More than a half of all students have paid the healthcare fee – 130,000 have yet to pay it.

Students who attend a traditional university or a university of applied sciences and who are entitled to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) must pay a healthcare fee to Kela. About 135,000 so far have paid the fee, and about 130,000 have yet to pay it.

In the week ending 12 September, Kela sent a letter to students who according to the information available to Kela had registered as attending for the autumn term 2021 but had not yet paid the healthcare fee. The letter reminds the student of the obligation to pay the fee and provides instructions for how to pay it. The letter can also be read on the OmaKela e-service. Students who registered as attending in September may not have received the letter.

The letter will not be sent to students who have paid the fee or who have not registered as attending.

In 2021, the healthcare fee is 35.80 euros per term

In 2021, the student healthcare fee in higher education is 35.80 euros per term. Students are not billed for the fee but are expected to pay it unprompted. Students who do not pay the fee by 30 September 2021 will get a letter from Kela reminding them of it. They will also be charged a EUR 5 late fee.

If a student does not pay the healthcare fee after having been reminded of it, Kela can withhold the healthcare fee and the late fee from study grant payments without consulting the student. If the healthcare fee cannot be withheld from the study grant payments, it will be referred to the enforcement authority for collection.

The fee is used to finance healthcare services for higher education students. The State finances 77% of the costs for healthcare services for higher education students and the rest, 23%, are financed through the healthcare fee.

The healthcare fee for the spring term can be paid once its rate has been confirmed by Government decree, which will take place by the end of November.