Health Insurance

A health insurance covering the full period of the stay in Belgium is compulsory for all international students.

Students from EEA countries

(European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) or Switzerland

These students may maintain their health insurance from the home country in Belgium by taking out a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or equivalent document. This must be done before departure. More info.

You can register for Belgian state public health insurance cover without paying a contribution. This way you get the partial reimbursement of your health care expenses in Belgium immediately.

You could also register for a complementary insurance to top up your medical costs in full for a covered accident/illness after the allowance refunded to you by your healthcare fund. This is possible with:

• 'Aon Start+' Insurance from Aon student Insurance 
• 'SIP complement' insurance from The Student Insurance Program (SIP).

Non-EEA students

Non-EEA students should check whether their country has an agreement with Belgium. Those who don’t qualify for cover must purchase their own. You can register for a private insurance in your country or: 

•  'Aon Complete Insurance' from Aon student Insurance 
• 'SIP Integral' insurance through The Student Insurance Program (SIP).

You can also register for Belgian public health insurance cover. This will cover 60-75% of the costs for doctors, hospitals and clinics and around 20% of prescription costs and basic dental costs.

As you are not paying social contributions in Belgium, you will have to pay a legal contribution for your coverage. This is a quarterly payment, which entitles you to coverage from the first day of that quarter (jan, feb, mar /apr, may, jun /jul, aug, sep /okt, nov, dec)

The contribution is the same for all the health insurance funds and depends on your situation:

• after your first arrival in Belgium and while you are waiting on your Belgian residence permit, you can register in the category of 'student': you pay a contribution of € 74,99 per quarter (2024).
• once you have an official Belgium residence and a residence permit you can register in the category of 'resident' or 'verblijvende' (‘remaining’) in Belgium: if you have no or a very low official income, you do not have to pay a contribution; if you do have an income, you will pay a contribution proportional to your income.

If you're insured through the Belgian public health insurance, you could also register for a complementary insurance to top up your medical costs in full for a covered accident/illness after the allowance refunded to you by your healthcare fund. This is possible with:

• 'Aon Start+' Insurance from Aon student Insurance 
• 'SIP complement' insurance from The Student Insurance Program (SIP).
• a ‘top-up’ hospitalisation insurance through your Belgian health fund

How do I register for Belgian state public health insurance?

Through a Belgian health funds of your choice: