Health Insurance for Students in Italy (2026/27): SSN Registration and the €700 Fee
Private insurance or the national health service: what the law asks of a non-EU student, what the SSN costs, when cover starts and ends, and how to register.
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Law checked on 28 September 2026. Next change to watch: the budget law each December, which set the student contribution at €700 from 2024.
Previous step: your tax code (codice fiscale). Next step: student housing and your lease.
- A non-EU student must be covered against illness, injury and maternity for the whole permit: either a private policy valid in Italy or voluntary registration with the national health service, the SSN (Legislative Decree 286/1998, art. 34).
- Voluntary SSN registration costs €700 a year for students since 1 January 2024 (Law 213/2023), for a student with no income beyond scholarships or grants from Italian public bodies.
- It covers one calendar year, 1 January to 31 December, cannot be split and is not backdated.
- You register at the local health authority (ASL) and choose a family doctor; paying alone does not switch cover on.
- The study permit is issued for the period of your health cover, so a gap in cover shortens the permit.
- ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, helps eligible students set up the health card and student insurance after arrival as an optional service.
See where you stand first. Check your eligibility in about two minutes, and if you are eligible, our Italy experts take it from there.
Check your eligibilityDo international students need health insurance in Italy?
Yes. Under the Immigration Consolidated Act (Legislative Decree 286/1998, art. 34), foreign nationals staying lawfully in Italy who are not entitled to compulsory SSN registration must insure themselves against illness, injury and maternity, either with a private policy valid in Italy or by registering voluntarily with the SSN. Students on a study permit are in that group. The Regione Piemonte page on SSN registration for foreign nationals lists students among those who can register voluntarily, and the University of Padua says the study permit is issued for the period of your health cover and for no more than one year.
| Item | What applies (2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who must hold cover | Non-EU students on a study permit, who are not entitled to compulsory SSN registration | Legislative Decree 286/1998, art. 34 |
| Options | A private policy valid in Italy, or voluntary SSN registration | Regione Piemonte |
| SSN student contribution | €700 a year (€149.77 until 2023) | Law 213/2023; AUSL Bologna |
| Condition for the student rate | No income beyond scholarships or grants from Italian public bodies; with dependent family members, the general rules apply | ASL 1 Liguria |
| Validity | The calendar year of payment, ending 31 December; not split and not backdated | ASL 1 Liguria; Regione Piemonte |
| Where to register | The ASL of your residence or domicile | Regione Piemonte |
| Activation | Complete the registration and choose a family doctor | Politecnico di Torino |
| European card (EHIC) | Not included with voluntary registration | Politecnico di Torino |
Is SSN registration compulsory for students?
No. Compulsory, free registration applies to foreign nationals with work, family and certain other permits; students are not among them. A student can meet the insurance duty with a private policy valid in Italy, or register voluntarily and pay the contribution. One way to avoid paying twice in the same academic year is a private policy for the first months and SSN registration from January.
How much does SSN registration cost for students in 2026?
€700 for the calendar year. The 2024 budget law (Law 213/2023, art. 1, paragraphs 240 and 241) raised the student contribution from €149.77, the au pair contribution from €219.49 to €1,200, and the minimum for other categories from €387.34 to €2,000, according to AUSL Bologna. ASL 1 Liguria adds that the €700 rate applies only when the student has no income other than scholarships or grants from Italian public bodies, and that dependent family members change the calculation to the general rules.
When does SSN cover start and end?
It runs for the calendar year in which you pay, and it ends on 31 December whatever the day you registered. ASL 1 Liguria says the contribution cannot be split, is not backdated and expires on 31 December of each year regardless of the payment date. That makes the month you register a money decision.
| Month you register | You pay | Cover ends | Months of cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | €700 | 31 December | 12 |
| September | €700 | 31 December | 4 |
| October | €700 | 31 December | 3 |
| November | €700 | 31 December | 2 |
The figures follow from the calendar-year rule; the next year's registration is a new €700 payment from 1 January.
How do you register with the SSN as a student?
- Apply for the residence permit first. The post office receipt is what the ASL asks to see if the card is not ready. Poste Italiane
- Get your codice fiscale. The Questura assigns it during the permit application, or any Agenzia delle Entrate office issues it on form AA4/8. Our guide
- Pay the €700 contribution by the method your ASL specifies, for the current calendar year. ASL 1 Liguria
- Go to the ASL registration desk for your residence or domicile. The University of Milan lists the permit receipt, a self-declaration of residence or domicile and a self-declaration of university enrolment. University of Milan
- Choose a family doctor (medico di base) at the desk. The Politecnico di Torino warns that payment alone does not activate cover. Politecnico di Torino
- Wait for the health card (tessera sanitaria) by post, at the address the Agenzia delle Entrate holds for you. Check the cover end date on your registration.
- Renew in January with a new payment if your permit and studies continue.
What does SSN registration cover?
Registration gives you the same health care as an Italian citizen: the Informa Salute guide to the SSN for foreign nationals, distributed by Ca' Foscari University of Venice, says registration guarantees full care on equal terms. In practice that means a family doctor, specialist visits and tests on the doctor's referral, hospital care and prescribed medicines, with the same small co-payments (the ticket) Italians pay for some services. Voluntary registration does not come with a European Health Insurance Card, so trips to other EU countries need their own cover.
Should you choose private insurance or the SSN?
It depends on when you arrive and how long you stay. The table sets out what the official sources fix for each option; a private policy's cover depends on its own terms.
| Question | Voluntary SSN | Private policy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | €700 per calendar year for students | Set by the insurer |
| Period | 1 January to 31 December | The dates on the policy |
| Care | Family doctor, referrals, hospital, medicines, as for Italian citizens | As the policy states |
| Use for the permit | Accepted as health cover | Must be valid in Italy for the permit period |
| Cover in other EU countries | No EHIC | Only if the policy says so |
Whichever you choose, keep printed and digital copies of the policy or the ASL registration with your permit papers.
Does your health cover affect your residence permit?
Yes. The University of Padua says the study permit is issued for the period of your health cover and for no more than one year, so a policy that ends early can mean a shorter permit and an earlier renewal. When you renew, Padua's list asks for a copy of a policy valid in Italy for the permit period, against illness or injury. An SSN registration that ends on 31 December has to be renewed in January for the same reason.
Reality check
What we handle: for eligible students, setting up the health card and student insurance after arrival, as part of the optional support below.
What we do not control: the ASL registers you and sets its payment and document rules, insurers set their policy terms, and the Questura decides the permit. ApplyAZ is not a law firm, and the Questura or an immigration lawyer decides each individual case.
What costs students the most:
- Paying €700 in October for three months of cover, then paying again in January.
- A private policy that ends before the permit period, which shortens the permit.
- Paying the contribution without completing the ASL registration, so there is no cover.
How ApplyAZ helps
Before you fly: a shortlist of first-week housing, a pre-departure orientation for your university city, and an arrival checklist (airport to housing, local SIM, banking basics). On arrival: a point of contact for your first days. Optional after arrival: longer-term housing leads, support filing the residence permit, help registering for the tax code, and setting up the health card and student insurance.
Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.
Check your eligibilityFrequently asked questions
How much is the SSN fee for international students in 2026?
€700 for the calendar year, under Law 213/2023, for a student with no income beyond scholarships or grants from Italian public bodies. It was €149.77 until the end of 2023.
Can I pay the SSN fee for 12 months from the day I register?
No. Voluntary registration covers the calendar year in which you pay and ends on 31 December, whatever the payment date. It cannot be split or backdated.
Is private insurance enough for the residence permit?
It can be, if it is valid in Italy and runs for the permit period. The Immigration Consolidated Act lets students choose a private policy or voluntary SSN registration.
Where do I register with the SSN?
At the local health authority (ASL) for your residence or domicile, with your permit receipt, codice fiscale, payment receipt and proof of enrolment, and you choose a family doctor at the same desk.
Does SSN registration give me a European Health Insurance Card?
No. The Politecnico di Torino's health guide says voluntary SSN registration for foreign nationals does not give the right to the EHIC, so travel within Europe needs its own cover.
Does the SSN cover my spouse too?
Not at the student rate. ASL 1 Liguria says that with dependent family members the contribution is calculated under the general rules, where the minimum is €2,000.
Does ApplyAZ help with health insurance?
Yes, for eligible students: setting up the health card and student insurance is part of the optional support after arrival, along with the residence permit filing and the tax code.
Your next step: check your eligibility first. It takes about two minutes. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.
Previous step: your tax code (codice fiscale). Next step: student housing and your lease.
Sources
- Legislative Decree 286/1998, Immigration Consolidated Act, art. 34 (Normattiva)
- Law 213/2023, 2024 budget law, art. 1, paragraphs 240 and 241 (Normattiva)
- Regione Piemonte: SSN registration for foreign nationals
- ASL 1 Liguria: SSN registration for non-EU residents, the student rate and its conditions
- AUSL Bologna: the new minimum contributions from 2024
- Informa Salute: guide to the SSN for foreign nationals, distributed by Ca' Foscari University of Venice (PDF)
- Politecnico di Torino: health care guide for international students (PDF)
- University of Milan: documents for the stay and SSN registration
- University of Padua: permit length and health cover, renewal documents
- Poste Italiane: residence permit applications by postal kit
- Law checked on 28 September 2026
- Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma.
Where they're studying now
Students who started exactly where you are
English-taught programmes that can be tuition-free for eligible students, and the DSU grant landing in their account every year. The funding mechanics are identical at every Italian public university: the same ISEE Parificato, the same regional bando, the same ranking. Only the authority and the dates change.
They began right where you are
Now they're studying at Italian public universities, where a degree can be tuition-free for eligible students, with DSU scholarships of up to about €8,250 a year for students living away from home, depending on the region.
