Health insurance for foreign students in Switzerland
Which health insurance do foreign students have to take out in Switzerland? What applies to an internship in Switzerland with regard to health insurance? Comparis provides the answers.
09.09.2025
iStock/skynesher
1. Do students need health insurance in Switzerland?
Health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland. This means that everyone living in Switzerland must take out compulsory basic health insurance. This also applies to students.
Do you work less than eight hours a week for a single employer? If so, you also need accident insurance. You usually take this out together with your basic insurance.
Compare premiums and save money every month
Good to know: health insurers are obliged to accept everyone for basic insurance and cannot reject anyone. You can therefore compare premiums and choose the right health insurer for you.
Health insurance premiums vary depending on where you live, the insurance model you choose and your deductible. However, all health insures provide the same benefits in their basic insurance.
However, depending on your country of origin, you do not necessarily have to take out insurance in Switzerland. Your existing insurance may provide sufficient cover. If this is the case, you may be exempted from the obligation to take out insurance.
2. Exemption from the obligation to take out health insurance: who can apply for it?
Students from abroad can be partially exempted from the obligation to take out health insurance. The conditions to be met depend on the country of origin. As a rule,
your main reason for residing in Switzerland must be education or further training. You plan to leave the country again after graduation.
You are not gainfully employed. As soon as you start earning a salary, you will need to take out insurance with a Swiss health insurance company. This is regardless of the amount of the salary.
You have at least equivalent insurance. This could be European health insurance, for example. However, private foreign health insurers and insurance policies specifically for students are also included.
The cantons are responsible for verifying the insurance obligation. In some cantons, Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG will take care of this verification process. It also provides an overview of the responsible cantonal authorities.
Important: you must submit the application for exemption within three months of moving to Switzerland.
Are you still going to take up gainful employment? If so, you will be subject to the obligation to take out Swiss insurance. You must inform the office where you applied for the exemption.
Exceptions apply for students from Germany, France, Italy and Austria. If you come from one of these countries, you can be exempted from the obligation to take out insurance despite being gainfully employed. The requirements are as follows:
You have an L short-term residence permit.
You have a B permit, but your main place of residence is in Germany, France, Italy or Austria.
If you are exempted from the obligation to take out insurance, this also applies to accident insurance. However, the cantons will not check whether you have sufficient accident insurance cover. It is best to check this before applying for the exemption. If the cover is insufficient, you will have to pay for the benefits yourself.
All insureds in Switzerland must pay a share of their treatment costs. These out-of-pocket expenses also apply if you have not taken out basic insurance due to residing temporarily in the country.
The following out-of-pocket expenses
A flat rate fee of 92 francs every 30 days for adults. For children, the flat rate fee is 33 francs up to the age of 18. The 30-day period begins upon the first day of treatment.
In the event of hospitalisation, there is an additional daily contribution of 15 francs. The hospital cost contribution must only be paid by persons aged 25 and over.
Good to know: you do not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses for benefits in connection with pregnancy.
3. Health insurance for students: what applies to people from EU/EFTA countries and the UK?
Are you staying less than three months without taking up gainful employment? If so, you usually do not have to take out health insurance in Switzerland.
As soon as you take up gainful employment in Switzerland, you are subject to the obligation to take out health insurance. However, if you work for less than three months, an equivalent private insurance policy is sufficient.
If you stay for more than three months, you are generally subject to the obligation to take out health insurance. However, you can apply for an exemption from the obligation to take out health insurance if you meet certain conditions.
Do you need to be treated in Switzerland but do not have insurance from a Swiss health insurer? If so, you must present your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You are entitled to medically necessary treatments that you cannot postpone until your return.
The same conditions apply to the EHIC as to people with Swiss basic insurance. In practical terms, this means that your insurance only covers the costs of treatments in accordance with the catalogue of benefits for compulsory basic insurance.
For example, you are referred to physiotherapy by a doctor following an injury. Most dental treatments, on the other hand, are not included in the catalogue of benefits, which means that basic insurance does not cover them.
4. Health insurance for foreign students from non-EU/EFTA countries
Students from non-EU or non-EFTA countries can be exempted from the obligation to take out insurance. To this end, your private insurance must be equivalent to the coverage provided by Swiss health insurance.
The duration of the exemption is limited to three years. However, you can apply for an extension for an additional three years. After this exemption period has come to an end, you must take out insurance from a Swiss health insurer.
Important: Health insurance from third countries is rarely equivalent to the coverage provided by Swiss health insurers. Therefore, the authorities often refuse to grant an exemption from taking out health insurance. In this case, you must take out insurance from a health insurer licensed in Switzerland.
5. Which health insurance is worthwhile for foreign students?
In Switzerland, you are free to choose between the various health insurers. The benefits covered by basic insurance are the same with all health insurers. The premiums differ depending on the health insurer, the insurance model and the deductible.
Your age and place of residence also determine the premium amount. It’s therefore worth comparing different health insurers.
Premium reductions in Switzerland
Good to know: premium reductions are available for people with low incomes. Check whether you are entitled to a premium reduction. However, you are not entitled to premium reductions for special student insurance policies.
Some health insurers offer special student insurance for foreign students. Usually, the coinsurance that you would otherwise have to deductible has been exhausted is not applicable here. In addition, the premiums are significantly cheaper than with basic insurance.
Examples of student insurance are:
Coverio with deductibles ranging from 500 to 2500 francs. After the deductible has been exhausted, a coinsurance of a maximum of 700 francs applies. Premiums start at 38 francs per month.
Swica with "Student Care" insurance with deductibles of 300 and 500 francs. For people up to 18 years of age, the deductible is 0 francs. There is no coinsurance. Premiums for people aged 18 and over start at around 115 francs per month.
Swisscare offers insurance policies with deductibles ranging from 300 to 2500 francs. Once the deductible has been exhausted, you pay coinsurance of a maximum of 700 francs. Premiums start at 38 francs per month.
ETH Zurich provides an overview of health insurance policies for international students.
Important: insurance for students is considered as private insurance. This means that if you take advantage of such an offer, you must first be exempted from the obligation to take out health insurance.
6. By when do I have to register with a Swiss health insurer?
Are you subject to the obligation to take out insurance? If so, you must register with a Swiss health insurer within three months of moving to Switzerland. You will then be insured retroactively from your date of entry.
If you fail to meet this deadline, you may be forced to pay for statutory insurance cover (Art. 6 HIA). If you register late without justifiable reasons, you may be subject to a premium surcharge (Art. 5 HIA). If you incur treatment costs before the insurance policy comes into effect, you will have to pay for them yourself. This is because statutory insurance does not apply retroactively.
If you have to take out statutory insurance, the cantonal authority will assign you an insurance policy. This can lead to higher premiums than with independent insurance. This is because if you insure yourself, you have the freedom of choice. You can choose your health insurer and insurance model yourself – and thereby save on premiums. This is not possible with statutory insurance.
7. When does the health insurance end?
Health insurance ends when you are no longer subject to the obligation to take out health insurance. This is the case, for example, if you leave Switzerland permanently.
First, you need to deregister from your municipality. You can do this up to 30 days before your departure. Afterwards, you will need to inform your health insurer about your planned departure date. You will also need to send the confirmation of de-registration at the same time. Some health insurers also require that you fill out a questionnaire for moving abroad.
8. Frequently asked questions on health insurance for foreign students
Als Studentin oder Student sind Sie nicht automatisch versichert. |||UNTRANSLATED_CONTENT_END|||You must take out health insurance yourself or be apply for an exemption from taking out health insurance.
Are you studying in Switzerland, but living abroad? As long as you do not earn any money in Switzerland, you are usually covered by health insurance in your home country.
As soon as you start earning money, the same rules apply to you as to cross-border commuters. This means that the place of employment principle applies. However, in countries bordering Switzerland, you have the "right of choice." You can read more about this in the article on health insurance for cross-border commuters.
As soon as you start earning money in Switzerland, you must take out basic insurance.
There are individual exceptions for people from Germany, Austria, France and Italy. To qualify, you must still have your main place of residence in one of these countries. This is the case, for example, if you return there every week.
The premium is the amount that you must pay the health insurer for your cover. You will be billed for this on a monthly, semi-annual or annual basis. Premiums vary depending on:
The place of residence of the person
The age of the person
The deductible chosen
The health insurance model
Deductible
The deductible is the amount that you have to pay for medical expenses yourself each year. Basic insurance will cover most of the costs once this amount has been exceeded.
You are free to choose the deductible yourself. Deductibles can range between 300 and 2500 francs per year. The general rule applies – the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
Coinsurance
You only pay the coinsurance once you have paid the full deductible. Here, you pay 10% of any further healthcare costs. The maximum annual amount for the coinsurance is 700 francs for adults – regardless of the chosen deductible.
Out-of-pocket expenses
Your out-of-pocket expenses are the sum of the deductible and the coinsurance. Depending on the deductible you choose, this amounts to between 1000 and 3200 francs per year. In the event of hospitalisation, there is an additional hospital cost contribution of 15 francs per day.
The health insurance models of the basic insurance determine your first point of contact for medical issues. With certain models, the insurance premiums are lower.
You can take out supplemental insurance in addition to your basic insurance. It pays for treatments and benefits that aren’t covered by basic insurance.
The benefits provided by supplemental insurance vary from one insurer to the next. Unlike basic insurance, supplemental insurance companies are allowed to reject your application. The insurer does not have to give a reason.
This article was first published on 11.07.2022
