Health Insurance for Students in Latvia: What the Policy Must Cover

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Latvia asks every international student to be insured, and for students from outside the EU the policy is also a condition of the residence permit. The rules below come from the University of Latvia and the European Commission's EU Immigration Portal, as read in October 2026. Insurers and universities add their own details, so check them with your university before you buy. For a Europe-wide comparison, see health insurance for students in Europe.

EU, EEA and Swiss students

The University of Latvia states the minimum for EU citizens as the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It is issued by the health insurer in your home country, so apply for it before you leave. Two practical points:

• the card is only valid while you remain insured in your home country, so ask your insurer how long it keeps you covered while you study abroad
• it covers the care that the host country's public system provides, not private clinics or a trip home, so some students add a private policy

If you plan to stay for the whole degree, ask your university's international office whether it recommends anything beyond the EHIC.

Non-EU students

The University of Latvia says non-EU students need a life and health insurance policy valid in Latvia and in all Schengen countries. The EU Immigration Portal gives the same core figure: health insurance of at least €42,600 guaranteeing that health costs are covered. According to the university, the policy must include:

• emergency medical assistance costs
• treatment costs for a growing chronic illness
• transport costs to the closest medical facility that provides these services
• the cost of returning the patient to the home country in case of serious illness or death

The policy must be valid for at least as long as your Latvian residence permit. If it expires during your stay, you extend it or buy a new one. The university names several insurers active in Latvia, including Ergo, If, BTA, Gjensidige and Balta, but the page lists no prices and it is not a recommendation. Prices depend on age and the cover you choose.

The EU Immigration Portal says you show your insurance after arriving in Latvia and receiving your permit. Details of how and where to show it differ by institution, so follow your university's instructions. The permit application itself is covered in the student visa guide for Latvia.

State care and what you pay

I could not open the pages of the Latvian National Health Service from this location, so I cannot say here whether students on a temporary permit have any entitlement to state-paid care. Do not assume you have it. Ask your university or the National Health Service before you arrive, and keep your private policy valid so that treatment costs are covered. The emergency number 112 works across the EU.

Choosing a policy

1. Read the policy wording, not the summary, and confirm the limit is at least the minimum above.
2. Ask the insurer in writing that the policy meets Latvia's requirements for a student residence permit.
3. Check whether it covers routine visits and prescriptions, or only the items required for the permit.
4. Match the dates to your permit and renew in time.
5. Ask your university whether it offers a group policy or accepts specific insurers.

Where to look next

• Student visa for Latvia
• How much it costs to study in Latvia: in our catalogue, non-EU tuition at public universities runs from €2,700 to €17,310 a year
• Study medicine in English in Latvia
• Scholarships and student jobs in Latvia

Official sources

• University of Latvia: Insurance and medical treatment
• EU Immigration Portal: Student in Latvia

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.