Insurance cover for students

Health insurance for incoming international students

UEF requires that all incoming international students must have a valid personal health insurance and a travel insurance from an internationally recognized insurance agency for the whole duration of their stay in Finland. Insurance should cover all costs related to a treatment of sudden illness, accidents and accidental death. It is also important that the insurance also covers travels to and from Finland.

EU Citizens

All the citizens of the EU countries (opens in a new tab) and Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are entitled to use the public health care services on the same basis as Finnish citizens, when they are covered by health insurance in their home country and when they have a European Health Insurance Card (opens in a new tab). This card gives access to medically necessary public health care during a temporary stay in Finland. Students should always carry it with them in case of a sudden illness or an accident. However, students from the Nordic countries do not need the European Health Insurance Card.

You should note that health care is not completely free of charge even for EU/EEA citizens. Please also note that the European Health Insurance Card is not valid during your journey to and from Finland or during trips to other countries.

Those who wish to use the services of a private doctor shall first pay the doctor for the treatment. Later, students with the European Health Insurance card or equivalent documents (citizens of the Nordic/EU/EEA countries, Switzerland or Québec) can apply compensation from Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland) and they will be compensated for a part of the medical fee. Alternatively, they can claim for the compensation from their own health insurance offices later after returning to their home countries.

Non-EU Citizens

Students from non-EU/EEA countries must have a health insurance and a travel insurance.

Students from non-EU/non-EEA countries must be covered by a private health insurance from an internationally recognized, reliable and financially sound insurance agency. The insurance should be without deductible. Non-EU/non-EEA citizens must have an insurance to obtain the residence permit for Finland.  The health insurance must be obtained prior to applying for a residence permit and it must be valid upon entry to Finland.

Students applying for an extension to their residence permit must also have appropriate health insurance. The insurance must be valid throughout the entire stay in Finland.

The insurance deductible may not be more that 300 €. If  you study in Finland less than two years, the health insurance must cover both sickness and accident related medical treatment up to 120,000 €. If you study in Finland for at least two years, your insurance cover must be up to 40,000 € for medical expenses. If the studies last two years or longer, health insurance must cover medical expenses up to a minimum of EUR 40 000. This is because the students will usually have a place of residence in Finland and are therefore entitled to the public health care services. Check the possible updates for the insurance requirements (opens in a new tab) by the Finnish Immigration Service, Migri  (opens in a new tab).

Please remember to apply for the Municipality of Residence (opens in a new tab) at the local DVV (Digital and Population Data Services Agency, opens in a new tab) Office in Finland as soon as you arrive to receive access to the public health care.

You should choose an internationally recognized, reliable insurance company for your insurances. Check the insurance providers (opens in a new tab) recommended by Migri. Migri requires an insurance from all non-EU students and they assess each insurance policy and its terms and conditions individually when they process the residence permit applications. Check what the insurance policy must include on Migri’s site. Please note that you as a policyholder should discuss all the issues with your insurance company, the University of Eastern has no right to do that.

NOTE: Students seeking a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree at UEF have the right to use Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS/YTHS). However, this does not exclude the student from having to take out the private health insurance.

Accident Insurance Policy

The university of Eastern Finland has a statutory accident insurance policy for its students as required under the Act on Compensation for Study Accidents (460/2015). The insurance covers accidents that occur in conditions typical of the studies while the person participates in practical instruction comparable to work in accordance with the curriculum or qualification requirements or in an unpaid practical work placement, either at an educational institution or in an external company offering a work placement.

No compensation under the statutory accident insurance is paid for an accident that occurs during lectures, breaks or normal school travel. The insurance only covers students in unpaid placements. If a wage is paid during the placement, the student is covered by the payer’s accident insurance.

An Open University student may only be deemed to be covered by the university’s accident insurance if the studies include a placement comparable to practical work in accordance with the faculty’s approved curriculum.

Regardless of their nationality, a foreign student is covered by the insurance in Finland if they have registered as a student with a Finnish educational institution with the aim of completing a degree.

The insurance is valid globally. The accident insurance is also valid during practical training associated with a degree that is completed abroad if the work placement abroad is part of the student’s curriculum at the University of Eastern Finland. It is important to note, however, that this accident insurance policy only covers practical work. When a student travels abroad, taking out travel insurance that supplements the insurance and also covers illnesses contracted while travelling, interruptions and cancellations of travel, and repatriation costs is always recommended.

Form: Reporting occuupational accidents (Intranet, opens in a new tab, login requires)

Travel insurance for study trips

The travel insurance taken out by UEF also covers study trips abroad organised by the university in accordance with the study plan, provided that the university pays the costs of travel (e.g. tickets, accommodation).

The insurance covers cancellations, damage to luggage (breakage and theft) and the cost of essential supplies if luggage arrives at the destination at least 4 hours late.

Further information on matters relating to accidents of students and travel insurance for study trips of students:

• Joensuu Campus: Kari Reinikainen (kari.reinikainen@uef.fi)
• Kuopio Campus: Tarja Saastamoinen (tarja.saastamoinen@uef.fi)

Form, reporting occupational accidents (in Heimo, opens in a new window, logging required)

Liability Insurance

The University of Eastern Finland’s liability insurance covers the university’s students and incoming exchange students while performing work where they are comparable to employees when working at the university (who work under the guidance and supervision of the university’s paid employees).

The university’s liability insurance is additionally valid as a secondary insurance (the insurance of the workplace offering the placement is primary) to the following:

• liability insurance for exchange students in a work placement
• work placement liability insurance
• liability insurance for trainees attending labour market training

In these situations, the excess of the liability insurance is EUR 2,000, and the insurance covers the property of the workplace offering the placement, the property used by or otherwise in the possession of the workplace offering the placement, as well as the property regarding which the workplace offering the placement or a party working on its behalf has a duty of protection or prevention of damage. The insurance cover is valid worldwide, except in the United States and Canada.

Further information: Paula Jussila (paula.jussila@uef.fi)