Insurance
One of the requirements to participate in BSA is that students are in posession of their own personal insurance during their time abroad. The student should make sure that their health insurance plan provides coverage overseas and how they operate. For instance, most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. The travel.state.gov and the Travel.gc.ca pages offer for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage. As well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Disease Center and Control Guidelines of Canada offer more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas.
BSA also offers students a complementary health insurance free of charge during the time they are enrolled in the program. From one of the leading companies in Spain, ASISA, the insurance offers a wide range o medical coverage in both primary care and specialist doctors, emergency sevice and hospitalization, including the repatriation of the student in specific situations. This insurance may not cover pre-existing pathologies and BSA recommends students to use their own for these cases.
BSA also has an agreement with one of the best private hospitals in Granada: Hospital HLA La Inmaculada. This hospital belongs to the HLA group with branches in the main cities of Spain. Students receive personalized attention in both Spanish and English. For medical appointments, students can contact BSA staff for help and also can contact the Hospital La Inmaculada directly.
Medicine Prescriptions.
BSA recommends students who have a prescription for medication should bring enough for the entire time they are in Granada as it is prohibited to mail medication to another country. Students should contact their specialist to share their plans to study abroad.
They also should carry their prescription medication in original packaging, along with their doctor’s prescription. Check with the Spain Medication Agency to ensure the medication is legal in Spain.
Emergency Communication and Protocols
Spain is in general a safe country. Students surroundings in Granada are quite safe: housing, classes, volunteering, internships locations…. Approved students will receive a handbook with overall information about their semester in Granada. Included, detailed information in case of emergency.
Moreover, during Orientation meetings, students will receive detailed information and tips to feel safe during their experience abroad. Our director will cover different aspects of emergency situations that may happen to students and how to proceed. For example what to do if they are pickpocketed or how to make a medical appointment. In addition, our program director is available 24/7 for our students during the length of the program.
At the same time, students must have a Spanish phone number during the time they are participating in the program. They will have to facilitate it to our program director for emergency situations. Students also will have to share their travel plans each time the leave the city of Granada.
Students, before leaving the U.S. or Canada or upon their arrival, should register to their respective embassies in Madrid. In the case of the US embassy in Madrid through STEP. If it is Canada embassy in Madrid through RCA.
