Health : Social Security (Sécurité Sociale)

The French health system includes a basic health insurance (Social Security : Sécurité Sociale) which is mandatory, and a supplementary, optional health insurance. At the moment of your administrative enrolment in a higher educational institution, affiliation to the student Social Security is mandatory and there is an admission charge except for European and Quebec students (see conditions below) and the students who have been granted a scholarship from the French Government. It entitles you to obtain the refunding of your medical care throughout your stay.

SOCIAL SECURITY

> Students Social Security (la Sécurité Sociale Etudiante)

To be entitled to the Students Social Security, you must :
- have enrolled in a higher educational institution recognized by the Social Security;
- be less than 28 years of age on 1st October of the academic year that is beginning (this age limit can be postponed in a few cases);
- present a document proving that you have a valid residence permit, visa …

The Social Security refunds 70% of a consultation with a physician and the drugs prescribed by the physician.

It is mandatory for all students (except in the few particular cases mentioned above).

> How to be affiliated ?

You don’t have to do it yourself. You will be registered at a students Social Security centre at the time of your administrative enrolment in your university or school (more information >> [5]).
You must choose one of the two students insurances (mutuelles) that manage Social Security refundings : LMDE [6]or SMEREP [7].
If you want to have a complementary health insurance as well (see below), compare the price offered by these two organisations.
If you decide to be covered only by the Social Security, the price will be the same : you will have to pay a yearly fee of 203 euros (2011-2012 fees), paid at the same time as your enrolment fees at university.

> Specific cases

- You are a citizen from the European Union or the European Economic Space (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungaria, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Rumania, United Kingdom, Slovaquia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland) :

Prior to your arrival in France, request a European health insurance card from your social security centre. It proves that you have a social security coverage in your country. In this case, you will not have to be affiliated at the Social Security in France.

- You come from Quebec :
Prior to your departure, pick up the SE 401 Q102 bis form (or SE 401 Q106 if you participate in an exchange program between universities) that proves that you have a Social Security coverage in Quebec. In this case, you will not have to be affiliated to the students Social Security in France.

- You have a scholarship from the French Government :
You don’t have to pay for the annual Social Security fee. You automatically have a Social Security coverage.

- You are going to study in France for less than three months.
You may be affiliated to the students Social Security but this is not mandatory. If you already have a Social Security coverage in your country, you can be refunded by your insurance.

- You are more than 28 years old and you are not a citizen from a European Union Country
You cannot be affiliated to the Social Security. You must take out a private insurance or, if your income is low and if you’ve been living in France for more than three months, you can apply for the CMU (Universal Health Coverage). Registration at the CMU is made at the CPAM (Health Insurance Offices) of the district of Paris where you live. CPAM’s addresses are available on the website of AMeli – Assurance Maladie en ligne >> [8]

- If you are a salaried student :
If you work at least 60 hours per month or 120 hours per quarter, during the whole academic year, you can be exempted from being affiliated to the Social Security. You will fall under the general regime (and not the students’ regime).

SUPPLEMENTARY SICKNESS INSURANCE

Sometimes called “mutuelle”, the supplementary sickness insurance covers the 30% that are not refunded by the Social Security. It is recommended to take out one of these insurances.

To be entitled to it, irrespective of your age, you must pay an additional fee. The students supplementary insurances (LMDE [6]and SMEREP [7]) offer supplementary insurance schemes that vary between 80 and 300 euros approximately (according to the type of refunding) for a year.

You can take out a supplementary sickness insurance together with the students Social Security at the time of your enrolment at the university or by going directly to LMDE (see addresses >> [9]) and SMEREP (see addresses >> [10]) agencies.

For more informations about Sécurité Sociale and health insurance, call 36 46 (local-call rate from landline telephones within France), from monday to friday from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.
From abroad : +33 (ou 00 33) 811 70 36 46.