How do I register with Social Security as an international student?

Go to etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr, create an account and provide: student certificate, copy of passport, visa, birth certificate, and RIB. You will receive a provisional social security number. European students can first use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

The CPAM (Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie) is the local body that manages your health coverage: reimbursements, issuing the Carte Vitale, rights certificates, and CSS applications. Contact it via your Ameli account, by phone on 3646, or in person at an agency.

How do I get my Carte Vitale?

Register on etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr. After your dossier is validated, the CPAM sends a Carte Vitale application form to return with a passport photo. The card arrives in 2–4 months. In the meantime, download your provisional rights certificate from your Ameli account.

What is a médecin traitant (referring doctor) and why is it important?

The médecin traitant is the general practitioner you declare as your primary doctor on your Ameli account. Without a declared referring doctor, your reimbursement rate drops from 70% to 30% for consultations. Declare one online on ameli.fr after your first consultation. Choose a general practitioner (médecin généraliste) in sector 1 (no excess fees) close to your home.

How does a medical consultation work in France?

A consultation with a sector 1 general practitioner costs 26.50 € (2026 rate). With a declared referring doctor, the Sécurité Sociale reimburses 70% (18.55 €). Your mutuelle covers the remaining 30% (7.95 €). With the Carte Vitale, reimbursement is automatic within 5 days by bank transfer. Without the card, use a provisional certificate and submit claims on ameli.fr.

What are the emergency services in France?

SAMU (emergency medical service): call 15 for medical emergencies. SMUR (mobile emergency units): on-site medical intervention. Hospital Accident and Emergency (Urgences): go to the nearest hospital for serious injuries or sudden illness. Free consultation for life-threatening emergencies. For non-urgent situations, consult a general practitioner (3.24 € co-payment without mutuelle).

What is the CSS (Complémentaire Santé Solidaire)?

The CSS (formerly CMU-C) is a free or near-free top-up insurance (mutuelle) for people with very low incomes (below approximately 900 €/month for a single person in 2026). Scholarship students and students in precarious situations may be eligible. Apply on ameli.fr. Coverage: routine care, dental, optical, and hearing within defined ceilings.

How do I get dental care in France?

Consult a registered dentist (chirurgien-dentiste), who must be in sector 1 or 2 to limit excess fees. A consultation costs 23–30 € (sector 1), reimbursed 70% by Sécurité Sociale. Some treatments are 100% covered (100% Santé dental care reform). For major dental work (prosthetics, implants), a mutuelle is strongly recommended to avoid very high out-of-pocket costs.

How does mental health care work for students in France?

Free support: the PSY Étudiant scheme provides 8 psychology sessions per year, free of charge, with a referred psychologist. Contact your university SUMPPS (service of preventive medicine). For a psychiatrist, the process is: referring doctor referral → psychiatrist consultation (100% covered if referred). Anonymous and free: 3114 (national prevention and suicide helpline).

Can I keep my home country health insurance in France?

European students can use their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) for emergency care, but for a year-long study stay, enrolment with French Social Security is strongly recommended for comprehensive daily coverage. Non-EU students cannot use foreign health insurance in place of French Social Security — enrolment is mandatory from the first day of enrolment at a French institution.

What is the OFII medical visit?

The OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration) medical visit is a mandatory appointment for non-EU students validating a VLS-TS for the first time. OFII sends a summons to your registered address within a few months of your visa validation. The visit is free and includes: general health check, chest X-ray (tuberculosis screening), and receipt of the OFII validation sticker.

How do I get reimbursed for medication?

Purchase medication at a pharmacy with a valid prescription. Present your Carte Vitale (or provisional rights certificate). The Sécurité Sociale reimburses 65% of the base rate for most prescription medications, within 5 days by bank transfer. Your mutuelle covers the remaining 35%. Over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications are generally not reimbursed.

What is the Ameli mobile application?

The Ameli app (available on iOS and Android) is the official application of the Sécurité Sociale (CPAM). It allows you to: download your rights certificate, track reimbursements in real time, send documents and messages to your CPAM, find a doctor or pharmacy, and update your personal details. Download it as soon as you have your Ameli account.

How do I access optical and dental care?

The 100% Santé reform (2021) guarantees zero out-of-pocket cost for basic glasses and hearing aids for insured people with a mutuelle. For dental care: certain treatments (prosthetics, oral-facial surgery) are 100% covered. Consult your optician, dentist, or audiologist and ask specifically about '100% Santé' equipment to avoid unexpected costs.

What vaccination obligations apply to international students?

France requires no specific vaccinations for international students studying on its territory. However, some health or medical programmes require proof of certain vaccinations (hepatitis B, MMR, BCG). For internships or placements in healthcare settings, contact your institution's occupational health service. Vaccinations are free at CROUS health centres and CPAM vaccination points.

How do I get a prescription for medication without a regular doctor?

Options: SOS Médecins (home visit, 60–80 €, partially reimbursed), Maison de Santé Pluridisciplinaire (walk-in), teleconsultation services (Doctolib, Medecin Direct, from 15–35 €, reimbursed with a referring doctor). For contraception: pharmacists can prescribe emergency contraception without prescription. For chronic conditions, Doctolib allows online appointment booking with GPs who are accepting new patients.

Health & Social Security FAQ — Students in France

All frequently asked questions about Social Security, the Carte Vitale, CSS, and the healthcare system for international students in France — 15 answers with official 2026 data.

Dernière vérification : 1 mars 2026

Health and Social Security FAQ for International Students in France

How to register with Social Security

Go to etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr
Create an account and upload your student certificate, passport, and birth certificate
Receive your provisional social security number
Request your Carte Vitale (arrives in 2–4 months)
Declare a referring doctor (médecin traitant) on ameli.fr

Key reimbursement rates

GP consultation (sector 1, 26.50 €): 70% reimbursed by Sécurité Sociale
Prescription medication: 65% reimbursed
Hospitalisation: 80% reimbursed
Dental (100% Santé care): 100% covered

Free healthcare options

PSY Étudiant: 8 free psychology sessions/year
CSS: free top-up insurance for incomes below ~900 €/month
3114: national prevention and suicide helpline (free, 24/7)

Official Sources

Conseil expert

Register on etudiant-etranger.ameli.fr as soon as you arrive and download your provisional rights certificate from the Ameli app — it is sufficient to see a doctor before you receive your Carte Vitale (2–4 month delay).

Conseil expert

Declare a referring doctor (médecin traitant) in your first month: without one, your consultation reimbursements drop from 70% to 30%.

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Health & Social Security FAQ — Students in France

Health and Social Security FAQ for International Students in France

How to register with Social Security

Key reimbursement rates

Free healthcare options

Official Sources

Conseil expert

Conseil expert

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