Health Insurance in Finland

Having health insurance is a very important aspect for international students. When studying in Finland comprehensive coverage is necessary and required by law. Fortunately, health insurance in Finland is accessible to all international students and offers great coverage.

Students studying in Finland will indeed need to have health insurance. It is required for all incoming foreign students. The country of origin of the international student will determine what type of insurance is required. Medical insurance in Finland is ranked highly among all nations. In addition, the care provided by healthcare physicians is phenomenal.

Finnish residents

Finnish residents who live and study in Finland have access to free health insurance courtesy of the national government. While the insurance is free, it is funded by the tax system. The health insurance in Finland is superb for all residents. No matter the financial situation, all residents of Finland have access to health care and insurance and Finnish insurance covers all residents under a universal policy.

Because it is universal, immigrants who live in Finland permanently are entitled to the same coverage, which includes prescription drugs from pharmacies as well. Here is some food for thought; Private health insurance in Finland is very rare to find. It is estimated that only 3 percent of the entire health care industry works in the private sector.

This is directly correlated with the high quality care received from the free universal healthcare system provided by the government.

European Union residents

While coverage for residents and immigrants is defined, temporary visitors living within Finland may or may not have access to their healthcare system. This will depend on where the international is from, and those international students who are from the European Union are entitled to health insurance coverage while in Finland.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of European lawmakers, health insurance is recognized throughout the European Union. Students with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are given free treatment because of their status as EU residents, which includes Finland. While many hospitals are completely free by law, others that require user fees may charge international students. While a fee may be paid, in most situations students will be reimbursed.

Non-European Students

International students from outside Finland and the European Union will need to deal with their health insurance coverage differently. These international students do not have access to the national health insurance in Finland, but instead must contract a policy under a private insurance carrier. There are very few carriers of private health insurance in Finland because of the reliance on public universal health insurance. Instead, international students will be required to get health insurance that covers international travel and living in Finland.

The Atlas Travel, Student Secure and Europe Travel plan are popular options that will meet the requirements listed by the embassy, consulate, and police stations. International students will be required to show the following proof of insurance for the full duration of their studies:

Both the Europe Travel, Student Secure and Atlas Travel plan provide visa letters to show proof of coverage immediately after purchasing these insurance plans.

Medical insurance in Finland for international students is very reasonable no matter your country of origin. Healthcare facilities and insurance policies will keep students mind at ease in case of medical emergencies. Students should analyze their situation to determine if they need private medical insurance in Finland or fall under the policy of the universal health care system in the nation.