Student Health Services

The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) aims to improve the physical and mental well-being of students. FSHS offers affordable health and medical services to students at health centres across Finland.

If you are a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree student at UEF, you have the right to access the general, mental and oral health care services provided by FSHS throughout your studies. The FSHS payments are collected by Kela. Read more below. Exchange students and postgraduate students can use municipal health care or private health care.

FSHS - A Significant Student Benefit

After you have paid the FSHS fee to Kela, you are entitled to use the health services at all FSHS branches across Finland. The contact details and opening hours of FSHS health centres can be found on the FSHS website.

NB! If you need maternal health care or urgent medical care (such as for accidents, injuries or night-time/weekend medical care), please contact your local municipal health service provider.

Remember to Create a Self Account

Self is an online student service that aims to speed up your communications with FSHS. You can use Self to book, cancel or reschedule appointments, take part in health surveys, view your laboratory test results and communicate with FSHS health professionals via chat.

This will give you access to FSHS services right from the start and you will also receive an invitation to attend a new student’s health check-up via Self. Remember to update your Self account if you move, or if there are other changes to your contact details.

Student Healthcare

Degree students

The Student Union membership fee does not include the FSHS fee. FSHS fee is paid to Kela via their e-service or as a bank transfer. You can find detailed instructions on how to pay from Kela's webpage. Degree students can use the services provided by FSHS (the general, mental and oral health care services) as usual after paying Kela.

NB! If you are a degree student and you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee to Kela and you can still use the FSHS services. However, if you do not notify Kela that you pay social security coverage in your country before the due date, Kela can send you a reminder of the payment. Therefore, you should send Kela a copy of your valid European Health Insurance Card or other document showing that you have social security coverage in your home country. You can find more information about this change from Kela’s website linked below.

The Executive Board of ISYY decided in its 29-2022 meeting that degree students who come from outside the EU and have to pay the healthcare fee to Kela have the option to pay the fee at the Student Union office if the student’s bank transaction fee is higher than 30 % of the payment. ISYY will forward the payment to Kela on behalf of the student. However, ISYY charges a 10 € handling fee if a student pays the healthcare fee at the ISYY office.

Exchange students

Make sure you have a good health insurance before you begin your exchange.

Students from EU/EEA countries and from Switzerland will start using municipal healthcare. In Joensuu the services are provided by Siun Sote. In Kuopio, the city provides the services. Remember to get your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) while you are still in your home country! This gives you the health care services in Finland at the same price as for locals.
Students from other countries (outside the European Union/EEA) will use private healthcare. Make sure you have a good health insurance that covers all necessary treatments before you begin your exchange.

Kela.fi: How to pay the student healthcare fee in higher education

Kamu: Insurance Cover for Students

Kuopio.fi: Read about local municipal health service provides in Kuopio

Siunsote.fi: Municipal healthcare in Joensuu