Affiliation to social security for your studies in Strasbourg, France

You will have to pay for any treatment, doctors’ visits and all medication in France. You may later get partial refund through social security. Other expenses may be covered by you or your employer or they may be refunded by complementary health coverage.

An affiliation to social security is compulsory for each person who resides more than 3 months in France. This procedure must be done at the same time as the administrative registration at the university.

Your situation will depend on your age, your status and your nationality:

• If you are younger than 20 years old and benefits from a parental social cover (form SE) in your country of origin and if your country signed a bilateral agreement with France, then the take-over of your social coverage will be assured by CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie – Primary Health Insurance Fund) service. In this case you will have to present your birth certificate with a translation of it if the document is not registered in French or English.

• If you are younger than 28 years (this limit age can be deferred in some cases such as medical studies, national service, etc.) and from a membership state of the European Economic Area (EEA), before leaving for France, ask your health insurance service to give you the European health insurance card. This document exempts you from joining the French social security. It is to be submitted to the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) in France which will pay your treatment expenses.

• If you are younger than 28 years and from a country other than those listed above, or a refugee or stateless. You must apply to French social security for students. The annual contributions amount is 198 euro for the academic year 2011/2012.

• If you are older than 28 years. You cannot join the student social security system and you must apply for an individual insurance. You can however:
  1. Contact the service of the Universal health coverage of the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM).
  2. Contact a voluntary individual insurance within the CPAM.
  3. Acquire private insurance.
  4. Join the system of a mutual insurance company for students.

The above insurance systems do not provide the same coverage and have different pricing. Please take your time to analyze and compare every offered services.

MGEL (General Mutual Insurance Company for Eastern Students)

For the last 60 years, the MGEL has been serving students. It is due to its investment and proximity that the MGEL is chosen as paying center for social security by 8 out of 10 students from East of France.

As the social security refunds only a part of health expenses, the bill can increase when you need to undergo a dental treatment, change your glasses or visit a specialist. Especially if you do not have, as many students, a complementary health coverage.

The primary reason mentioned by those who do not belong to a mutual insurance company is the cost. Nevertheless, it costs more not to have one. No one is safe from unexpected events especially when health is the issue. That is why, the MGEL suggests more insurance systems adapted to students’ needs which complement the reimbursements done by the social security.

Why choose the MGEL?

By applying for a complementary health program at MGEL, you will take advantage of a single reimbursement in the same time as for your social security.  You will also pay only for the months left until the end of the academic year and you will be reimbursed immediately.

A worthy complementary health program

To create your insurance coverage according to your needs and budget check the details about insurance coverage on the website: http://www.mgel.fr/mutuelle/

Thanks to your health insurance card which includes your rights to social security and MGEL complementary health, you will benefit from a third-party payer within the whole country.

The MGEL is the only student complementary health program for a complete compensation of this insurance package. In addition, the MGEL offers a 2300€ transport package in case of accident, a 100% supplement.