Student – remember to take out health insurance

When you come to Finland to study, you will need private health insurance for your residence permit to cover your medical and medicine expenses. Please attach an insurance certificate to your residence permit application.

Check the validity of your health insurance

Your health insurance must be valid at the time of your arrival in Finland.

Studying for more than a year:

• Your health insurance and passport must be valid for at least one year from your date of arrival in Finland.

Studying for less than a year:

• Your health insurance and passport must be valid for the whole duration of your residence in Finland.

Duration of studies affects the sum insured requirements

Studying for at least two years:

• Your insurance must cover medicine expenses up to 30,000 euros.

Studying for less than two years:

• Your insurance must cover medical expenses arising from illness or accident in the amount of at least 100,000 euros. Note that the insurance must cover all expenses up to 100,000 euros, regardless of the reason for medical treatment.

The amount of deductible cannot exceed 300 euros in either of the above-mentioned insurance policies.

Make sure you obtain an insurance certificate, which includes the following information:

• your personal information,
• the period of validity and territorial limits of the insurance, and
• the expenses covered by the insurance policy.

Do not terminate your insurance policy after you have been granted a residence permit, or you will have to pay for medical and hospital expenses yourself if you become ill.

Do not take out standard travel insurance

Standard travel insurance is usually meant for holiday trips lasting less than three months. If you plan to stay in Finland for more than 90 days, travel insurance will not provide you with sufficient coverage. A residence permit can only be granted if you have insurance that is valid for the entire duration of your stay in Finland.

Further information

Information on various insurance companies can be found in the FAQ section.

Please also read the checklist for students applying for a residence permit.