Student from outside the European Economic Area or Switzerland
If you don’t have valid health insurance before arriving in Belgium, you should contact a Belgian health insurer as soon as possible.
Belgian health insurer
If you don’t have valid health insurance before arriving in Belgium, you should contact a Belgian health insurer as soon as possible.
The fee you will have to pay depends on your registration status.
Register as a student
In order to be registered as a student you will have to submit your “registration certificate” issued by your host institution. You will not need a registered address in Belgium. Once the fee is paid, your expenses will be (partially) covered.
Fee: legal contribution in 2016 is 59.15 euro/quarter + a health insurance membership contribution between 6.4 euro and 7.2 euro a month.
| Documents required for registration: |
| request for registration (health insurance form) |
| passport |
| registration certificate issued by your host institution |
| a bank account number |
Register as a foreigner
We advise people who don’t have an official income in Belgium and who are allowed to stay in Belgium for more than three months to register as a foreigner at the Foreigners Registration Office. That way, you can request the health insurer to register you as a resident. Be aware that the registration period may take some time. It is therefore advisable to register as a student first. Later, you can request the health insurer to change your status from ”student” into ”resident”.
| Documents required for registration: |
| Request for registration (health insurance form) |
| Passport |
| A residence permit for more than three months or registration at the city hall |
| A document stating your annual (family) income |
| A bank account number |
| A document stating your family composition from the city hall if you have other family members you want to have insured. |
Supplementary insurance
We would also like to advise you to take out a supplementary repatriation insurance before your departure if this is not included in your health insurance. An additional private liability insurance is also strongly recommended. You might need it after (accidentally) hurting other persons or damaging other people’s property.
More information on the Belgian health care system?