Q. What Should I Do If I Get Sick During Language Study Abroad?

Hello everyone

AWORK Study Abroad here :)

These days, entry regulations for many countries have relaxed a lot,

so a lot of people are preparing to study a language abroad in various countries.

It would be great if everything went exactly as planned,

but since it's life in an unfamiliar country,

you might suddenly get sick while adjusting,

or unexpected accidents sometimes happen.

Of course it would be best if this never happened, but just in case,

it's always good to be prepared.

If you were back home, you'd head straight to the nearest hospital,

but when you get sick abroad, you might hesitate to rush to the hospital.

That's because many places are notorious for outrageous hospital bills.

For example, if you go to a clinic like a neighborhood hospital in Korea,

just seeing a doctor once

can sometimes cost over 100,000 KRW (around $100).

So a lot of you ask, "What should I do if I get sick?"

To prepare for situations like that, the one thing you absolutely must get for long-term study abroad

is insurance.

In today's post, we'll cover getting insurance for language study students,

how to file insurance claims, and how to use hospitals — all together.

< Getting Insurance & Filing Insurance Claims >

Q1. Which insurance should I get?

A1. Just choose the insurance that fits your visa.

If you have a long-term student visa, get study-abroad student insurance;

if you have a short-term tourist visa, get travel insurance or study-abroad student insurance;

and if you're preparing for a working holiday, get working-holiday-specific insurance.

Insurance varies by age, gender, coverage period, and scope,

so each one has different features — check the details carefully first,

then choose the insurance that fits your situation.

Q2. What's the difference between Korean insurance and local insurance?

A2. You can get both Korean insurance and local insurance.

However, since local insurance is more expensive and covers less than Korean insurance,

we don't recommend it unless your school requires a specific local insurance policy.

The insurance companies most commonly used by language study students in Korea are

Hyundai Marine & Fire, KB Insurance, Dongbu Fire Insurance, and others.

Q3. What if I enter the country without insurance?

A3. Immigration authorities in English-speaking countries

require by law that students at language schools have insurance.

That's why language schools announce this at the first orientation

and ask you to submit a copy of your insurance certificate,

and if you're not enrolled in one, they'll guide you

to sign up for one through the school.

University-affiliated language schools or some private language schools

sometimes don't accept Korean insurance.

So we recommend checking with the language school about insurance in advance.

**For holders of an Australian student visa

you're required to enroll in Australia's Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

mandatorily.

The insurance companies that provide this include medibank, Allianz Global, Bupa, nip, and others.

Q4. How do I file a claim for hospital costs?

A4. Generally, you pay the hospital bill upfront first,

and then file a claim with the insurance company.

If the amount is large, you can contact the insurance company first,

and sometimes the insurance company will pay directly.

This also varies by insurer, so check your insurance company's policy.

- Insurance Claim Procedure -

1) Submit required documents

Medical records from the hospital you visited (request from the hospital)

Hospital bill payment receipt

If you were prescribed medicine, prepare the prescription and medicine receipt

2) File a claim according to your insurer's policy

3) Insurance company review

4) Reimbursement

It usually takes 2 to 4 weeks after filing the claim.

< How to Use Hospitals Abroad >

Abroad, just like in Korea, there are private clinics, large hospitals, and emergency rooms.

Think of a private clinic as "Clinic," a large hospital as "Hospital," and an emergency room as "Emergency Room."

- Which hospital should I go to?

Unless you've had a serious accident and need to go straight to the ER,

the usual process is to go to a local clinic first.

You get examined by the clinic doctor, and if the doctor decides

you need a bigger hospital, they'll write you a referral letter to bring to the Hospital.

Usually, after an exam they'll prescribe medicine

and tell you not to stress and to rest well,

so you might be disappointed if you're expecting special treatment.

- Do I need an appointment?

It varies by country, but it's usually best to make an appointment before going.

Walk-in clinics in Canada can be used without an appointment,

but making an appointment can significantly cut down your wait time.

So we recommend booking an appointment before you visit.

Unlike in Korea, private clinics

sometimes stay open on weekends and public holidays.

Since clinic hours can vary,

it's a good idea to check hours on Google Maps before you go.

- Know the costs before you go

Medical costs can be quite expensive for foreigners using hospitals.

It varies by country, but generally, a clinic visit

costs around 100,000 KRW, and an ER visit around 1,000,000 KRW,

and calling an ambulance can also cost hundreds of thousands of KRW.

Of course you can claim it from insurance,

but since pay-first-claim-later is standard, it helps to know how expensive it can be

in advance.

- Other things to prepare in advance

If you're taking any medication in Korea,

preparing an English-language prescription can help when getting treated abroad

or when you need the same type of medicine.

In this post, we looked at how to use hospitals

when you suddenly get sick abroad.

Nothing feels lonelier than being sick in a foreign country, so we hope

that never happens, but it's important to be prepared for the worst

and look into things thoroughly.

We hope this post has been helpful to everyone preparing for language study abroad,

and you can find more study abroad information for various countries on the AWORK website.

If you have any questions while reading, feel free to contact us anytime at the number below.

If you're curious about winter-break language study programs abroad,

☑️Go to AWORK Study Abroad☑️

Business Hours 10:00 - 19:00 (Closed on weekends/public holidays)

Email info@aworkacademy.com

Contact 1855-0631