NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE/ SOCIAL SECURITY (TAJ)

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE/ SOCIAL SECURITY (TAJ)

Last modified: 30. January 2025

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE/ SOCIAL SECURITY (TAJ)

  1. Who can apply?

  • Stipendium Hungaricum scholars
  • Scholarship for Christian Young People scholars
  • Dissertation Scholarship holders 
  • FAO scholars

Stipendium Hungaricum and SCYP scholars:

SH and SCYP scholarship covers health insurance: 1) Supplementary medical insurance (private insurance) and 2) National health insurance/social security (relevant Hungarian legislation: Act No. LXXX of 1997 on persons entitled to social security benefits and private pensions, as well as the funding for these services.)

FAO scholars:

FAO scholarship covers national health insurance/social security (relevant Hungarian legislation: Act No. LXXX of 1997 on persons entitled to social security benefits and private pensions, as well as the funding for these services.)

Dissertation Scholarship holders:

From the 2022/23 fall semester Dissertation Scholarship holders are eligible for TAJ card.

 

  1. Appication Procedure for TAJ card at Budapest:

You have to submit the required documents to the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NEAK) in person. It is recommended to start the process as soon as you receive your Residence Pemit.

Required documents:

  • application form

  • accommodation reporting form (address card) stamped by the Immigration Office
  • copy of residence permit
  • copy of your passport
  • student status certificate (in Hungarian): You can receive it from your Registrar’s Office coordinator
  • authorization: You can receive it from your international campus coordinator. Full name, date and place of birth, morher’s name and Hungarian address is required for this document.

National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NEAK) address:

1139 Budapest, District 13. Teve utca. 1 a-c.

Working hours:

Monday

8:00 am–3:00 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am–3:00 pm

Wednesday

8:00 am–4:30 pm

Thursday

8:00 am–3:00 pm

Friday

8:00 am–1:00 pm

Saturday

Closed

Sunday

Closed

After the in-person document submission, the TAJ number gets generated and sent to the Registrar's Office at Buda Campus for registration into the NEPTUN system. Your TAJ number will appear in NEPTUN under Personal information as Social Security Number. 

After NEAK validates the number, your TAJ card is mailed to the university. Your Registrar's Office coordinator will let you know when it is ready for pickup.

From the registration to receiving the TAJ card the process can take up to 1 or 2 months. Therefore it is recommended that you start the process as soon as you receive your Residence Permit.

  1. How it works?

After submitting your application you will get a social security number (TAJ number), then within a few weeks a social security card (TAJ card). With a valid TAJ card you are entitled to receive public health service for free in Hungary. There are only a few basic services (e.g. certain types of dental services) that are not free.
 

In this system, you have a general practitioner and a dentist based on your address. If you have any health problem, you have to go directly to the general practitioner. When you go to the doctor always bring your residence permit, accommodation card and TAJ card with you. 

If you require a specialist, you need to go to the GP first who will give you a medical referral to the appropriate specialist. Before you go to the specialist, it is necessary to make an appointment. In any urgent case, you should directly go to the emergency closest to you or call an ambulance. 

Please note that you have to pay for medical reports/ fitness certificates required for a job or other types of application.

  1. Extension of TAJ card

It is required to submit the application for extension at least one month before the expiry date of the TAJ card. After receiving your new residence permit go to the NEAK Office competent on the basis of your accomodation address and submit the extension application.

Required documents:

  • Copy of accommodation card stamped by the Immigration Office
  • Copy of  your residence permit
  • Copy of your passport
  • student status certificate issued within 30 days
  • authorization
  • application form
  • original TAJ card


​​​​MEDICAL ASSISTANCE SEVICE SYSTEM (from 2024/25/1) 

Service provider: Semmelweis Ltd.

 

How it works?
English-speaking Call Centre is available at +36 1 7767055.

Detailed information on your health assistance system:

For beneficiaries of active Stipendium Hungaricum, Dissertation, FAO, Diaspora, SCYP and MISP scholarships, based on the contract between Semmelweis Ltd. and MATE, a medical assistance service system has been launched since September 2024 instead of the previous supplementary UNION Insurance.

Since the above scholarship holders - with the exception of the MISP scholarship holders - are all entitled to a TAJ card, the system encourages the active use of TAJ benefits by providing an English-language Call Centre and English-language general practitioner care. The assistance service will also help MISP students navigate, although they can use the system with payment obligations.

The Call Centre provides a triage service and if necessary, makes an appointment for beneficiary students with the GP during or after the first phone call. Please, note that the service is NOT supposed to provide an appointment with specialists!

The phone number of the Call Centre: +36 1 776 7055.

Operator: Teladoc Kft.

Eligibility: active Stipendium Hungaricum, Dissertation, FAO, Diaspora, SCYP and MISP scholarship holders. The later need to pay for the medical examination, tests, etc.; however, guidance where to go is available for free.

Check the LIST of Beneficiaries. There are two tabs in the file according to whether students are or are not entitled to possessing the benefits of a TAJ card. Use Ctrl F to search for your name, please.

Contact details per campus:

Budapest

Semmelweis University - Institute of Specialists for Family Health Care (Semmelweis Egyetem Szakrendelési Intézet Családorvosi rendelés)

Address: 1085 Budapest, Gyulai Pál u. 2.

The following time slots are available for MATE students:

Monday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., every 20 minutes, last appointment at 11:40 a.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 16:00 - 19:00, every 15 minutes, last booking time 18:45.

How to apply for the health assistance system?

Students' data transfer is done automatically based on their active student status. Identification is based on your valid TAJ number and Neptun code (MISP students especially).

 

 

SELF FINANCED AND EXCHANGE STUDENTS

You can conclude any kind of health insurance contract upon your choice.

Please, always read the terms of your insurance contract thoroughly (visit contracted doctors, accepted bills etc.) and act accordingly!

If you are an EU citizen, you can use your E111 card or European Health Insurance Card at all doctor's offices (if not private practice) in case of emergency. Otherwise you have to pay for healthcare, but you can forward your bills to your insurance company for reimbursement, depending on your private insurance.

 

EMERGENCY

In case of an emergency, dial one of the following numbers:

  • Ambulance: 104
  • Police: 107
  • Fire brigade: 105
  • Central Emergency Helpline: 112 - can be dialled from a Hungarian cell phone from inside the country.