for students outside EU / EFTA
Medical Insurance
Non-Dutch students must be adequately insured for medical expenses while staying in the Netherlands. This will be checked by the registration officials when you apply for a residence permit. The Netherlands has treaties regarding health insurance with all EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey, Morocco, most of the countries of former Yugoslavia, Tunisia, Cape Verde Islands and Australia.
If you are insured under the national health insurance scheme of one of these countries, your insurance company can provide you with a European Health Insurance Card or an international declaration form (E-111 or E-128). Make sure you bring this card or form with you to the Netherlands, and make a number of copies. You will need the card/form to see a doctor.
If your insurance does not cover your stay in the Netherlands and you cannot make use of the international treaty described above, you will have to take out private insurance. Special policies are available for international students and various insurance companies focus on international guests, such as Insurance Passport for Students (IPS) and MYAON.
The Student Service Centre can assist in arranging medical (including liability) insurance on arrival in Wageningen but you can also arrange your medical and liability insurance in advance. We advise you to check the coverage carefully for the following:
- medical expenses
- emergency dental expenses
- accidental death and dismemberment
- individual liability for damage caused to others (known in Dutch as Aansprakelijkheid voor Particulierenverzekering)
- personal property (loss of household contents or baggage due to e.g. theft or fire)
- S.O.S. assistance: cost of repatriation due to serious illness or death, if not included in the health insurance or travel insurance
Please note: When you have a part-time job next to your study or start a paid internship the special student health insurance must be changed to the "Basic Health Insurance Policy". The fees for this insurance are a lot higher than the fees for the standard AON student health insurance. It is advisable to check the cost of the insurance and how much money you will earn before accepting the job.
Wageningen University can assist in arranging AON insurance for international students. For more information you can contact the Student Service Desk in Forum or see www.students-insurance.eu.
If you are obliged to take out Dutch public health insurance it is likely that you are eligible for compensation for your insurance costs. This compensation is called healthcare allowance. Call 0800 0543 for information.
Finally: Don’t take the obligation to take out Dutch public health insurance too lightly. If you fail to comply with the rules you may end up having to pay a hefty fine.
If you’re still in doubt
Some situations are so complicated that you may still be unsure whether you are obliged to take out Dutch public health insurance. For those situations you ask advice from an organization called the Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (www.svb.nl/int/en/index.jsp). They can tell you whether or not you are taking part in the Dutch social security system. If so, you must take out Dutch public health insurance.
Liability Insurance
International students who have their own health insurance (other than the AON insurance offered by Wageningen University, which is valid in the Netherlands) are strongly advised to purchase liability insurance as a simple accident can easily cost you hundreds of euros in the Netherlands. This insurance can be bought at the student information desk and costs around € 40 a year.
Other Insurance
Insurance to cover the costs of repatriation due to serious illness or death is also strongly recommended. This pays for special transportation and/or medical care should you need to be repatriated and often the airfare for a family member. Furthermore, it is prudent to take out insurance against theft and the cost of accidents and legal advice.
Any Questions? Check our 'Questions & Answers'