Insurances for foreign (prospect) students - guideline
E.E.A. and Switzerland insured
Health insurance
You have a European Health Insurance Card?
If you have a health insurance in a country of the E.E.A. or in Switzerland, you have to apply for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in your country.
The EHIC is valid in all countries of the E.E.A. and Switzerland.
As holder of an EHIC you have the right to take medical care during your stay in Belgium, at the same conditions as provided by the Belgian legislation (after registration with a Belgian health fund), but you can only get (partial) reimbursement for the medical care that is necessary during your stay, taking the nature of the medical care into account and the duration of the stay.
Be aware that healthcare in itself may not be the aim of your visit to Belgium.
You don’t have a European Health Insurance Card?
If it is impossible for you to get an EHIC, you have to contact a health fund immediately after arriving in Belgium. Registration with a health fund implies insurance with retroactive effect on the date of arrival in Belgium.
You hand over to the health fund a certificate showing the end of your health insurance in your country.
You don’t have a European Health Insurance Card, nor did you get insurance directly from a health fund?
If you don’t have an EHIC, nor got insurance directly from a health fund (e.g. because your stay in Belgium is less than 3 months), you may ask your contact at the UGent to apply for the collective ALL-IN insurance of the UGent, the premium of your insurance being paid by the UGent. If that is not possible, you have two options:
- either you look yourself for a suitable health insurance (in that case we advise you to check with one of the Belgian health funds the compliancy of your insurance).
- or you apply at your own cost for the ALL-IN insurance.
This last option has the benefit of offering you as an individual the same premium and insurance conditions as the collective contract of the UGent.
This last option is also available for you to insure properly your family members (partner/children) joining you on your stay in Belgium.
The ALL-IN insurance contract covers, within the policy conditions, health costs, civil liability in private life and travel insurance, and this worldwide during the insured’s stay for research and education projects reasons under the auspices of Ghent University and in the framework of the European Erasmus Mundus program.
Non-E.E.A. or Switzerland insured
Health insurance
Health fund
A foreign student who is not insured in the E.E.A. or Switzerland, and does not comply with the rules on nationality, and who is enrolled as a UGent student, must apply for insurance directly with a health fund immediately after arriving in Belgium. The health fund will analyze the specific situation of the student. It is common practice that the student gets insurance with the health fund at his own cost for himself and the family members (partner/children) staying with him in Belgium. The insurance for the family members is often free of charge. Normally the health fund provide the insurance without waiting time.
The student hands over to the health fund a certificate of enrollment at the UGent.
Normally the student can ask the health fund to be registered as a “resident”. He has to hand over proof of registration in the Belgian register of foreigners, proof of a stay of more than 3 months in Belgium and a declaration on his revenues.
All-in insurance
If you can’t get insurance directly from a health fund (e.g. because your stay in Belgium is less than 3 months), you may ask your contact at the UGent to apply for the collective ALL-IN insurance of the UGent, the premium of your insurance being paid by the UGent. If that is not possible, you have two options:
- either you look yourself for a suitable health insurance (in that case we advise you to check with one of the Belgian health funds the compliancy of your insurance).
- or you apply at your own cost for the ALL-IN insurance.
This last option has the benefit of offering you as an individual the same premium and insurance conditions as the collective contract of the UGent. All information on this option is available here.
This last option is also available for you to insure properly your family members (partner/children) joining you on your stay in Belgium.
The ALL-IN insurance contract covers, within the policy conditions, health costs, civil liability in private life and travel insurance, and this worldwide during the insured’s stay for research and education projects reasons under the auspices of Ghent University and in the framework of the European Erasmus Mundus program.