Students from EU / EFTA countries
Your situation
Choose what fits your situation.
You need to ask for an exemption from compulsory health insurance in Switzerland
The exemption is guaranteed only if you do not have any income. As soon as you have an income, please note Employment with the European Health insurance Card.
If you have a private insurance from your home country, you may apply for an exemption. However, in our experience, the exemption is rejected in almost all cases.
We strongly suggest that you purchase a Swiss health insurance package for international students from the very beginning (for EU/EFTA citizens: possible in the canton of Zurich, other rules may apply in other cantons).
If you have no European health insurance card nor a private insurance from your home country, you need to buy a Swiss health insurance package for international students (for EU/EFTA citizens: Possible in the canton of Zurich, other rules may apply in other cantons).
Students from the UK and if you have a GHIC card, you may apply for an exemption from the compulsory health insurance in Switzerland.
Follow the same exemption process as with a European Health insurance card. However, we cannot guarantee that the exemption is successful.
In case the exemption is rejected, you need to act immediately and purchase a Swiss health insurance for international students or a normal KVG insurance.
Related topics
- chevron_right Billing and refund with European Health Insurance Card
- chevron_right Employment with European Health Insurance Card (in case of additional income)
- chevron_right Change of canton (for students living in Switzerland)
- chevron_right Illness (what to do)
- chevron_right FAQ on health insurance
- external page call_made Brochure "The compulsory health insurance system" published by Swiss Federal Office of Public Health