Social security for a student without professional activity
Verified 13 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
You become a student and you do not have a professional activity? Remember to check your social protection situation to be quickly and properly reimbursed. The procedure to be followed varies depending on whether or not you already have a Social Security number. We explain the rules to know.
Social Security Number
You are a French or European student (EEE and Switzerland) or another nationality and you have a Social Security number. You need to check your social protection situation to be quickly and properly reimbursed. The approach to follow varies depending on whether or not you are already attached to a social protection organization (examples: CPAM: titleContent, MSA: titleContent).
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Attached to a social protection agency
If you register for the 1re Once in a higher education institution, you do not change your compulsory health insurance plan (general plan, MSA: titleContent ...). In practice, the diet is often that of your parents. It will be the same the following year.
You are entitled to reimbursement for your care in the event of illness or maternity.
To complete refunds from the Health Insurance, you can join a complementary health (mutual).
For this, you have the choice between:
- A student health insurance
- Or your parents' health insurance
- Or any other complementary body.
If your resources are low, you may be entitled to complementary health solidarity (C2S). A simulator lets you know if you can benefit from C2S:
Estimate your rights to solidarity-based complementary health care
FYI
If you have long-term financial difficulties, you can benefit from a annual emergency aid,
At 18, you become a " self-insured ».
In the months following your birthday, your CPAM: titleContent send you a mail.
This letter indicates that you now benefit from the care of your own Social Security number. It invites you to create your own ameli account.
From the age of 16, you can apply for insurance on request to your health insurance fund.
To do this, you must fill in the cerfa form n°15680.
Not affiliated with a social welfare organization
You request your affiliation under the universal protection disease (Puma).
La Puma guarantees to any person working or residing in France on a stable and regular basis a right to personal and continuous coverage of health costs throughout life.
To do this, you send the following documents to your health insurance fund:
- Form cerfa no. 15763
- Supporting documents requested.
Please note
Any person who deliberately refuses to affiliate or who persists in not engaging the steps for his compulsory affiliation to a social security scheme is punishable by imprisonment of 6 months and a fine of €15,000 (or only one of these penalties).
No number
You need to check your situation. The procedure to be carried out is different depending on whether you are European or of another nationality:
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European (EEE and Switzerland)
If you are a national of either Switzerland and come to study in France, you are considered to be a temporary stay and must be affiliated to the Health Insurance Plan from your country of origin.
You have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
You can apply to the social protection agency of your country of origin one European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
This card allows you to benefit from coverage of health expenses as well as direct access to care, in the event of an accident or illness.
Your card must be valid at least until the end of the academic year.
Find out more before your departure with your affiliate organization.
Requests for reimbursement of care are made to the CPAM: titleContent of your place of residence.
Please note
If you work in France during your studies, you are covered by the universal protection disease (Puma).
You have the S1 form
If you don't have EHIC but you have Form S1, you must register on the site student-foreigner.ameli.fr.
You have no documents
You must register on the site student-foreigner.ameli.fr.
Other nationality
The rules vary depending on your situation:
General scenario
If you are a foreigner student, you are covered by the universal protection disease (Puma).
La Puma guarantees to any person working or residing in France on a stable and regular basis a right to personal and continuous coverage of health costs throughout life.
You must apply for your Social Security membership by registering on the site student-foreigner.ameli.fr.
Quebecers
You can be covered by the bilateral Social Security agreement signed by your country and France.
Ask before your departure to your health insurance fund the form necessary to submit it to the CPAM: titleContent of your place of residence in France.
Please note
Any person who deliberately refuses to affiliate or who persists in not engaging the steps for his compulsory affiliation to a social security scheme is punishable by imprisonment of 6 months and a fine of €15,000 (or only one of these penalties).
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
If you have a Social Security number
French primary health insurance fund (CPAM)If you do not have a Social Security number
General information on Social Security abroad and assistance with the procedures of individuals
By phone
+33 (0) 1 45 26 33 41
Hotline:
- Monday from 9am to 12.30pm
- Tuesday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Wednesday from 9 am to 12.30 pm
- Thursday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Friday from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
By courier
Access to contact form
By post
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison
44 Armand Carrel Street
93100 Montreuil
Ameli.fr
Center for European and International Social Security Liaison (Cleiss)