India has no national health insurance requirement for international students — but many universities and institutes require a group or private policy when you enrol.
Where a university offers one, it enrols students in a group policy and adds the premium to the fees. These policies mainly cover hospitalisation at network (empanelled) hospitals up to a fixed sum insured; outpatient visits are often excluded. Ask the international office for the policy wording and the list of network hospitals.
Star Health, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj General, Niva Bupa and other insurers sell individual health policies with cashless treatment at network hospitals. Rules for foreign nationals differ by insurer — some ask for an Indian address and a long-term visa. New policies usually have waiting periods for pre-existing conditions.
Global plans from international insurers or your home-country insurer. They can include medical evacuation and repatriation to your home country — benefits to check before relying on a domestic Indian policy alone. Make sure the plan is valid in India and accepted by your university.
| Item | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|
| University group insurance | Set by your university | Premium, sum insured and network hospitals differ by institution; the premium is usually billed with your fees. Ask for the policy wording when you enrol. |
| Individual policy (Indian insurer) | Depends on age and sum insured | Get quotes from several insurers and compare the sum insured, room-rent limits, co-payments, waiting periods and the cashless hospital network near your campus. |
| Emergency ambulance (108) | Free in most states | 108 is the public emergency ambulance service in most states. Private ambulances charge per trip — keep the receipt, as many health policies reimburse ambulance costs. |
| Tele-MANAS mental health helpline (14416) | Free | Government helpline, available 24/7 in several Indian languages. Your university's counselling service is another free first point of contact. |
According to the government’s All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023–24, 58,134 foreign students from 173 countries were enrolled at Indian institutions — the largest group from Nepal (24.1%). They study at institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University. India’s healthcare system combines large public hospitals with private hospital chains, and costs are generally lower than in Europe or the US.
No law requires health insurance for a student visa, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it. A few days in a private hospital in a large city can cost more than a month’s living budget, and without insurance you pay the full bill yourself. Where your university runs a group policy, it is usually the simplest first layer of cover.
India’s healthcare has two distinct tiers:
Government hospitals (AIIMS, PGIMER, state and district hospitals): low charges and often excellent clinical quality at large teaching hospitals such as AIIMS New Delhi, but long queues for non-urgent care. For students in smaller cities, they may be the main option.
Private hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, Max, Manipal, Medanta): shorter waits and English-speaking staff in large cities — but expensive without insurance. Most Indian health policies pay these hospitals directly (cashless) if they are in the insurer’s network.
Where your university runs a group health insurance (mediclaim) policy, it typically covers:
The sum insured is fixed per student and differs by institution. For surgery or serious illness it may not be enough — which is why a top-up or individual policy is worth considering.
Before you apply for a visa, register on the Study in India (SII) portal — the SII ID is mandatory for every student visa application. After arrival, student visa holders must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within 14 days, online via the e-FRRO portal (indianfrro.gov.in). Missing the deadline can cause problems with your stay, so let your university’s international office help you.
| Number | Service | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Emergency Response Support System | Police, fire and ambulance in one number |
| 108 | Emergency ambulance | Free in most states |
| 100 | Police | Also reachable via 112 |
| 101 | Fire service | Also reachable via 112 |
| 14416 | Tele-MANAS mental health helpline | Free, 24/7, in several Indian languages |
The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 requires insurers to cover the treatment of mental illness on the same basis as physical illness, so psychiatric hospitalisation is part of standard Indian health policies. Outpatient therapy is often not covered — check your policy.
If you’re struggling, your university’s counselling or student welfare office is a good first stop, and the government’s Tele-MANAS helpline (14416) is free and available 24/7.
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