Let’s talk about the Korean National Health Insurance requirements for international students studying in South Korea. It’s important to have a strong health safety net while you are studying and Korea and that includes health insurance. Thankfully, South Korea makes health insurance mandatory and affordable for many students.
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About Korean National Health Insurance
Since many who read this post may not know about Korean National Health Insurance (NHI), let’s start with a quick introduction. The Korean health insurance system is primarily based on the NHI plan, a compulsory social insurance system that covers all residents. The NHI plan is managed by H-Well, a government-funded and managed organization.
The NHI provides coverage for a broad range of medical services, including outpatient visits, hospitalization, prescription medication, and preventative care. To receive these benefits, international residents and Korean citizens must pay monthly premiums.
Individual premiums for Korean NHI are calculated based on an individual’s income and assets. The system aims to ensure universal access to necessary healthcare services. Always check the latest from the National Health Insurance Service of Korea for the most accurate information.
NHI Required International Students in Korea
International students studying in South Korea for longer than 6 months are required to have valid health insurance during their stay. This is to ensure that students can access necessary medical care without facing financial hardship. If international students do not have full-coverage health care valid in South Korea, they will automatically be registered in the NHI system upon getting their foreign Registration Card (FRC). Here is what that looks like:
National Health Insurance Requirement
NHI Center Contact Information: 033-811-2000 or 1577-1000 (and press 7 for foreign language service)
The South Korean government requires all registered foreigners, including international students, to enroll in the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme if they do not have an alternate and accepted full-covered insurance. The NHI is a social insurance system that covers a large portion of the costs associated with medical treatment and healthcare services. It’s the best type of insurance to have while living in South Korea since it works easily across the country in all situations.
***If an international student would like to use private insurance instead of NHI they need to submit the correct paperwork, within the required timeline, and get approval from the Korean government. Most international students using private insurance come from Western countries and study at International universities such as those on Incheon Global Campus. ***Keep in mind, just because a student has private insurance does not mean it will be accepted by South Korea as an alternative for NHI. Please visit the H-well website to learn more about this option.
Insurance Enrollment:
Upon receiving their Alien Registration Card (ARC) from immigration, international students are automatically enrolled in the NHI scheme. H-well will automatically send the health insurance fee bill to the address and email on record with immigration. Since NHI enrollment happens automatically, some international students may not realize they have been enrolled.
International student enrollment to the National Health Insurance begins the day your Alien Registration Number is registered in the Ministry of Justice’s system. Typically, such registration occurs approximately 2 months after arriving in Korea. However, this can change at any time so always confirm details with the school admission office.
***International Students with a private, full-coverage healthcare policy that meets the rules set out by the Korean government who do not wish to enroll in NHI generally have to file this paperwork on their own. Students should not expect universities to help with this paperwork.
NHI Coverage
The NHI scheme provides coverage for various healthcare services, including outpatient visits, inpatient care, prescription drugs, and preventative care. It does not cover cosmetic surgery and certain types of non-essential care.
South of Seoul actually encourages students to have NHI and use it whenever they feel sick. Having NHI makes visiting hospitals much easier and life in South Korea far less stressful.
NHI Premiums
The premiums for the NHI scheme are based on the individual’s income and property. However, as students usually do not have income, they pay the minimum rate. Keep in mind, you must be on a D-2 visa to be eligible for this benefit. If you are studying while on an A, E, or F-visa you need to pay the standard rate. Additionally, the rate may go up if students get a job.
Average Monthly Discounted NHI Fee (for 2023): 60,000 ~ 70,000 KRW
Keep in mind, the discounted fees for students can change at any time and certain income requirements exist. If you do not meet such requirements, expect to pay the standard monthly rate.
Standard Monthly NHI Fee (for 2023):127,510 KRW per month
Premiums Payments
After getting their first bill via mail or email, most international students set up their NHI fees to automatically pay from their bank account. This means international students need to keep money in their accounts to make sure insurance payments get paid on time.
Premium Payments for Families
In some cases, international students live in South Korea with their families. In this case, the international student needs to visit their local NHIS branch to have their families premiums bundled into one payment.
Insurance Back Payments
Keep in mind, some students think they avoided registering for insurance because they don’t get a bill for some reason. However, ALL students are automatically registered upon getting their ARC. So, if they don’t get a bill or set up payments they need to figure out why since waiting can impact their bank account, visa status, and medical care.
Students who do not pay their health insurance fees will eventually get the bill. It may take around 6 months. This delay may occur because international students staying in Korea for less than 6 months don’t need to enroll. This may cause H-well to delay sending delinquent bills for unpaid fees until after the 6-month date.
When the bill does arrive a few things may happen 1) the bill will be around 738,000 KRW, 2) visa extensions may be denied, and 3) students may not be allowed to receive certain types of medical care. You don’t want this to be you. Make sure your insurance fees are paid.
Learn More About NHI on YouTube
Organizations in South Korea provide a great deal of information in English. Watch the following YouTube video created by H-well to help foreigners learn more about NHI
International students should also read the following PDF from NHI regarding health insurance coverage:
Universities May Have Their Own Health Insurance Requirements
Keep in mind, it’s not only the South Korean government that creates rules regarding international student health insurance. Each university may have its own individual insurance requirements as well. This means you need to communicate clearly with your school about all aspects of health care during your time studying in South Korea. For example:
Short Term Private Health Insurance
Before receiving the ARC and being able to enroll in the NHI scheme, international students may need to have private health insurance for their first 2 months in Korea. Some universities require proof of private health insurance when students register for classes. South of Seoul does not have detailed information regarding this type of insurance.
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
