Student health care
All EU students are advised to obtain European Health Insurance Card from their home country and always carry it with them. Students carrying this card are entitled to treatment at the same price as Finns in case of sudden illness or accident. You should obtain the requested card already in your home country! If you do not have it, please ask your own health insurance office to send it to you. Note that citizens of the UK do not need the card for treatment of acute illness or emergency. Finland also has social security agreements related to health care with some other countries but we advise you to carefully check the coverage of the insurance agreement and conditions on which benefits are available at your own health insurance office before arriving in Finland. Students from the Nordic countries do not need European Health Insurance Card.
Non-EU/EEA citizens are usually not covered by the National Health Insurance unless there is a reciprocal health care agreement between their home country and Finland. Therefore, a valid insurance to cover any medical treatment is essential. Please be prepared to present a proof of insurance when applying for the residence permit in your home country.
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 or Quebec) can go to Kela (The Social Insurance Institution of Finland) where they will be compensated for 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.
Please note that you should take your prescriptions with you if you have an illness that requires regular medical treatment. It is also recommended that you bring your medical history, translated into English, with you. No vaccinations are required for registration at the University of Eastern Finland.
FSHS: FINNISH STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE
Finnish Student Health Service (Ylioppilaiden terveydenhuoltosäätiö, YTHS) provides all Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students of the University of Eastern Finland, including exchange students, with preventive health care, medical care, mental health care, and dental care. Almost every type of health service a student might need, with the exception of hospital treatment and maternity clinic, are included. FSHS runs health centres in 16 university towns and you will be eligible to receive treatment at any of these centres.
Please note that FSHS provides health services only for university students. Also note that you can use the FSHS health services only if you have a student card, i.e. if you have paid the Student Union membership fee. The consultation fees for students at FSHS are very reasonable and such services as consultation with a nurse or a general practitioner are free of charge. Please remember to have your Student Union Membership Card with you when visiting FSHS.
Please note that if you are given a referral to another health centre, for example to the North Karelia Central Hospital or the Kuopio University Hospital, you will be charged the valid fees and you will not get any student reductions.
You should make an appointment for each visit to FSHS. If you are unable to keep the appointment, remember to cancel it in order to avoid any fees. The nurses, however, are available for consultation every morning without an appointment. For dental care, you should be prepared to wait even up to a month for an appointment. Only in the case of an acute toothache it is possible to provide you with treatment during the same day.
Students who are not members of the Student Union are advised to use the municipal or private health services. In addition, licentiate and doctoral students are not entitled to the medical services provided by FSHS.
