The French health insurance system
Students living in mainland France are covered by the French health insurance system (Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie – CPAM) in their place of residence, which partially reimburses healthcare costs.
Supplementary health insurance
To top up reimbursements from Assurance maladie, it is strongly recommended to take out supplementary health insurance.
If your parents live in France and have supplementary health insurance, you may also be covered under their plan. Check with Assurance maladie to find out.
If you are not covered by your parents’ plan, you can choose a student-specific supplementary health insurance provider.
Complementary state health insurance
You may be entitled to complementary state health insurance (Complémentaire santé solidaire – C2S), a scheme that provides free or low-cost supplementary health insurance depending on your income.
To find out if you are eligible, use the simulator on the Assurance Maladie website
Learn more about C2S on the Assurance Maladie website
Cover your healthcare costs abroad
If you are covered by Assurance maladie and travel to a country in the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, apply for a European Health Insurance Card (Carte européenne d’assurance maladie – CEAM) through your ameli account. This allows your medical expenses to be covered during your stay. Please note that CEAM/EHIC coverage in the United Kingdom is valid for 6 months. For longer stays, you will need to take further steps.
Learn more about the European Health Insurance Card
Healthcare costs and reimbursement conditions vary from country to country. Check the conditions with your caisse d’assurance maladie or with specialised organisations such as the Cleiss or the Caisse des Français de l’étranger (CFE).
Learn more about your rights and the steps to take when studying abroad