Students in the EU/EEA and Switzerland
This page explains your health rights as a student in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
Illustration: Morten Rakke / Helfo
Your rights
Your right to reimbursement of healthcare expenses will depend on whether you are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
If the EEA rules cover you, you will generally be a member of the social security scheme in the country where you are considered a resident. The EEA rules apply to citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland, as well as stateless persons and refugees. In addition, it can apply to their family members.
Where you are considered to be a resident depends, among other things, on
- the duration of the study stay
- where you get student funding from
- where your immediate family lives
- how much you stay in Norway
If you are still considered a resident in Norway during a study period in another EU/EEA country, you will generally retain your membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
If you need to clarify where you are considered a resident, check with the relevant social security institution in the country of study or Nav.
If you start working in the country of study, the social security rules there will generally apply to you. This will mean you lose your Norwegian National Insurance Scheme membership. You must contact the National Insurance authorities in the country of study to find out if you are covered by the social security scheme there. If you are not covered by the social security scheme in the country of study, you should contact Nav to clarify whether you are a member of the National Insurance Scheme.
Read more on nav.no about being a student abroad (only in Norwegian).
Example
Emma is pursuing a one-year MBA in Madrid. Her closest family members live in Norway, and she receives support from Lånekassen. Although she does not work alongside her studies, Emma is considered a resident of Norway and retains her membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
Rights for those who have citizenship from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland
If you retain your membership of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you are entitled to coverage of healthcare services both in Norway and in your country of study.
You should bring your European Health Insurance Card from Norway to your country of study. This card entitles you to necessary health services in that country on the same terms as the inhabitants there.
What constitutes necessary treatment must be assessed based on the duration of your stay and the type of healthcare you need. It may be a good idea to bring your student ID card in addition to your European Health Insurance Card to document that you are on a more extended stay in your country of study.
In the Nordic countries, students are registered in the population register in their country of study, and they will, therefore, have access to health services without showing a health insurance card. You are also not required to be a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland.
If you are unable to use the European Health Insurance Card
If the treatment centre does not accept your European Health Insurance Card, or you have forgotten to bring it, you must pay for it yourself and apply to Helfo for reimbursement afterwards (see step 4). If you have forgotten your card at home, you may ask Helfo for an urgent form.
Example
Emma has broken her arm in a scooter accident and visits a public hospital in Madrid. She shows her health insurance card and must pay the same user fee as the inhabitants there.
Health care expenses in The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom left the EU/EEA (Brexit) in 2020. This entailed changes in entitlement to have healthcare expenses covered. From 1 January 2024, a new social security agreement between the United Kingdom and Norway applies.
Read more about subsidies for health care in The United Kingdom.
Rights for those who have citizenship from a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland
If you are not entitled to a European Health Insurance Card from Norway, you may still be entitled to reimbursement of expenses for healthcare services during your study stay.
If you are not entitled to a European Health Insurance Card, you should check with Nav whether you will retain your membership in the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme during your studies.
If you retain your membership, you can apply to Helfo for reimbursement of expenses for healthcare services during your study stay. Among other things, you may be entitled to extended subsidisation in the country of study in the same way as students outside the EU/EEA.
If you have citizenship from a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland and are a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, you have the same rights as citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland during your study stay in the Nordic countries. The same applies to stays in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Hungary and Austria.
Example
Emma's childhood friend Alice has citizenship from the United States, but she grew up in Norway. Alice is also studying in Madrid and was in the same scooter accident as Emma. Alice gets a sore neck and needs to be examined by a doctor. She has to pay for the examination herself, and she makes sure to keep all receipts.
Health care expenses in The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom left the EU/EEA (Brexit) in 2020. This entailed changes in entitlement to have healthcare expenses covered. From 1 January 2024, a new social security agreement between the United Kingdom and Norway applies.
Read more about subsidies for health care in The United Kingdom.
Submit your application
If you incur expenses relating to health services during your study stay, you can apply to Helfo for reimbursement.
Note that the dental treatment provider must also complete a form that you have to enclose with your application. You will find this further down this page.
Deadline
You must send the application form and documentation to Helfo within 6 months of each treatment date. If you have not settled on the spot but received an invoice afterwards, we calculate the deadline from the invoice date instead of the treatment date. In this context, invoice means the first payment request issued by your treatment provider.
Paper form
If you are unable to use our digital form, you can send a paper form instead.
Complete and send the application to Helfo, Postboks 2415, 3104 Tønsberg.
In the case of dental treatment, you must complete and send in
Please note that also the dental treatment provider must complete a form that you have to enclose with your application:
Example
Alice submits a digital application for reimbursement to Helfo together with all relevant documentation within six months.
Guidance Helsenorge
If you have any questions, please call Guidance Helsenorge: +47 23 32 70 00
Power of attorney in connection with enquiries to Helfo
If you contact Helfo on behalf of anyone else, you must have power of attorney for them.
Parents/guardians must also have power of attorney from any children aged 18 or over. In the case of health information, you must have power of attorney from any children aged 16 or over. This is because the age of majority under health law is 16.
Complete the power of attorney form and send it to Helfo as an attachment to a digital form, or send it by post to Helfo, PO Box 2415, 3104 Tønsberg. Remember to enclose a copy of valid identification for the person granting power of attorney.