Korean National Health Insurance(NHI)

Pursuant to the Korean National Health Insurance(NHI) Law and Regulations, all international students, including exchange students, who plan to stay in Korea for more than three months, are required to enroll in the nation-wide mandatory insurance plan at their own expenses from March 1, 2021.

• Enrollment Time

  ※ Any international student staying in Korea without health insurance is subject to the mandatory subscription to the National health insurance of Korea from March 1, 2021.

  Visa Type	Enrollment Time
  Overseas study (D-2) Elementary/Middle/High School students (D-4-3)	First entry → Alien registration date
  	Reentry → Reentry date
  General training (D-4)	Six months after the entry date
  Overseas Korean students and foreign nationality Korean students	On the date of admission into a school (if a copy of the proof of enrollment is submitted)

  
  • Monthly contributions for international students from March 2023: KRW 71,920
  • The above is inapplicable to the self-employed insured whose contribution is above the average contribution
  • Reduction only applies to those with a household income of KRW 3.6 million or below and a property tax base of KRW 135 million or below.
  • 1년에 360만원 이상의 소득이 있는 학생은 감면 적용이 되지 않은 보험료를 납부해야함.(감면 대상 제외)
  • Reduction in Contributions
    The reduction rate is changed from 50% per year to 70% to lessen the students’ financial burden

    Previous	Previous → Revised
    	March 2021 – February 2022	March 2022 – February 2023	March 2023 ~
    50% reduction	70% reduction	60% reduction	50% reduction

    
  • Contributions Payment
    • - Due Date: The contribution for the next month is due by the 25th of the current month (prepayment)
      → Example: Contribution for April 2021 → payable by March 25, 2021 (billed around the 10th of each month
    • - Payment Method: Automatic transfer (from your bank account or credit card), website, NHIS branch office, bank, etc
  • Applying for electronic billing, automatic transfer or registering a refund account): Call or visit the NHIS website or a branch office to apply.
    • - You may apply for electronic (email or mobile) billing instead of receiving a paper bill.
    • - Apply for automatic transfer debit for easy payment. Register a bank account to receive refunds quickly.
    • * Electronic Billing
      
• Insurance Benefits (available from the date of enrollment)
  • The same benefits as Korean citizens: Various benefits are available, including dental and oriental medical treatment, health checkups, and pregnancy and childbirth-related medical expenses (National Haengbok Card)
    ※ The above is inapplicable to non-covered items, such as treatment for procedures that do not affect work or daily life (example: plastic surgery).

    ※ Co-payment Rate: A person who receives medical care benefits bears part of the medical expenses as below.
    - Outpatient Medical Services: 30% - 60% of the NHIS, covering expenses (varies by medical care institution type and area) - Hospitalization Expenses: 20%

    ※ General Health Checkups: For office workers, general health checkups are available biannually depending on your year of birth(annually for non-office worker). For example, those born during an odd year can receive a general health checkup in 2021

• Disadvantages with Nonpayment of Contributions
  • Restrictions on Health Insurance Benefits: Healthinsurance benefits at medical care institutions are unavailable from the first day of the month following the payment deadline until the contributions is fully paid.
  • Restrictions on Visa Extension: Your stay in Korea may not be extended by the Korea Immigration Service
    → Exception: The restriction on visa extension does not apply if the contribution in arrears is less than KRW 500,000 or if other collection in arrears are less than KRW 100,000.
  • Dispositions on Default: The NHIS may demand payment by the specified period. Where a person fails to pay the insurance contributions by the specified period, compulsory collection procedures to seize his/her real estate, automobile, deposit, and so on may proceed
    → The contributions in arrears may be paid in installments, and the restriction on health insurance benefits will be lifted and made available once such installments are fully paid.
• Differences with Private Health Insurance
  • Immediate Coverage: The insured is not required to claim benefits after receiving treatment.
  • Number and Amount of Benefits: The number and amount of benefits are not limited.
    * Beneficiaries pay part of the medical expenses.
  • Co-payment Ceiling System: The upper limit of partial co-payments divided into seven levels applies to the insured depending on his/her income level. The amount paid over the annual upper level is refunded.
  • Pregnancy and Childbirth-Related Expenses Support: A card (National Haengbok Card) is provided for pregnancy and childbirth-related treatment and the purchase of prescribed drugs and materials. The card application can be acquired at NHIS branch offices or financial institutions.
• Enrollment Procedure
  • No action is required from students, as they are automatically subscribed to health insurance by the NHIS.
  • An NHIS card and subscription guide are sent to your residential address in Korea.

    ※ Nevertheless, if you fall under the following case, you must visit the nearest NHIS branch office.
    (Visit a designated NHIS Center for foreign residents which has jurisdiction over your residential address if you reside in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, or Incheon and you:
    - wish to pay contributions for your family as a group (including your spouse and minor children); - are an overseas Korean or international students (F-4 visa holder) studying in Korea; or - wish to report changes, such as your place of residence, passport number, or visa.

    ※ If you receive medical coverage equivalent to medical care benefits (Article 41 of the National Health Insurance Act) by foreign laws, from foreign insurance, or under the contract with your employer, you may apply for an exemption from the subscription.