All students must have a health insurance coverage.
Foreign students from countries having concluded an agreement with France (most countries) benefit from the same compulsory health and social security coverage as French students during their stay in France. The cost is in the order of 200 Euros per year for a basic coverage, which includes partial refund of small expenses (e.g. 70% of doctor fees, 65% or 35% of medicines) and more complete refund of the heaviest expenses (e.g. hospital care). Students can choose between two institutions ('Mutuelles')which run this compulsory insurance scheme.
The institutions offer optional complementary schemes which provide a more or less complete coverage (cost up to 300 Euros), as well as liability and assistance contracts. These schemes are highly recommended.
The student health insurance institutions('Mutuelles') are :
If you are from the European Union and are interested in extending your home coverage in place of paying insurance in France, form E 111 or E 128 (to be obtained from your home institution) allows you to be reimbursed for medical expenses in France by the student health insurance institutions, without paying the fee for compulsory coverage. Complementary schemes can be bought as said above.
Students receiving an Egide grant get a free coverage of up to 80% or 100% of costs according to their age. For information and details, visit Egide's site or get in touch with them (tel. 01 40 40 58 58).
You are not eligible for student insurance coverage. You must take out personal insurance:
- in your home country (French translation compulsory)
- in France, from a specialized institution such as :
As a guidance, rates are in the order of 300 Euros per year.
Since the Social Security does not reimburse 100% except for very heavy expenses, health care without a Mutuelle can be very expensive. A Mutuelle gives you 100% cover for the 2 commonest types of health care needed by students:
Either go to the School Infirmary, call for an appointment with a doctor or go to a doctor’s surgery during opening hours. Choose a doctor whose fees are state-regulated (i.e., "conventionné").
At the end of your consultation with the doctor, he/she will write you a prescription ("ordonnance"), giving a list of medication prescribed. He/she will also give you a health form (the "feuille de maladie"), which you must fill in (name, address, Social Security number...) and then send to your Social Security office.
At the chemist's, you need your prescription to get your medication. The chemist will give you another form ("feuille de maladie"). Check with your Mutuelle for additional details on their procedures.
You are younger than 28 :
Foreign students from countries having concluded an agreement with France (most countries) benefit from the same compulsory health and social security coverage as French students during their stay in France. The cost is in the order of 200 Euros per year for a basic coverage, which includes partial refund of small expenses (e.g. 70% of doctor fees, 65% or 35% of medicines) and more complete refund of the heaviest expenses (e.g. hospital care). Students can choose between two institutions ('Mutuelles')which run this compulsory insurance scheme.
The institutions offer optional complementary schemes which provide a more or less complete coverage (cost up to 300 Euros), as well as liability and assistance contracts. These schemes are highly recommended.
The student health insurance institutions('Mutuelles') are :
- SMEREP (54 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75005 Paris, tel. 01 56 54 36 34)
- LMDE (137, Boulevard Saint Michel, 75005 Paris, tel. 01.46.58.72.08 - inside France 0810.600.601)
If you are from the European Union and are interested in extending your home coverage in place of paying insurance in France, form E 111 or E 128 (to be obtained from your home institution) allows you to be reimbursed for medical expenses in France by the student health insurance institutions, without paying the fee for compulsory coverage. Complementary schemes can be bought as said above.
Students receiving an Egide grant get a free coverage of up to 80% or 100% of costs according to their age. For information and details, visit Egide's site or get in touch with them (tel. 01 40 40 58 58).
You are 28 or older on October 1st of your arrival year :
You are not eligible for student insurance coverage. You must take out personal insurance:
- in your home country (French translation compulsory)
- in France, from a specialized institution such as :
- AVI International (90 rue de la Victoire, 75009 Paris, tel. 01 44 63 51 01)
- or the student health insurance institutions ('Mutuelles') mentioned above
As a guidance, rates are in the order of 300 Euros per year.
The importance of a Mutelle
Since the Social Security does not reimburse 100% except for very heavy expenses, health care without a Mutuelle can be very expensive. A Mutuelle gives you 100% cover for the 2 commonest types of health care needed by students:
- Hospitalisation – for example, a hospital stay of 3 days, without surgery, and after Social Security reimbursement, costs about 500 €.
- Visits to the doctor and medication (most frequent expenses).
What to do if you get ill ?
Either go to the School Infirmary, call for an appointment with a doctor or go to a doctor’s surgery during opening hours. Choose a doctor whose fees are state-regulated (i.e., "conventionné").
At the end of your consultation with the doctor, he/she will write you a prescription ("ordonnance"), giving a list of medication prescribed. He/she will also give you a health form (the "feuille de maladie"), which you must fill in (name, address, Social Security number...) and then send to your Social Security office.
At the chemist's, you need your prescription to get your medication. The chemist will give you another form ("feuille de maladie"). Check with your Mutuelle for additional details on their procedures.