Health insurance

Health insurance is an insurance type needed in case of any illness, accident, injury, poisoning, life threatening situation, etc.
Foreigners who want to study in Poland are obliged to:

a) have a personal health or accident insurance policy for the period of education in Poland or
b) have a European Health Insurance Card (if they are citizens of European Union) or
c) purchase individual insurance from the National Health Fund in Poland immediately after beginning of their studies - recommended option!

National Health Fund (NFZ)

If you have no travel medical insurance after arriving in Poland, it is possible to become insured by the National Health Fund (NFZ). It is an obligatory common system of health care insurance for all citizens of Poland, which guarantees access to all public healthcare services (appointments with physicians and dentists, hospital treatments, medical tests and so on). To be able to use such insurance, it is necessary to pay a monthly insurance contribution. The University will pay contributions for people of Polish origin (having a decision on Polish origins issued by a Polish consul) or holders of a valid Polish Card or a permanent residence card.

To voluntarily purchase healthcare insurance with the National Health Fund, it is necessary to:

1. File a completed application with the West Pomerania Branch of NFZ.

The West Pomeranian Branch of NFZ is located at the following address:
ul. Arkońska 45
71-470 Szczecin

[contact: tel. +48 801 00 22 72 for landlines, tel. +48 91 881 99 72 for mobiles and calls from abroad]

Foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union, while filing an application for voluntary health insurance, should bring:

• a passport
• a document confirming their legal residence in Poland
• a student card.

2. Go to the local branch of the Social Security Institution (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych ZUS), where you have to file a ZUS ZZA form (the form is available here).

The form must be printed, signed and taken personally to:
the local branch of the Social Security Institution (ZUS)
ul. Matejki 22
70-530 Szczecin

It is also there that the first (and each subsequent, monthly) insurance contribution must be paid, which for foreign students from outside the EU is PLN 55.80 monthly.

The insurance contribution for each calendar moth is payable by the 15th day of the following month for the previous month (e.g. for April by 15th May).

At the International Students and Mobility Office of the Maritime University, we will provide you with all information as regards insurance and help you to fill in all necessary documents. Just contact us!

Private insurance

A foreigner may also take out voluntary insurance in another insurance institution both in Poland and abroad. It is important that the conditions of such insurance include coverage in the case of an illness, accident, injury, poisoning, life threatening situation, etc.

There is an academic health care centre operating at the Maritime University of Szczecin, which offers comprehensive medical and dental care. It is located on the ground floor of "Pasat" Dormitory. To use the services of the academic health centre, a student must have an agreement signed on accessing the National Health Fund. Otherwise (if a student has not joined the NFZ), a medical appointment will be paid (about PLN 30). Moreover, the student will have to pay for all the necessary medical tests and treatments as well as pay 100% of the price for all prescription medications bought at a pharmacy.