Health Insurance for Students in Malta: EHIC, EUR 100,000 Cover, Exemptions

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Health cover in Malta depends on your citizenship and on where you study. EU and EEA students rely on the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for state care, while non-EU students must usually buy private insurance for their residence permit. This guide reflects the pages of Identità, the University of Malta (UM) and the Maltese government in October 2026. For a Europe-wide view, see health insurance for students in Europe.

EU and EEA students

UM's International Office says EU and EEA nationals get free treatment at state hospitals and health centres on presenting an original EHIC and an ID document that proves EU or EEA nationality. Private clinics, pharmacies and private hospitals accept personal insurance, but you pay for their services.

If you stay more than three months, you must register with Identità's Expatriates Unit (see student visa for Malta). Identità says the registration needs valid comprehensive sickness insurance in Malta, shown by a policy, an S1 certificate or an entitlement certificate. Students at UM, MCAST and the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) do not need to provide it. Check with your institution which document it asks for.

Non-EU students: the permit requirement

For the study residence permit, Identità requires private health insurance of at least €100,000 for medical treatment and hospitalisation in Malta, valid for the entire period of study. The policy should preferably also cover emergencies in other EU states. You submit the certificate or the policy document with your name, the amount covered and the dates. Identità states that an application without valid insurance, unless you are exempt, will likely be refused.

Identità's current forms differ on small points, such as whether the policy must cover the whole stay or the first year, so use the version that applies on the day you apply. UM's visa page adds that insurance should cover in-patient and day-care hospital costs, medical evacuation and repatriation, and show the coverage period.

Who is exempt

Students enrolled at UM, MCAST or ITS are exempt from buying private insurance for the permit, because under Maltese regulations they can use public healthcare. Identità says they can cite the regulation and show proof of enrolment instead of a policy. The exemption ends if you move to a non-exempt institution: you then need a compliant policy. It also ends after graduation. A one-time post-study permit requires health insurance for the whole period, and Identità advises roughly the same €100,000 level of cover, even though its form sets no minimum: see working after graduation in Malta.

Students at private colleges are not covered by this exemption, so they need a private policy. Ask the college which insurers it accepts.

Using public care

Emergencies: call 112. Mater Dei Hospital, the state hospital, is a few metres from the Msida campus and its Emergency Department is open 24 hours.
Health centres provide primary care across Malta and Gozo. Opening times vary, so check before you go, and ideally use the one for your area.
Non-EU students without state cover can use free state services only in emergencies, according to UM.
Most medicines in Malta need a physician's authorisation. Bring enough of your regular medication and your prescription, as well as your optician's prescription.

Health screening for the permit

If your course is longer than three months, third-country nationals must pass a health screening through the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit. UM's visa page lists an immunisation certificate for polio, diphtheria and tetanus and for measles, mumps and rubella, and a chest X-ray if you were born in or lived for six months or more in a country it classes as high-risk for tuberculosis. UM names the approved clinics and says the X-ray must be done within four weeks of arrival. This is separate from insurance, and the approval goes into your permit application.

Practical tips

Buy the policy before you travel and read the exclusions, including pre-existing conditions.
Make sure the certificate shows your name, the €100,000 limit and exact dates.
When you renew the permit, renew the insurance too: Identità wants cover for each new permit period.
Keep a copy of your EHIC or policy on your phone.

Where to look next

Official sources

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