Student social security: the procedures to follow
In France, your health expenses are reimbursed by:
-Social Security (= Health Insurance) which reimburses between 15% and 70% of your health expenses, (on presentation of the health card to the doctor during the medical appointment).
-and mutual insurance companies (or complementary health insurance companies) that supplement Social Security reimbursements in order to reduce your remaining expenses.
Anyone who is in a regular situation and who lives in France for more than three months must be covered by a social security system.
To complete the reimbursements of the Health Insurance, you can join a complementary mutual insurance, an additional health insurance, from 4.90 €.
More information: campusfrance.org/en/registering-to-social-security
As a foreign student (outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland), you must join the CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie) on a dedicated website: https://www.ameli.fr
You must register on this site in order to be reimbursed for your health expenses during your studies.
This registration is free and mandatory, it will allow you to be reimbursed for your health expenses.
You are a Quebec citizen:
You come to France thanks to a university exchange
If you are enrolled in a Quebec university (and you are not enrolled in a French university), you may be concerned by the provisions of the Franco-Quebec Agreement, which allows you to benefit from local coverage of your health expenses.
Before you leave, ask your health insurance fund (RAMQ) for form SE 401-Q-106 ‘Certificate of affiliation to their social security scheme for participants in exchanges between higher education institutions’, and have it completed by your university in Quebec.
This form certifies that you are insured under the Québec social security system.
To be reimbursed for your health expenses, you must contact the ‘Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie’ (CPAM) of your area of residence and submit your form.
You are enrolled in a French university:
As a Quebec student, insured under the Quebec social security system, you are enrolled in a French institution.
Before you leave, ask your health insurance fund (RAMQ) for form SE 401-Q-102 bis ‘Attestation of membership in a Quebec plan before leaving for France’.
This form certifies that you are covered by RAMQ health insurance in France.
To be reimbursed for your health expenses, you must contact the CPAM of your area of residence and submit your form.
Student mutual insurance companies
Why take a health insurance?
To benefit from optimal reimbursement of your health expenses, you can subscribe to a complementary health insurance or a mutual insurance company.
Social Security does not reimburse everything. To complete the Social Security reimbursements, it is essential to join a mutual insurance company adapted to your needs.
The two main student mutual insurance companies are :
https://www.lmde.fr/
https://smerra.fr/
Get medical care
At the general practitioner’s, you pay the price of the consultation (25 €). You are then reimbursed by the Social Security and your mutual insurance company. At each consultation, do not forget to bring your certificate of affiliation to the Social Security. At the pharmacy, you only pay the part of the expenses that is not reimbursed by the Social Security.
In the event of a medical emergency:
Dial 18 (fire department) or 15 (SAMU: Emergency Medical Services) from any landline phone.
From a mobile phone, dial 112, which is also the emergency number in all European Union countries.
Doctors and on-call pharmacies (Franche-Comté): 3966
(Outside medical office opening hours, at night, on weekends and on public holidays)
The Student Health Center
The SUMPPS (Service universitaire de médecine preventive et de promotion de la santé – Student Health Center) is at your disposal to answer questions and provide you with support throughout your studies. The team of professionals welcomes you free of charge, by appointment and in complete confidentiality.
The SUMPPS offers
- medical consultations: preventive medical visits, medical certificates…
- nursing care: first aid, vaccination updates, prescription care, etc.
- gynecologic consultations (only in Besançon) and information on emotional life, contraception, sexually transmitted infections…
- addiction consultations (tobacco, alcohol, drugs)
- dietary consultations (individual interview, advice, follow-up)
> Contacts and schedules of SUMPPS Belfort
> Contacts and schedules of SUMPPS Montbéliard
Social Service
Social workers are available to help students who encounter problems of a material (financial difficulties, housing, etc.), personal (family difficulties, adaptation, etc.) or health-related nature during their studies. Interview by appointment.
More information: crous-bfc.fr/aides-sociales/presentation-du-service-social
Psychological support
The SUMPPS (Service universitaire de médecine preventive et de promotion de la santé – Student Health Center) offers, by appointment, free interviews with a psychologist (in Besançon only).
The Crous Bourgogne-Franche-Comté also organises free meetings with a psychologist:
- In Belfort (Duvillard residence): every other Tuesday, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, with or without appointment.
- In Montbéliard (Portes du Jura residence): with appointment.
https://www.crous-bfc.fr/social-et-accompagnement/soutien-et-ecoute/
- the Happsy Hours.