Health insurance in Switzerland

English is not an official language in the canton of Bern. However, because of the large number of English-speaking students who use our services, we have provided information in English on the subject of exemptions for persons in basic and continuing education and training.

If you are only temporarily resident in Switzerland because you are studying or training in connection with your profession, the following rules apply, depending on your situation. In the following, persons in education/training are referred to as 'students'.

 

Do you have statutory health insurance in an EU/EFTA State?

Please note: the definition of working in the case of students includes all forms of contractual relationship in Switzerland, including second jobs, paid internships, teaching and research positions for PhD students, junior doctor positions during medical studies, au-pair positions, etc.

 

• Persons studying or training who do not work

If you are not working in Switzerland, you are not required to have health insurance in Switzerland. Statutory health insurance from an EU/EFTA State provides you with adequate cover during your stay in Switzerland and you are not required to have compulsory Swiss health insurance.

 

• Persons studying or training from Germany, France, Italy or Austria who have a job

You are required to have health insurance in Switzerland and in accordance with the Swiss Health Insurance Act, you have to take out compulsory Swiss health insurance with a Swiss health insurance provider. At the same time, you have a choice as to what to do: submit a request for an exemption and we will check whether your statutory health insurance provides sufficient cover, or whether you need to take out a different health insurance policy (health insurance specifically for foreign students or Swiss compulsory health insurance in accordance with the Health Insurance Act).

 

 

• Persons studying or training from all other EU/EFTA States who have a job

You are required to have health insurance in Switzerland and your statutory health insurance is not valid in Switzerland. You can either take out a reduced-cost health insurance plan specifically for foreign students and then submit a request for an exemption to us. Or you can take out compulsory health insurance with a Swiss health insurance provider.

 

Do you have private health insurance?

You are required to have health insurance in Switzerland and in accordance with the Health Insurance Act you must in principle take out compulsory health insurance with a Swiss health insurance provider. However, you can also have it checked whether your private health insurance provider provides sufficient cover or you can take out a reduced-cost health insurance plan specially for foreign students: in both cases you must then submit a request for an exemption from the requirement to have health insurance in Switzerland.

 

Submit a request for an exemption

www.be.ch/onlinetool (English)

www.be.ch/onlinetool (German)

 

Take out compulsory health insurance with a Swiss health insurance provider

Here you will find a list of all the Swiss Health insurance providers that offer compulsory health insurance in accordance with the Health Insurance Act: www.priminfo.admin.ch.