Health Care for Students in Croatia
All international students who possess a temporary residence in Croatia are required to have a valid health insurance for their entire stay period in Croatia. To get a temporary residence permit, health insurance is a compulsory requisite.
International students with temporary residence permit who have come to Croatia for
higher education, on the basis of general student exchange agreements, youth mobility programmes, and inter-university agreements and programmes organized by the concerned science and education authority are not required to register for compulsory health insurance. The above mentioned programmes must cover the health care services.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
EU country students are offered the health care benefits while they are staying in Croatia temporarily, if they possess the European Health Insurance Card. The EHIC is given by the providers of National Health Insurance, and is free of cost.
The unexpected illness, accident or injury costs are taken care by the providers of national health care available in the EHIC holder’s country of residence. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) holder is just required to pay the participation fee in Croatia, only if that is compulsory for insurance holders of Croatia students as well. The European Health Insurance Card does not include the costs of treatment at private health care facilities.
The EHIC holders from Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are required to pay the costs of health care offered in Croatia. Students from these countries are not included in the health care system of Croatia.
Countries having Health Care Agreements with the Republic of Croatia
Following countries have health care agreements with Croatia: Montenegro, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Macedonia
Pupils from the above mentioned countries must get in touch with their public health care providers prior to entering Croatia to get the document that allows them to obtain health care/medical assistance in Croatia.
Countries not having Health Care Agreements with the Republic of Croatia
Pupils from countries that do not have a health care agreements with Croatia must get insurance through the Health Insurance Fund of Croatia (HZZO) after arriving the country. For registering with the Health Insurance Fund of Croatia, students must submit their unique student identification number that is given by the central police station after they apply for a temporary residence permit in Croatia. Then, the Croatian Health Insurance Fund will register the pupil temporarily and provide a certificate that must then be submitted at the central police station. After the submission of the certificate at the police station, temporary residence is provided to the students, and the Croatian Health Insurance Fund then gives a document to the students that allow them to take health care benefits from the health care institutions of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
Costs of health insurance: 400 HRK per month (The relevant Ministry of Finance-Tax Department provides money orders to the pupils’ registered address in Croatia).
Visiting Students Financed by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
The Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports include the costs of health insurance for all international students who receive grants from the Ministry, provided it is included in the grant agreement.
Erasmus Students
Erasmus pupils who are living in Croatia on a temporary basis can make use of the international health insurance from their country of permanent residence.They are not required to pay the fee for mandatory health insurance in the Republic of Croatia.
To know more about the health insurance in Croatia, visit the official website of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) i.e. https://hzzo.hr/