Health insurance for students in Sweden
Students from the Nordic countries are generally entitled to essential treatment in Sweden.
If you are a Nordic citizen and move to Sweden, and live here for less than twelve months, this is not normally regarded as moving.
If you are not registered in the Swedish Population Register, you are still covered by your home country’s health insurance. You are then only entitled to treatment in the Swedish healthcare system if you need essential treatment.
You must bring a European health insurance card in case you become ill while you are staying temporarily in Sweden.
If you are planning to study in Sweden for longer than one year, you should normally register in the Swedish Population Register. Read more on the Info Norden page about Registration in the Swedish Population Register. However, you should contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Försäkringskassan, for information about whether you are covered by Swedish insurance, as this depends on a number of factors, such as housing arrangements, where you receive student finance from, association with your previous country of residence and expected length of stay, and any earlier link to the labour market.
It is important that you remember to register in the Swedish Population Register before the twelve months have passed, otherwise the situation could arise that you are not covered by social insurance in either Sweden or in your home country.
If you know you will be staying in Sweden for longer than twelve months, you should register as soon as possible.
Health insurance if you are receiving student finance from Sweden
On the website of the Swedish Board of Student Finance (Centrala studiestödsnämnden, CSN), you can find information what you should do if you become ill or if you must take care of a close relative.
If you are studying and become so ill that you cannot study, you may still be able to retain your student finance. You can find information on the Försäkringskassan website about how to retain your student finance.
If you have worked in Sweden before you began studying, you may be entitled to keep your sickness benefit qualifying income (sjukpenninggrundande inkomst, SGI).
If you are studying and expecting a child, you should contact Försäkringskassan for information about the regulations concerning parental leave and how much leave you will be entitled to.
You may be insured in another way in the event of illness - for example, through various private insurance policies.
If you are an exchange student (utbytesstudent) or a PhD student (doktorand), you may be entitled to a special health insurance. Contact your educational institution for further information.
If you are a student member of a trade union, you may have a student insurance through the trade union.
You can also take out private insurance with an insurance company.
If you are studying in another country and become ill
When you are studying on an educational programme/course in another Nordic country, and are receiving student finance from CSN, you are entitled to essential healthcare during the time you are in the other country. You pay the same amount for healthcare as citizens in the country in which you are studying.
If you are working while you are a student, other regulations apply. You can get more information about this from Försäkringskassan.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.
