Health insurance for new degree students

Citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries

Nationals of the EU, EEA, EFTA countries are eligible to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which gives access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare under the same conditions as people insured in that country. Non-Finnish students from other EU or EEA countries will have to provide the card when accessing FSHS services. The card must be obtained before coming to Finland. Cards are issued by your national health insurance provider; see the link at the bottom of this page. Students from Britain and Northern Ireland may provide a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Read more from FSHS website here.

A person without any type of insurance card has to cover the costs of public health care services him/herself.

Students coming from any of the Nordic countries are entitled to health care services according to the Nordic Social Security Agreement. Finland has social security agreements with some other countries as well. For more information, please see the website of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) below. If you do not have a European Health Insurance Card, a relevant valid document nor an insurance policy, you will be charged the full costs for the services (the actual expenses of medical care). Health insurance is also highly recommended to EU/EEA/EFTA nationals as Finnish national medical insurance does not cover, for example, the costs of possible repatriation.

Citizens of non-EU/EEA/EFTA countries

If you are a non-EU/EEA/EFTA national, you are required to take out an insurance policy before you apply for a residence permit for degree studies. If your degree studies last two years or more, your insurance must cover medical expenses of up to at least 40 000 euros. In addition, after arriving in Finland, you are excpeted to apply for a place of residence (kotikunta; also called municipality of residence or place of domicile) at your local register office which will make you eligible for public health care. See the Digital and Population Data Services Agency website on How to apply for a place of residence. (Please note that Tampere University has arranged DVV registrations on campuses right after the Welcome Week.) 

Further information on insurances is available on the website of the Finnish Immigration Service below.

Please note that Tampere University is not responsible for any medical charges incurred by its students.