How to be covered if I am a European student ?

If you are a citizen of another European Union (EU) country, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area (EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and you are coming to France as a student, you do not need to register with the French healthcare system.

All you need is a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a provisional replacement certificate that is valid at least until the end of the academic year. These documents mean that your home country’s social protection institution will cover your healthcare expenses, even if they incurred in France.
You can apply for your EHIC or provisional replacement certificate through your home country’s social protection institution before you come to France.

Your affiliation is finalised

The processing times to get a social security number can fluctuate between one CPAM to another.

Your CPAM will send you your social security number and an « attestation de droits » (certificate of rights), meaning you are covered by the French healthcare system and can be reimbursed for your medical expenses.

To claim your refund, you have to complete, sign and send your « feuille de soins »(brown paper), and the prescriptions if you have them, to your CPAM.

Please note that you cannot order a carte Vitale or open an ameli account directly after receiving your definitive social security number. This is due to the fact it may take some time for your social security number to be certified.

Once your social security number is certified, your CPAM will send you the carte Vitale form. You can either order the card online by creating an ameli account or you can send the paper copy of the form by post, along with a recent identity photo and a copy of an identity document.

For better medical care and optimal reimbursements, register a « médecin traitant » (general practitioner) on your file.

You can find useful links according to your situation, by consulting this topic :
« How to be covered : some useful links ».

Have a nice day.