Health Insurance Subsidies for Exchange Students

The Niigata City International Exchange Foundation offers a subsidy of ¥5,000 to help international students pay for their mandatory health insurance. This subsidy is paid for by individual donations, and we are always looking for new donations to continue the program. 

＜Requirements＞

☆About Health Insurance Subsidies

All students studying in Japan for a period of 30 months or longer must enroll in the National Health Insurance system and make National Health Insurance payments.

The Niigata City International Exchange Foundation and the Niigata Volunteer Center (NVC) have come together to create a program that pays a portion of the insurance payments for foreign exchange students residing in Niigata City. This assistance program is supported by donations from a variety of groups and individuals.

Students must meet the following requirements:

• Must live in Niigata City.
• Status of residence must be “Student.” 
• Must be enrolled in a university, junior college, trade school or technical school in Niigata Prefecture. 
• Must not be a prefecture or government sponsored exchange student (self-funded students only). 
• Must have made all National Health Insurance payments by the deadline. 
• Must have an income or salary of less than 980,000 yen per year and not receive financial support from another person. 

→ If you meet all of the above requirements then you are eligible to receive a health insurance subsidy.
(Students who failed to pay their National Health Insurance fees in full before the end of the fiscal year are not eligible for this subsidy.)

＜How to apply for subsidies＞

Eligible students should turn in the following documents to their school’s international student supervisor.

Necessary Documents:

① Application Form and power of attorney (can be downloaded from our website and is also available from your school’s international student supervisor)

② Copy of the eligibility information (資格情報 shikaku joho) (a number) page of your My Number health insurance card, found on the MynaPortal website. If you don't have a My Number Card, a copy of the front side of your Eligibility Confirmation Certificate (資格確認書 shikaku kakuninsho) (used at hospitals). You must submit copies for all family members.

③ A document with the bank name, branch name, account number, and account holder's name (in katakana) written on it for transferring the subsidy. ※Copies of cash cards are not allowed. 

*If you will be attending the same school from April, applications are accepted April-May.
However, if you leave Niigata City or change schools, apply in February after paying all of the National Health Insurance payments up until the 8th term. (Please make sure to also pay the 9th term.)

<Payment>

Subsidies will be paid to the applicant after their application has been examined by the Niigata City International Exchange Foundation. All applications that meet the requirements will be approved. Payments will be made via direct deposit into the bank account included in the application paperwork.

<Contact>

For more information about National Health Insurance, please contact your Ward Residential Affairs and Services Division (Kumin-Seikatsu-ka 区民生活課).

• Kita ward office:025-387-1255
• Higashi ward office:025-250-2235
• Chuo ward office:025-223-7106
• Konan ward office:025-382-4203
• Akiha ward office:0250-25-5674
• Minami ward office:025-372-6105
• Nishi ward office:025-264-7211
• Nishikan ward office:0256-72-8317

For more information about subsidies, please contact your school’s international student supervisor or the Niigata City International Exchange Foundation.