The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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.
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.
Read more about the services provided by FSHS on the FSHS website
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.
Read more about the Self service on the FSHS website
“On 1 March 2019, parliament approved the government’s proposal for an Act on healthcare for students in higher education, and on 17 May 2019, the Act was given assent by Finland’s president. The Act will take effect on 1 January 2021.
In practice, the new legislation means that in addition to university students, students at universities of applied sciences will also have access to the primary healthcare services provided by the FSHS. The specific aim of the Act is to ensure student healthcare equality between these student groups.” – FSHS
The Student Union membership fee for the whole academic year includes the Finnish Student Health Service fee for the autumn semester.
However, because of the FSHS 2021 reform, the Student Union membership fee does not include the FSHS fee after the autumn semester. Instead, the FSHS fee for the spring semester 2021 is paid to Kela via their e-service or as a bank transfer. You can find detailed instruction 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.
The Student Union membership fee does not include the FSHS fee. Make sure you have a good health insurance before you begin your exchange. Starting from January 2021 the health services are organised as follows:
Yths.fi: FSHS 2021
Kela.fi: Healthcare fee for students in higher education starting 1 January 2021
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