Insurance for Non-EU Bachelor's Degree Students in Ireland: First Year & Every Renewal
Whether you're a non-EU student coming to Ireland for the very first time to start your Bachelor's degree, or you're already here and moving into your next year, your insurance needs are covered. A Bachelor's programme in Ireland usually runs three to four years, which means your insurance requirements change partway through — here's exactly what you need at each stage, and the discount available at every one of them.
Two situations, one straightforward answer
Still in your home country, preparing your student visa application for your Bachelor's (Level 8) programme? Buy your compliant policy before you travel, so it's ready for your visa application and arrival.
Already in Ireland and continuing into year two, three, or four of your Bachelor's? Your insurance needs to be renewed — and the type of policy that qualifies changes at this point.
How your insurance changes across a Bachelor's degree
Because most Bachelor's programmes in Ireland run three to four years, non-EU undergraduate students go through more insurance renewals than students on a one-year Master's. Here's the typical journey:
If it covers a full 12 months and meets the €25,000 accident / €25,000 illness minimums, travel insurance can be used for your first year in Ireland.
Travel insurance is no longer accepted. You need a private medical policy purchased from an Ireland-based provider to renew your IRP each year.
Renew before your current policy expires. Cancelling insurance after registration without a replacement is treated as a breach of your immigration conditions.
Level 8 Bachelor's graduates can apply for Stamp 1G (Third Level Graduate Programme) for 12 months, non-renewable. This needs its own Ireland-sourced policy — travel insurance does not qualify.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum cover | €25,000 for accidents and €25,000 for illness or disease |
| Hospitalisation | Must cover any period of hospitalisation in Ireland |
| Language | Policy document must be written in English |
| Year one | Travel insurance accepted if it covers the full 12 months |
| Year two onward | Must be private medical insurance sourced in Ireland |
Plan ahead for the switch: if you started with travel insurance in year one, put a reminder in before your renewal date so you have time to arrange a compliant Irish policy for year two.
Our offer for Bachelor's degree students
First time in Ireland? Here's how to prepare
If this is your first time travelling to Ireland, insurance is one of the first things to organise, often before your visa application:
- Message us on WhatsApp — tell us your course length and start date
- We confirm the right policy for your first year, ready for your visa application
- Buy at our discounted student rate — no separate portal, just WhatsApp
- Receive your certificate by email in ~10 minutes, ready to submit
Already here and moving into your next year? Here's how to renew
- Check your current policy type — if it's travel insurance from year one, it won't be accepted again
- Confirm your new academic year dates so your policy covers the full period with no gap
- Buy your Ireland-sourced Study & Protect policy through us with the student discount applied
- Upload it with your IRP renewal — delivered to your email in around 10 minutes
Bachelor's student? We've got every year covered.
First arrival or next-year renewal — message us on WhatsApp, get our exclusive student discount, and receive your policy in about 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Non-EU Bachelor's (Level 8) students need insurance covering a minimum of €25,000 for accidents and €25,000 for illness, including hospitalisation in Ireland, written in English. In your first year, travel insurance from your home country can be accepted if it covers a full 12 months. From your second year onward, you need private medical insurance sourced in Ireland.
Yes. Since a Bachelor's degree in Ireland typically runs three to four years, non-EU students need to renew their insurance for each year of the programme, switching from travel insurance to an Ireland-sourced private policy from the second year onward.
Yes. Students coming to Ireland for the first time for their Bachelor's degree can buy their visa-compliant insurance policy through Vishwa Tech Logic before travelling, so the certificate is ready for their visa application and arrival.
Yes. Vishwa Tech Logic offers an exclusive student discount for non-EU Bachelor's degree students at every stage of their course, including first-time arrival and every renewal year, when you buy your Study & Protect policy through us.
After completing a Level 8 Bachelor's degree, eligible graduates can apply for Stamp 1G under the Third Level Graduate Programme, which is a non-renewable 12-month permission. This requires a new private medical insurance policy sourced in Ireland, as travel insurance is not accepted for Stamp 1G.
This guide is for general information only and reflects Irish student visa insurance requirements as understood at the time of writing. Immigration rules and minimum coverage thresholds change regularly — always confirm current requirements with the Irish Immigration Service (irishimmigration.ie) before purchasing. Study & Protect is a product of Arachas Corporate Brokers Limited.