Health insurance for international students in France

International Students have to be backed by health insurance in France. Students from third nations are individuals whose nationality is not from a country in the European Union or the European Economic Area. Students over 28 studying in France for at least four months can request (without assurance) registration in the French social security system. Private health insurance in France is required if they are not approved.

On deck, learn more about the importance of health insurance in France for international students on student visas.

Type of Health Insurance in France

There are generally two types of health insurance in France, and they are:

Public Health Insurance:

For public healthcare, France uses a co-payment system, with the bulk of medical expenditures covered by your state health insurance.
The refund amount varies according to the service. For example, the average cost of seeing a doctor, dentist, or specialist is over 70%. The reimbursement for visiting a French hospital is around 80% of the expenditures. It can be up to 100% of the cost of recommended pharmaceuticals.
You will not be required to make any upfront payments if you hold a health card (Carte Vitale). On the other hand, patients who do not have a card must pay the relevant medical fees at the time of service. Reimbursements will be deposited into your bank account within five to ten business days.

Private Health Insurance:

The state does not cover services like chiropractors, osteopaths, or psychologist visits; private health insurance is suitable for individuals with chronic conditions. It is also advantageous for some prescription medications because the state only covers a portion of what they deem "necessary" medicine. Some prescription medications can cost more than 100 EUR (112 USD); hence private insurance is suggested in these circumstances.

What does health insurance in France cover?

Here is a list of things covered by health insurance in France:

Doctors: A fee of €25 is typically required when consulting a doctor under the state system. Following that, insurance companies cover a portion of the expenditures.

Emergency Services: A&E services are part of the state healthcare system, and every city and big town has an emergency ambulance service.

Specialist care: Although specialists may charge more significant fees than general practitioners in France, they will be determined within the limitations of regular public healthcare expenses. To be paid for a visit to a specialist, you must have been referred by your primary care physician.

Medicines: Unlike other parts of the healthcare system, pharmacies work significantly differently. Instead of paying the entire sum and then requesting partial reimbursement while purchasing medication from a pharmacy, you will only pay the amount not covered by the state.

Dental care: Dental appointments are available through the French public healthcare system. In contrast, dental treatment has its own set of fees and reimbursement rates. General dental treatments are covered the same way as other specialty care, but advanced procedures are frequently reimbursed at a lower rate due to their higher cost.

Maternity care: The bulk of pregnancy and delivery expenditures are covered by public healthcare. After the first two scans, 70% of the costs are reimbursed; all fees are covered after six months.

Cost of Health Insurance in France

For less than 90 days of VISA, international students must have insurance coverage of 37500 Euros at least; extended stay students with VISA should be eligible for the social healthcare system in France, where seventy percent of healthcare will be covered/insured. On average, the health insurance per person is 40 Euros per month.

How to apply for Health Insurance in France as an International Student?

- You must sign up for health insurance in France after registering at a higher education institution through a dedicated website for international students. International students are generally not recognized as residents; most must get the necessary Students' Social Security (Sécurité Sociale Etudiante), which covers health expenditures in France.

- EU/EEA people with EHIC cards, scholarship holders, jobless non-EEA citizens over the age of 28, and students studying in France for less than three months are exempt. Registration for the French social security system is free.

- If you need help registering online, you can call 36 46. (free service plus call charges). You can be referred to an English-speaking hotline if necessary.

- The initial step in obtaining health insurance in France is to either join the social security system or contact your local CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie). If you earn less than a specific amount, you are eligible for free healthcare through CMU-C. You can add beneficiaries or dependents during registration.

- You may need to formally seek your carte Vitale after activating your health insurance. It may take some time to approve this, but you may get a temporary insurance card (attestation de couverture social) to cover you while you wait.

- Annually, you may update your carte Vitale by placing it in the green box at CPAM offices, hospitals, and pharmacies.

How to get social security in France as an International Student?

The following actions must be taken:

You should go to the international students' website and fill out the form. You must indicate the start date of your French health insurance coverage.
Upload supporting papers, such as your passport/ID card, student visa, school certificate, RIB/IBAN information, and other required documents.
Once you have completed and confirmed the form, you will be given a provisional social security number.
You may get your social security card and upload it to Virtual Campus (Personal File - Social Security). This document is required to complete your KEDGE registration.
While you wait for the absolute number for your medical coverage, you can utilize your temporary health insurance certificate.
You can obtain your own Carte Vitale (social security card).
Remember to mention your primary care physician on your first visit to a doctor in France.
Because French social security does not cover all healthcare costs, you must obtain additional health insurance covering civil liability.
It is recommended that you come to France with valid temporary insurance to cover you in the event of an emergency while completing these administrative processes.

Eligibility and documents requirement for Health Insurance in France

You'll need to gather all of the following papers from the list:

Your passport or ID card;
your residency permit/student visa
KEDGE school certificate for the current academic year.

You must receive a provisional social security number for these three papers. Other documents are also required, but only if you intend to stay in France for longer than a year.

You will then be requested to provide further documentation:

A full copy of your birth certificate or an excerpt of your birth certificate with information about your parents (or a document issued by a consulate);
Your RIB/IBAN (bank information) for reimbursement of medical expenditures.

You can create a French bank account to get paid for your medical expenses.

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