I was finally sent an e-mail about insurance from the school i'll be attending. They told me 33.75/mo for a plan with Sanitas (Grupo BA). Does anyone know if this rate is as 'preferential' as the school tells me and if the company is decent?
I was also told that I need to have insurance before I can get the student card. Didn't know that. Okay. I know my girlfriend has several ID's. She's got her DNI, then her student card (which does I dunno what) and then something else a tarjeta de jovenes or something. Does anyone know what type of identification foreign students in Spain actually receive?
"He who hath not a dram of folly in his mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter in his composition".
Posts: 334 | Location: New York, USA | Registered: 06 June 2003
I�ll try to help you with the Sanitas matter. Sanitas is one of the biggest private health insurance company, together with Asisa, Adeslas and a few others. You can use excellent private clinics and hospitals, like La Zarzuela, as well as many doctors. The rate they gave you is quite good, for example, I pay for Asisa 38 € per month in the "preferential rate" . But you should ask what does this rates covers and what doesn�t, I mean, for example, dentist won�t be covered. Mine covers everything except dentist, so it must be more or less the same. For more information you can take a look on the SANITAS WEB PAGE . You can see it in English as well.
Regarding the ID matter, I�m afraid my university days are over so I don�t really know what kind of ID you need.
Good luck and don�t hesitate asking if you need more information !
Mike, For a foreign (non european ) student, get the ISIC card- its the only foreign ID they'll recognize. It costs 20 bucks and is EASY to get! With this ID you won't have any trouble (I tried using my regular school ID- it was a nice one- credit card type- not like the cheesy paper and stapled photo ID they give in Spain- and they wouldn't take it because my US card didn't have when my term ended! ) So DEFINATELY go get the ISIC card. One easy place to get it from is STA.com- they'll give you all the info you need on it. I know you can get it other places, but taht's the one I always used
Siguiendo mi propio Camino de Santiago
Posts: 387 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 19 October 2002
Thanks for your replies. I check out the insurance website and sent them an e-mail. I would like hospital coverage since I had food poisoning once and needed to go the ER.
Espe, I definately will check out that STA card since I know a lot of students who use it. STA is third party though, I was trying to find out what card(s) will be issued to me when I get to Spain. I will be there for about 13 months. I heard someone say once that I need to go to the Police Precint to apply for a student card but I don't know what that is. In addition, do I qualify for the student abono pricing for the Metro?
Miguel :jeje:
"He who hath not a dram of folly in his mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter in his composition".
Posts: 334 | Location: New York, USA | Registered: 06 June 2003
Mike- The university where you'll be studying will give you one of their ID cards.
As for the Student residence card- yes, you'll go to the police dept. fill out an app. and that along with your student visa that is stickered inside your passport- they'll send it in (they will give your passport back) and you'll be notified some several months later to go pick up your student permit- or whatever you want to call it. No biggie! You just need to go do it right when you get there- the card is how your visa gets extended. Even if your initial time is up- as long as the paperwork is being processed your good!
Siguiendo mi propio Camino de Santiago
Posts: 387 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 19 October 2002
if you get the ISIC (Int'l student card) in the US with STA it will cost about 22$. If you wait anf get it in Spain, at a student travel agency, it will cost you 4 euros!!!! I got mine at Asatej in Madrid. They also have an office in BCN. Other areas I do not know. But it was really easy. Actually I have not been a student for a year, and I still got one. I told them I lost my student ID card (which was true) and that I had gotten the original ID card at STA in Los Angeles. Somehow they just reissued me a new card without asking about my university or anything else. It was really easy! And now that I am back in the US I am still using my Spanish ID card and getting all the cool discounts! All for 4 euros!
Posts: 331 | Location: San Diego | Registered: 14 December 2002
Hey Mike, I am with sedusa, get your ISIC card here in Madrid.
This is another example of the "all Americans must have a ton-o-cash" phenomenon . The ISIC card costs a fraction here of what it runs you back in USA.
The ASATEJ student & youth travel agency that sedusa mentioned for getting an ISIC card is in the same office as FOROCIO and the CYBERINTERPUBLIC internet caf� at C/. Carrera de San Jer�nimo #18, 1st floor (just of Puerta del Sol).
So then the only official government ID I will be getting is the student ID issued to me at the Police Precinct. Can I really use that card and stay in Spain longer than my visa allows? Because when I graduate in Dec. 2004 I may want to stay in Spain a couple of months extra . Would that card grant me that capability? Also, will the kind Metro people allow me to get the student priced abono with my school ID? STA Card? or do I need to have the official govt. Student ID?
Thanks guys!
BTW I had a naked palmera today from Hot N' Crusty. :b:
"He who hath not a dram of folly in his mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter in his composition".
Posts: 334 | Location: New York, USA | Registered: 06 June 2003
You may want to check as I think that metro has only a youth Abono and not a student one. I am not sure about this but I know that I did not show them any info about my university course so they would not have known I was a student. I just had to send a photocopy of my passport with the forms. It does take a little longer than the normal Abono though, I am just unsure what the age range for a youth Abono is. You may want to check all this on MADRID METRO WEBPAGE but I can't get this page to work at the moment
L@uren xxx
Posts: 18 | Location: London | Registered: 26 April 2003
* ABONO JOVEN: Hasta el 30 de junio del a�o en que se cumplen los 21 a�os.
* ABONO TERCERA EDAD: A partir de los 65 a�os (excepto E1 y E2).
* ABONO ANUAL NORMAL: Hasta cumplir los 65 a�os (excepto E1 y E2).
* ABONO ANUAL TERCERA EDAD: A partir de los 65 a�os (excepto E1 y E2).
RENFE does have a trimester university ticket for public transportation (includign Cercan�as) but it is limited to certain universities, see the thread HERE.
Sanitas is one of the biggest private health insurance company, together with Asisa, Adeslas and a few others. You can use excellent private clinics and hospitals, like La Zarzuela, as well as many doctors. 
so I don�t really know what kind of ID you need. ![[Embarassed]](redface.gif)
) So DEFINATELY go get the ISIC card. One easy place to get it from is STA.com- they'll give you all the info you need on it. I know you can get it other places, but taht's the one I always used 
. The ISIC card costs a fraction here of what it runs you back in USA.
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
. Would that card grant me that capability? Also, will the kind Metro people allow me to get the student priced abono with my school ID? STA Card? or do I need to have the official govt. Student ID?
