Health Care
France's health system can feel like a maze from the outside. Here's what you'll need to sort out early, and where to turn if something comes up before you've figured it all out.
Getting covered
Register with French social security
Full-time students are usually covered automatically through their university or CROUS, resulting in a Carte Vitale that lets doctors and pharmacies bill your care directly. EU/EEA/Swiss students can rely on their EHIC for short stays instead.
Add a mutuelle
Public insurance typically reimburses around 70% of most care. A mutuelle (complementary insurance) covers the rest, optional but strongly recommended if you expect to see a doctor more than once or twice a year.
Finding care
Emergency numbers
All of these are free to call. 112 works from any phone, even without a French SIM or credit.
Frequently asked questions
Usually yes. Non-EU students should register for French social security even with existing cover, since most local doctors and pharmacies expect it. EU/EEA/Swiss students can rely on their EHIC for shorter stays instead.
It can take a few weeks to process, so it's worth starting as soon as you enrol rather than waiting until you need care.
You can still see a doctor and pay upfront; keep the receipt, since you can usually claim it back once your registration goes through. Your university's student health service (SSU) can also often see you without an appointment.
Yes, consultations with a registered doctor or psychiatrist are covered the same way as other care, and a mutuelle can reduce the remaining cost further. Many universities also offer free student counselling separately.
You can request a replacement through your Assurance Maladie account, and you're still covered while it's being reissued. Keep your registration number somewhere safe in the meantime.
Still stuck?
Ask the community on WhatsApp
This page is written and kept current by AEGEE Toulouse, the volunteer association that's welcomed international students to Toulouse since 2025. It covers the general process, not personal medical advice: post your question, from paperwork to finding a doctor who speaks your language, in the group below: someone has likely been through exactly this.
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