Student Health Insurance: How to pay 80 CHF instead of 400 CHF?

5 min read | February 13, 2026 Guide 2026

It's the #1 shock upon arriving in Switzerland: health insurance is mandatory and extremely expensive (between 350 and 500 CHF per month depending on the canton). For a student budget, this is often impossible.

Fortunately, there are legal solutions for international students (EU and Non-EU) to drastically reduce this bill, sometimes down to less than 100 CHF per month.

Warning: doing nothing is illegal. You must obtain an official exemption. Here is the procedure to save thousands of francs.

1. The Basic Rule: Compulsory LAMal

Anyone residing in Switzerland for more than 3 months must take out basic health insurance (LAMal). If you do nothing, the canton will automatically affiliate you with an expensive insurance and send you the bill.

However, federal law (OAMal) provides exceptions for students, as they do not have significant income.

🇪🇺 EU/EFTA STUDENTS: FREE (WITH CONDITIONS)

If you come from a European Union country (France, Germany, Italy...) and you do not work in Switzerland:

You can use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Cost: Free (covered by your home country).
Action required: Send a copy of your EHIC to the cantonal service (SAM/OVAM) to request an exemption.

2. Non-EU Students: The "Student Package" Solution

If you come from a third country (USA, Asia, UK, Latin America...) or if you cannot use the European card, you do not have to pay the LAMal at 400 CHF.

Private insurers offer "Foreign Student Insurance" (compliant with Swiss VVG/LCA standards) which covers exactly what the law requires, but at a rate adapted to young people.

Comparison	LAMal Insurance (Standard)	Student Insurance (e.g., Swisscare)
Monthly Price (Estimated)	~380 CHF	~65 to 100 CHF
Annual Deductible	300 to 2,500 CHF	Often low (e.g., 300 CHF)
Coverage	Complete (Unlimited)	Limited to essential care in Switzerland (Sufficient for permit)
Eligibility	Everyone	Students (under 30, unemployed)

*Examples of insurers recognized by cantons: Swisscare, Scorestudies, Academic Care. (ibani is not affiliated with these services).

3. The Vital Procedure: Requesting Exemption

Subscribing to cheap insurance is not enough. You must prove to the canton that you are covered to avoid paying LAMal. This is the "Equivalence Request".

Key Steps:

Subscribe to the student insurance (you will receive a certificate).
Receive the letter from the Canton (SAM in Geneva, OVAM in Vaud) asking you to insure yourself.
Return the "Exemption Request" form with your certificate and your certificate of enrollment.
Important: You have 3 months after your arrival to do this.

⚠️ WARNING IF YOU WORK

If you take a student job (more than a few hours) or a paid internship, the exemption may be cancelled and you will have to switch to standard LAMal (more expensive). Find out before signing an employment contract.

4. How to pay your insurance without bank fees?

Even if you reduce the bill to 80 CHF per month, you must pay this amount in Swiss Francs (CHF) to the insurer.

If you use your foreign bank account (in Euros or Dollars) to pay this monthly bill via international transfer:

Your bank will apply exchange fees (often 2 to 5 EUR min. per transfer).
On an 80 CHF bill, paying 5 EUR in fees represents a 6% monthly surcharge!

The ibani solution:

Use your ibani Swiss IBAN to pay your bills (Rent, Insurance, Phone) like a local.

Transfer a lump sum (e.g., 1000 EUR) to your ibani account.
The money is exchanged at the real market rate (much better than banks).
Pay your Swiss bills for free in CHF from the app.