Fancy studying in Belgium? Find out more about how the healthcare system works in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation

Considered as having one of Europe’s best healthcare systems, Belgium spends more than 10% of its GDP on healthcare. In fact, the number of hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants is much higher than the average recorded by the other European Union countries. In addition, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation hosts multiple state-of-the-art university hospitals, where research and development enjoy international recognition.

Students’ health: a priority for French-speaking Belgian higher education institutions

In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, all French-speaking higher education institutions pay close attention to the health and quality of life of their students. That is why the universities have a medical service available (both general and specialised) on campus. Smaller institutions even accompany students so wishing to check-ups, for example.

Medical insurance in Belgium: compulsory for all foreign students

In Belgium, individual medical insurance is mandatory. And this also applies to international students. If you come to study in Belgium you therefore need to take out health insurance as soon as possible after arriving. This will give you the right to receive a full or partial refund, depending on the service provided, for your medical costs and certain medicines. If you so wish, complementary illness insurance also exists. Although not mandatory, this covers part of all the costs not reimbursed by regular medical insurance.

There are several health insurance providers operating in French-speaking Belgium, which you can choose freely between:

 

Please note: in most cases, international students also need to prove that they are covered by international medical insurance. International visitors staying in Belgium for less than three months cannot subscribe to a Belgian medical insurance system.

In addition to 112 and 101, there are other toll-free numbers that can help you:

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