International students

What are international students?

International students are people without Swiss citizenship who come to Switzerland to study, for further education or for an internship. For basic health insurance under the Federal Health Insurance Act (KVG), they are a special case: anyone who lives in Switzerland or holds a residence permit valid for at least three months is, in principle, required to take out insurance. For students, however, there are two ways of not having to join a Swiss health insurer.

Students from the EU, EFTA and the United Kingdom stay in their home system under the coordination rules of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, as long as they do not work in Switzerland. For treatment in Switzerland, they show the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Students from other countries must, in principle, take out insurance in Switzerland. They can apply to the canton for an exemption if their private insurance provides equivalent cover for treatment in Switzerland.

The same rules apply to pupils, interns and trainees and to accompanying family members. If you come to Switzerland with a work permit, the rules for short-term residents or residence permit holders apply to you.

How it works

Students from the EU, EFTA and the United Kingdom

You stay with your health insurance in your home country and bring your EHIC. With the card, you can receive treatment in Switzerland. Questions about billing are answered by the Common Institution under the Federal Health Insurance Act (Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG), which acts as the liaison body. If you start working in Switzerland, for example in a part-time job, the principle of the place of work applies: you must then take out insurance in Switzerland. If you have equivalent private insurance, you can apply to the canton for an exemption.

Students from other countries

1. Check your insurance. For treatment in Switzerland, your private insurance must cover at least the benefits of basic health insurance.
2. Submit an application. You submit the application to the competent authority in your canton of residence, with written confirmation from your insurer. The deadline for taking out insurance is three months from registering with your municipality (Gemeinde).
3. Keep the duration in mind. The exemption lasts a maximum of three years and can be extended on request by a maximum of three further years. After that, you must take out insurance in Switzerland.
4. It cannot be revoked. An exemption, or a decision to waive it, cannot be reversed without a special reason.

If you take out insurance in Switzerland

The same rules then apply to you as to everyone else: free choice of health insurer, the same premium for all insured persons in your age group in your region, deductible, insurance models and entitlement to a premium subsidy under the rules of your canton. From the age of 19, you pay the premium for young adults up to 25.

Legal basis

Art. 1 para. 2 let. a and f of the Health Insurance Ordinance (KVV) make foreign nationals with a short-stay or residence permit valid for at least three months subject to compulsory insurance. Art. 7 para. 1 KVV gives them three months from registering with the municipality to take out insurance. Art. 2 para. 4 KVV allows persons in education or further training to be exempted on request if they have equivalent cover for the entire period of the exemption: for a maximum of three years, extendable by a maximum of three years, and not revocable without a special reason. Art. 2 para. 7 KVV governs the exemption for persons with a residence permit without gainful employment under the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons or the EFTA Convention.

Art. 65 para. 1bis KVG requires the cantons to reduce the premiums of young adults in education on low and middle incomes by at least 50%. Art. 106 KVV states that persons required to take out insurance who hold a permit valid for at least three months are also entitled if they meet the canton’s conditions.

Example: two students in Zurich

Two students start a master’s programme in Zurich in September 2026. Both are 23 years old (born in 2003).

If Kenji decides against an exemption, he pays the following monthly premiums in the municipality of Zurich (Region 1) in 2026 as a young adult with accident cover (premiums 2026, source FOPH):

What this means for you

1. Clarify where you come from and whether you work. If you come from the EU, EFTA or the United Kingdom and do not work, what you mainly need is a valid EHIC. Otherwise, compulsory insurance applies.
2. Meet the deadline. You have three months from registering with your municipality to take out insurance or apply for an exemption.
3. Check equivalence. Travel or student insurance with low maximum amounts is usually not enough. Ask your insurer for a confirmation of which benefits are covered in Switzerland.
4. Compare premiums. If you take out insurance in Switzerland, compare all health insurers for your municipality in the premium calculator. You will find the profiles under health insurers.
5. Apply for a premium subsidy. If your income is low, you can apply to your canton for a premium subsidy.

Common mistakes

• Changing nothing when you take a part-time job. Anyone who works in Switzerland must take out insurance here, even with an EHIC.
• Submitting insufficient insurance. The canton checks equivalence. Without it, there is no exemption.
• Trying to revoke the exemption. This is not possible without a special reason. Think the decision through at the start.
• Missing the deadline. Joining late can lead to a premium surcharge.

You will find more terms on living abroad and cross-border commuting in the glossary.