Starting in January 2021, higher education degree students in Finland are required to pay the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) fee to Kela. In practice, the new law ensures that both university and students of university applied sciences have access to the primary healthcare services offered by the government.
The FSHS’s mission is to provide student health services to those pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at a university or other higher education institution, as specified by the Health Care Act.
The student fee is part of the effort that funds health care for higher education students. The state provides 77 % of the funding, while students pay the remaining 23% by healthcare fees. Kela charges a healthcare fee to all higher education students who are entitledto FSHS services. The fee is a contribution towards student healthcare in general and not a charge for individual services.
What services does fshs provide?
The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) will assist you with health or illness-related matters. For degree students, FSHS provides general physical, medical, and mental health services. You are entitled to FSHS services if you have paid the student healthcare fee to Kela as a Bachelor’s or Master’s student in a Finnish university.
Student healthcare services include the following:
•Health examinations targeted to each individual’s needs
•Services in healthcare and medical care services
•Dental health care services for mental health and substance abuse
•Sexual health services
•Early recognition of any special needs or assessments needed by students. Also help and, referral for additional tests or treatment
• Examinations of the health and safety aspects of the research community in educational schools. Welfare promotion within learning societies carried out in collaboration with monitoring.
• Monitoring and promoting students’ health and well-being, as well as their academic readiness.
WHO NEEDS TO PAY THE STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE FEE?
If you are studying in a Finnish higher education institution and have registered for the semester in question, you must pay the student healthcare fee. The health service fee does not concern students who are joining tailor-made programs organized by Edunation.
Higher education’s student healthcare fee is a tax-like charge, not a payment for a visit to a healthcare facility or for a single appointment. The fee is collected to help fundstudent health care in general. 77% of the funding comes from the government, with the remaining 23 percent coming from student’shealthcare fee payments.
To be precise, you must pay the health care fee, even if you wont use their services. The payment of the fee is mandatory.
THE PAYMENT AND PRICE TO KELA
The fee in 2021 is 35.80 €per semester. The fee is paid to Kela twice a year (spring and autumn). There will be no invoice for the healthcare fee from KELA. You must pay it on your own initiative. The amount of the charge is determined on an annual basis. Each student pays the same amount. The fee, however, can vary from year to year.
The healthcare fee isset on a calendar year basis, meaning you can pay the payments for both the spring and autumn terms of 2022at the same time. However, since the amount of the fee paid for the spring term 2022 will not be known until autumn 2021, you will only pay the fee for the autumn term in 2021.
Even if you have not yet registered as an attending student at the university,you can pay the fee.
The student health service fee can be paidvia Kela’s e-service(in Finnish). Ifyou do not have Finnish online bank credentials and are unable to pay using e-service, pay the fee to Kela via bank transfer.
HEALTH INSURANCE WHEN COMING TO FINLAND
In addition to the student health service fee, students who are studying full degree programs must take health insurance. It is required when applying for a residence permit and coming to Finland. The FSHS does not cover all the medical expenses, for instance, COVID treatment.
If you want to find out more information about FSHS, check this Video onYouTube!
Want to know more about Health and Insurance? Check this page on our website.
