Before you come to the Netherlands, make sure that you have made arrangements to be properly insured against the costs of medical treatment. Here you can read which insurance applies to your situation.

There are three healthcare insurance possibilities:

1. You have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance: This applies mainly to foreign nationals who have a part-time job or do an internship in the Netherlands.
2. Your insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands: This applies mainly to EU/EEA or Swiss nationals without job or internship in the Netherlands.
3. You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands: This applies mainly to non EU/EEA or Swiss nationals without job or internship in the Netherlands.

1. You have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance
In certain circumstances, for example when you take on a part-time job or when you do a paid internship, you have to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance. If this obligation applies to you, you can take out such an insurance with every Dutch public healthcare insurance company. Most schools and employers have a contract with an insurance company which offers a discount. It is worth it to find out if you can join these schemes. The Dutch public healthcare insurance can be rather expensive, but people below a certain income level can receive a financial contribution towards their costs through the Healthcare Allowance (zorgtoeslag).

If you are still unsure whether you are obliged to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance, you can fill in the form "Do I need statutory basic healthcare insurance?" available from the Netherlands organization for international cooperation in higher education, and send it to the Social Insurance Bank (SVB)*, who can clear things up for you.

* please note that the SVB can only tell you whether or not you are taking part in the Dutch social security system (volksverzekeringen). When you do take part in the Dutch social security system, you also have the right and the obligation to take out a Dutch public healthcare insurance.

2. Your insurance policy in your home country covers your stay in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has health insurance treaties with a number of countries. This includes all EU countries and Switzerland. If you are insured under the national health insurance scheme of one of these countries, your insurance company can provide you with either an international declaration form or with a European Health Insurance Card. Make sure to bring this with you to the Netherlands. You will need it when you go to see a doctor in the Netherlands. If your insurance does not cover your stay in the Netherlands, and if you cannot make use of the international treaty described above, then you will have to take out a private insurance policy. As long as you do not work or take up a paid internship in the Netherlands, you are not obliged to take out any additional insurance in the Netherlands.

3. You take out a new or special insurance policy for your stay in the Netherlands
If you are not covered under the public healthcare insurance of the Netherlands or of your homecountry, then you will have to take out another healthcare insurance. There are special policies available for international students in the Netherlands.

Insurance documents in common European language
Whichever type of insurance you have, make sure that the insurance documents are written in one of the more common European languages.