PhD students_Polish citizens

A doctoral student who is under 26 years of age (Note! Age does not count in a situation where the doctoral student has a severe disability certificate or equivalent) should first be registered for health insurance as a family member of the insured person. Up to the age of 26, the obligation to register for health insurance rests with the parents or legal guardians of the doctoral student.

After reaching the age of 26, a doctoral student who is not covered by health insurance on any other basis, should be registered for this insurance by a unit of the doctoral school. Please note, that the insurance is only available on the doctoral student’s request. Students who are 26 and are not entitled to health insurance for any other reason should immediately (no later than within 7 days) submit an application for health insurance to the appropriate doctoral school unit.

If the doctoral student:

• does not have the status of a family member of the insured person,
• is not covered by this insurance on a different basis,

then the health insurance contribution is paid by the appropriate unit of the doctoral school.

Health insurance application form- ZUS ZZA

The health insurance contribution does not reduce the amount of the scholarship paid to the doctoral student.

Doctoral students registered for health insurance in the school unit, should also register all members of their family who are not covered by this insurance on another basis.

The school unit pays health insurance contributions until the date of completing education or removal from the list of doctoral students.

The right to health care services expires for a doctoral student 4 months after graduation or removal from the list of doctoral students.

PhD students_from EU or EFTA countries

Doctoral students from European Union or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries may use health care on the same terms as Polish insured persons, only if they have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in their country of origin.

To be eligible for a card, student must be insured by or covered by a state social security system in any Member State of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Important – the European Health Insurance Card:

• is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,
• does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose of obtaining medical treatment,
• does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.

More information on the EHIC on the European Commission website.

Doctoral students who are citizens of EU/EFTA member states and who do not have a title to insurance in their country of origin (e.g. they are not registered for insurance as a family member in their country) are registered for health insurance by the relevant KISD unit where the doctoral student prepares his/her dissertation. Notification is at the request of the doctoral student.

PhD students_from outside EU or EFTA countries

Doctoral students from outside European Union or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, who are not entitled to health insurance on any other basis, may insure themeselves voluntarily thanks to an appropriate agreement with the National Health Fund (NFZ). To sign this agreement, a doctoral student must first submit an application in the regional branch of the National Health Fund. After signing the agreement, a doctoral student must submit an application for health insurance to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) or they can choose a commercial offer..

Health insurance in the National Health Fund

1. To sign a contract on voluntary health insurance, an application must be submitted to the provincial branch of the National Health Fund, which is competent for the place of residence: Department of the National Health Fund in Krakow, ul. Wadowicka 8W. The application should be accompanied by: a scan of the passport, a scan of the current visa, a certificate of being a PhD student, PESEL number, a document confirming residence in Poland).
2. After signing the contract, you must submit an application for health insurance at any branch of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). ZUS will provide the doctoral student with an individual account number to which the doctoral student will pay monthly contributions. Attention! The proof of insurance is the contract with the National Health Fund together with the ZUS ZZA form and confirmation of payment of the last contribution.

Details about voluntary health insurance can be found on:

• NFZ website (PL)
• NFZ information (ENG)
• ZUS website (PL)
• Ministry of Health website (PL)

Very important!

Insurance in the National Health Fund cannot be duplicated. If the doctoral student is insured by a KISD unit and acquires another title to health insurance from the National Health Fund, e.g. through employment based on an employment contract, contract of mandate (in the case of people over 26), registration of own business, compulsory insurance for a working spouse / the spouse, must immediately report this fact to the competent KISD unit.

Completion of education and health care

If a doctoral student is enrolled in health insurance by a KISD unit, he / she is entitled to healthcare benefits for 4 months after completing education or removing from the list of doctoral students. This means that the doctoral student will be deregistered from health insurance due to the completion of education or removal from the list of doctoral students, but will still be entitled to a 4-month right to healthcare services.