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
UEF’s statutory Accident Insurance Policy is limited. Here are the conditions in short
-covers international students if they are taking a degree at UEF
-covers for students in unpaid practical training only
-the training has to be a part of the student’s curriculum
-in typical conditions only
-accidents during lectures, breaks, or anywhere outside the training are not covered
The University of Eastern Finland has taken out a statutory accident insurance policy for students, which is compliant with the act on compensation for studies-related accidents (460/2015). The insurance covers accidents that have occurred in conditions typical of studying during a person’s participation in practical teaching that can be paralleled with work or in an unpaid internship which is compliant with the curriculum or the basics of the degree, either within the institution or at an external host organisation.
The statutory accident insurance policy does not cover accidents occurring during lectures, breaks or on the regular way to or from the university. As regards internships, the insurance policy only covers unpaid internships. If the student receives salary during the internship, the student will be covered under the accident insurance policy of the employer.
Open University students can be regarded to be covered under the university’s accident insurance policy only if their studies include an internship that is compliant with a faculty-approved curriculum and that can be paralleled with practical work.
Non-Finnish students are covered under the insurance policy in Finland irrespective of their nationality, provided that they have enrolled as degree-seeking students at a Finnish educational institution.
The insurance policy is in force everywhere in the world. The accident insurance policy is also in force during a degree-related practical training abroad, provided that the training abroad is included in the student’s curriculum at the University of Eastern Finland. However, it is important to notice that the insurance policy is an accident insurance policy which is only in force as regards practical work. When travelling abroad, it is always recommended to take out a travel insurance policy which complements the insurance coverage also as regards travel illness, discontinuation, cancellation, and transportation back home.
Third Party Liability Insurance
The third party liability insurance policy of the University of Eastern Finland covers university students and exchange students as regards work in which they can be paralleled with university staff. This means when they work under the supervision and instruction of the university’s hired staff. The university’s third party liability insurance is not in force when the student’s internship takes place outside the university. Furthermore, university’s own students who have gone on exchange are not covered under the third party liability insurance.
Further information on matters relating to accidents of students:
- Joensuu Campus: Kari Reinikainen
- Kuopio Campus: Tarja Saastamoinen
Form, reporting occupational accidents (in Heimo, opens in a new window, logging required)