Korea National Health Insurance

International students who reside in Korea are legally required to enroll in the national health insurance program (National Health Insurance Act). Students will be automatically enrolled in the insurance plan when they complete the alien registration process and receive alien registration numbers (Korean social security numbers).

Period of Coverage

The first day of coverage would be the day of alien registration. The last day of coverage would be the day after you leave Korea or the end of your approved stay period.

Students who stay in Korea without valid visa statuses are not covered by the national insurance program.

Insurance Fee

The insured is required to pay his/her insurance fee (contribution) to the NHIS. The fee will be charged on a monthly basis.

Estimated Monthly Fee for D-2 Students

For D-2 students, the NHIS provides insurance enrollment with a discounted fee.

National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) will start sending bills from the 10th of every month. It will be mailed to the address you registered at the immigration office. If you wish to receive a bill by e-mail or mobile bill, you may contact the call center (information provided below) to make the arrangement.

Tel. 1577-1000: Dial 7 for information on foreign languages
Tel. 033-811-2000: Service in foreign languages (English, Chinese, Vietnamese and available)

Payment Process

National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) will start sending bills from the 10th of every month. The bill will be mailed to the mailing addresses that students reported to the immigration office.

Students must pay the insurance fee by the 25th of every month. Late fees will be attached to payments made after the 25th. Insurance coverage may be also stopped if there is a pending balance. Students are highly recommended to contact NHIS customer service to set up a payment method. It is possible to receive a bill by e-mail or mobile. Students may also set up an automated transfer from their Korean bank account to the NHIS.

NHIS Incheon Center for Foreigner  

Office Hours: Monday – Friday (9:00 am – 6:00 pm) 
Phone: 033-811-2000

For D-2 visa students, the immigration office will not extend the visa if the overdue amount accumulates up to KRW 500,000.

Insurance Benefit

International students can receive the same level of benefit as regular Korean citizens. The insurance service covers up to 80% of inpatient treatments and medical services. The service also covers 30 – 70% of outpatient treatments and medical services. In general, the covered amount gets deducted from your medical bill when you check out of the medical institution.

For more information, visit the NHIS website.

* The co-payment is the portion of the health care service cost paid by patients to the medical service provider when they visit a hospital.

Waiver of National Insurance Requirement

Non-Korean students who wish to use a private insurance plan as an alternative to national insurance may apply for a waiver of the national health insurance requirement.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply for the waiver.

1. The insurance launched in Korea cannot be excluded from the waiver.
2. The insurance certificate or policy must include the insured's name and date of birth.
3. The insurance subscription date must precede the alien registration date of the applicant.
4. The insurance must provide medical coverage for common diseases and injuries.
5. There should be no restrictions on the number of guarantees.
6. The applicant must have access to health protection in Korea.
7. The insurance must provide a minimum of 1 billion won in medical coverage with no limit on the maximum amount.

Application Process

To apply for the waiver, the NHIS has advised visiting the local NHIS branch for international students to apply for the health insurance waiver by providing the following documents:

1. Alien Registration Card
2. Application for NHI Waiver
3. Insurance Policy Summary
4. A photocopy of your insurance policy in English and Korean *

* To receive a Korean version of your insurance policy, please contact your insurance provider. If a Korean version is not available, you may provide an English version with key information translated into Korean, such as the coverage limit, valid dates of your insurance, and the name of the insurance company. Notarization is not required. The NHIS may ask you to provide additional translation if necessary.

NHIS Incheon Center for Foreigner  

인천광역시 부평구 부평대로 88, 부평대로 우체국 7층 (부평시장역1번 출구)
BupyeongDaero Post Office B/D 7th FL., 88, Bupyeong-daero, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon (Bupyeong Market Subway Station Exit #1)

• Location: Naver Map / Kakao Map
• Office Hours: Monday – Friday (9:00 am – 6:00 pm)
• Phone: 033-811-2000