the policy |
| Age to take out | 14–35 | Up to 70 | Supra: up to 65 |
| Contract length | 3–14 months, extendable while studying | 1 year, renews automatically | Ask |
| Co-payments | None | None | None on the Supra no-co-payment policy |
| Waiting periods | None | None | Supra: 8 months for surgery, hospitalisation and childbirth |
| NIE needed to buy | No — passport accepted | Yes | Ask |
| Repatriation in case of death | Included | Included | Ask |
| Dental | More than 30 services included | Not listed | Ask |
| Pregnancy and childbirth | Excluded | Included | Supra: after an 8-month wait |
| Medicines | Not stated on the product page | Not covered | Ask |
| Urgent care abroad | Up to €12,000 per year | Not listed | Supra: medical emergencies abroad |
| Visa certificate | Instantly online | By email on purchase | Ask |
| Network (insurer’s figures) | 58,000+ doctors, 4,500+ centres | 51,000+ professionals, 1,400+ centres | Online directory |
| Best for | Students 14–35 who want monthly payments and dental | Students over 35, or who need maternity cover and already have an NIE | Only with a written visa offer without waiting periods |
Quick Decision Guide
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 14–35, want to pay monthly | Sanitas International Students | Monthly payment possible; from €41.45/month |
| Aged 36 or older | Adeslas Welcome, or an ASISA/DKV quote | Sanitas International Students stops at 35 |
| Planning a pregnancy | Adeslas Welcome | Sanitas International Students excludes pregnancy and childbirth |
| No NIE yet | Sanitas International Students | Adeslas Welcome requires a valid NIE |
| Stay under 12 months | Sanitas International Students or ASISA Health Students | Contracts follow the course (Sanitas 3–14 months, ASISA 2–12 months) |
| Dental care matters | Sanitas International Students | More than 30 dental services included |
| Already have a MAPFRE offer | MAPFRE, if confirmed in writing | Only without co-payments and waiting periods |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Sanitas, Adeslas, or MAPFRE for my Spanish student visa?
Sanitas International Students and Adeslas Welcome are built for it: no co-payments, no waiting periods, and a certificate for the visa or Extranjería. For MAPFRE, you need an offer that confirms in writing that there are no co-payments and no waiting periods — its standard Supra policy has waiting periods of up to 8 months. Always check your consulate’s own list as well, for example a minimum sum of €30,000 at some consulates.
Do any of these insurers cover pre-existing conditions?
Each insurer assesses them individually. Sanitas’s medical department contacts you if you declare a previous illness, injury or operation. Adeslas Welcome requires a health questionnaire and is subject to Adeslas’s acceptance. For MAPFRE, ask before you buy. Declare everything honestly — a wrong declaration can put your cover at risk.
What is the minimum contract period?
Sanitas International Students follows your course: from 3 months up to 14 months, extendable while you keep studying in Spain (until age 35). Adeslas Welcome runs for one year and renews automatically. ASISA Health Students runs 2–12 months and is not renewable. For MAPFRE, ask.
Is Sanitas really better if I don’t speak Spanish?
Sanitas is the only one of the three that publishes its student product information in English, which makes the conditions easier to understand. Whether your doctor speaks English depends on the doctor, not the insurer — search the network for your city before you buy.
Do these policies cover me if I travel to other EU countries?
Sanitas International Students covers urgent medical care on trips abroad up to €12,000 per year. Adeslas Welcome lists cover in Spain only. MAPFRE’s Supra policy includes medical emergencies abroad. EU/EEA students can also use their EHIC in other EU countries. For longer trips, consider separate travel insurance.
How do I enroll?
You buy directly from the insurer — online or at an office. Sanitas and Adeslas both sell their visa policies online and issue the certificate immediately. MAPFRE has an online price calculator for its health policies. We are a comparison site and do not sell policies.
Can I switch insurers during my studies?
Yes, but plan the switch. Your study stay requires valid insurance without gaps, and you need proof of insurance for every extension. Adeslas Welcome renews automatically unless you cancel within the deadlines in the contract; Sanitas International Students follows your study period. Start the new policy on the day the old one ends.
Related Articles
- Spain Student Health Insurance: Seguridad Social, NIE & Private Top-Up Guide
- Convenio Especial in Spain: Public Healthcare for Non-EU Students (2026)
- How to Choose Health Insurance as an International Student
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