The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
13.01.2023
All students completing their bachelor’s or master’s degree at the University of Eastern Finland have the right to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) and must pay a healthcare fee to Kela. The fee must be paid for each term.
For the spring semester, the due date is 31 January provided that you have registered as attending by then. Kela does not send an invoice for the fee, so students must make sure to pay it on their own initiative. 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 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 linked in the ‘Read more’ section. The 2023 rate of the student healthcare fee is EUR 36.80 per term.
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. Please note that if you wish for ISYY to forward your FSHS payment to Kela, you have to pay the fee to ISYY at the ISYY office on Wednesday 25 January at the latest. After that it is not possible for ISYY to forward the payment on your behalf.
Kela.fi, opens in a new tab: How to pay the student healthcare fee in higher education
Kela.fi, opens in a new tab: How should I proceed if I have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or in Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Kela.fi, opens in a new tab: Healthcare fee for students in higher education
Salla Haapavaara, Coordinator of International Affairs, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), kv.joensuu(at)isyy.fi
Elina Pitkänen, Coordinator of International Affairs and Administration, the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), kv.kuopio(at)isyy.fi