"They took €22 out of my pay for health insurance even though I'm already covered by my mother's plan." Every September, the same surprise shows up on apprentices' first payslip — and in nine cases out of ten, there was a way out that nobody had explained.
In short: since the blanket requirement introduced by the Act of 14 June 2013 (ANI), every private-sector employer must offer group supplementary health cover to all its employees, and work-study students are included: Article L. 6222-23 of the French Labour Code states that apprentices benefit from the provisions applicable to all employees. The employer funds at least 50% of the premium (Article L. 911-7 of the Social Security Code), with the remainder deducted from the payslip. But work-study students can claim waivers from enrolment provided for by Article D. 911-2 of the Social Security Code and by Decree no. 2015-1883: a contract of less than 12 months, a premium exceeding 10% of gross pay, or existing cover as a dependant of a parent or spouse. Careful: dependant status on your parents' plan only opens the door to a waiver if the family policy provides mandatory cover for dependants — otherwise, enrolment is compulsory. The waiver request must be written, dated and submitted when you are hired; after that deadline, it only takes effect on the anniversary date of the group contract.
Must a work-study student join their company's health plan?
Yes as a rule, no in several specific situations. And it is precisely that nuance which costs poorly informed apprentices several hundred euros every year.
The starting point is Article L. 911-7 of the Social Security Code, introduced by the employment security act of 14 June 2013: since 1 January 2016, every private-sector company, whatever its size, must provide its employees with minimum group cover for healthcare reimbursement, and fund at least half of it.
A work-study student — whether an apprentice or an employee on a professionalisation contract — is an employee. They therefore fall within the scope. Article L. 6222-23 of the Labour Code is explicit:
"Apprentices benefit from the provisions applicable to all employees insofar as these are not contrary to those relating to their situation as young workers in training."
No rule excludes work-study students from group supplementary health cover. An employer who tells you "apprentices aren't entitled to it" is wrong: in fact the opposite is true — enrolment is in principle compulsory for you, unless you obtain a waiver.
The minimum cover a group health plan must provide
The minimum "care package" is set by Article D. 911-1 of the Social Security Code. It includes:
- the full co-payment (ticket modérateur) on consultations, procedures and services reimbursed by the state health insurance scheme;
- the daily hospital charge with no time limit;
- dental prosthetics and orthodontic costs up to 125% of the social security tariff;
- a periodic optical allowance (at least €100 for a simple correction).
Since 2021, the 100% Santé packages for optical, dental and hearing care have been added, guaranteeing zero out-of-pocket costs on certain equipment — a point detailed by the state health insurance scheme on Ameli.fr and one that matters when you wear glasses on an apprentice's wage.
What does health insurance actually cost on an apprentice's wage?
This is the awkward question, because the premium is a flat amount: it does not depend on your salary. An 18-year-old first-year apprentice and a senior manager often pay the same thing.
Typical figures observed in 2026 on company group contracts:
| Situation | Total monthly premium (indicative) | Employer share (50% minimum) | Amount left for the student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic contract, employee only | €30 to €45 | €15 to €22.50 | €15 to €22.50 |
| Contract with enhanced cover | €55 to €80 | €27.50 to €40 | €27.50 to €40 |
| Family contract (spouse + children) | €90 to €140 | varies by agreement | €45 to €90 |
Set against a first-year apprentice's wage for someone under 18 (27% of the minimum wage, i.e. around €400 gross), an employee premium of €20 amounts to 5% of pay. Over a year, that's €240 — the equivalent of a month's rent in a CROUS hall of residence in some cities. Hence the importance of checking whether a waiver is open to you. To pin down your exact pay according to your age and contract year, our pay calculator gives the expected gross and net figures.
Note: since 2024, the employer's share of supplementary health cover has been included in the CSG-CRDS base for standard employees. Apprentices, however, benefit from a reduced contribution regime that limits the impact on net pay — a mechanism we explain in our article on an apprentice's net salary.
What waiver cases apply to work-study students in 2026?
The waiver cases are listed in Article D. 911-2 of the Social Security Code and in Decree no. 2015-1883 of 30 December 2015. Some are "as of right": the employer cannot refuse them, even if the founding document of the scheme (collective agreement, unilateral decision) does not mention them.
The waivers as of right that most often apply to work-study students
1. Contracts of less than 12 months. A student on a 10-month professionalisation contract, or on an apprenticeship contract concluded for less than 12 months, can decline enrolment without having to prove they have other cover. This is the simplest case.
2. Contracts of 12 months or more, with proof. Beyond 12 months, the waiver remains possible but the student must provide written proof of existing cover under another supplementary health plan (individual or group).
3. A premium exceeding 10% of gross pay. This is the waiver designed for low-income employees, particularly relevant for apprentices under 18. If the employee's share of the premium exceeds 10% of monthly gross pay, enrolment can be declined. With a €400 gross wage and an employee premium of €45, you qualify.
4. Cover as a dependant. This is the least well understood case. Being on your parents' plan is not enough: the waiver is only available if the family policy provides mandatory cover for dependants. Many contracts cover children on an optional basis — in which case, no waiver is possible. You need to ask your parents for a certificate from their provider stating that family cover is mandatory.
5. The CSS (solidarity supplementary health cover). A work-study student receiving the CSS is exempt until their entitlement expires. The state health insurance scheme states on Ameli.fr that the income threshold makes free CSS available to many young people living alone on low incomes.
Watch out for the timing trap
The waiver request must be made when you are hired, or when the situation justifying the waiver arises. If you let your first month go by without saying anything, you are enrolled — and you generally have to wait until the annual renewal date of the group contract to opt out. So take ten minutes on signing day: read the information notice given to you by the employer, check the amount of the employee premium, and if a waiver applies, write immediately.
Here is a minimal template, to be handed over in person against receipt or sent by registered post:
"I, the undersigned [Surname First name], apprentice at [Company] since [date], request the waiver of enrolment in the group supplementary health scheme, pursuant to Article D. 911-2 of the Social Security Code, on the following grounds: [grounds]. I enclose the corresponding certificate of cover. Done at …, on … "
Keeping a dated copy is essential: in the event of a dispute, that document is your proof. A portable document scanner or a simple filing app on your phone is enough to keep a record of all your work-study paperwork — waiver certificate, contract, amendments, payslips.
Should you stay on your parents' plan or take the company's?
The answer depends on three variables: cost, cover, and the length of your contract.
Cost. Remaining a dependant on your parents' plan is often free for you (the family premium is already paid). The company plan, on the other hand, costs you €15 to €40 a month. Over a two-year work-study master's, the gap can reach €500 to €900.
Cover. A company plan in a large group is frequently more generous than an entry-level family contract, especially for optical, dental and hospital care. Compare the benefit tables line by line: frame allowance, dental prosthetics ceiling, private room.
Duration. For a short contract, the administrative hassle of dual enrolment is not worth it. For a three-year cycle, company enrolment is often worthwhile, especially as it gives you access on leaving to portability of rights (Article L. 911-8 of the Social Security Code): if your contract ends and you receive France Travail benefits, you keep the cover free of charge for a period equal to the length of the contract, up to a maximum of 12 months. That's a real advantage in the months following graduation.
Holding both is possible, but rarely worth it
Nothing prevents you from being enrolled in two supplementary plans. In practice, reimbursement by the second provider is limited to costs actually left unpaid — you don't get paid twice. Unless the cover is genuinely complementary (for example a family plan that is weak on dental care and a company plan that is strong on it), holding both means paying twice for marginal benefit.
Health cover, income protection, occupational health: don't mix them up
Three separate schemes often turn up at the same time in September, and work-study students confuse them.
| Scheme | What it is | Compulsory? |
|---|---|---|
| Supplementary health cover | Reimbursement of healthcare costs beyond the state scheme | Yes for the employer, unless the employee obtains a waiver |
| Income protection (prévoyance) | Death, disability and incapacity cover | Compulsory for managerial staff; depends on the sector for others |
| Information and prevention medical check | Pre-employment medical examination by the occupational health and prevention service | Yes, at the employer's expense |
The medical check, in particular, has nothing to do with health insurance: it falls under Articles R. 4624-10 et seq. of the Labour Code and must take place within two months of hiring (before assignment for minors and high-risk roles). We set out the deadlines in our dedicated article on the apprentice medical check.
How to check that everything is in order on your payslip
Three lines to check from the very first month.
- The "supplementary health cover" or "health costs" line under employee contributions: if your waiver request has been accepted, it must not appear.
- The employer's share: it appears in the employer column and must represent at least 50% of the total. A lower employer share is an irregularity.
- Back-dated premiums: some companies adjust in the 2nd or 3rd month. A double deduction is not necessarily an error, but it must be explained.
If doubt persists, the employer must give you the information notice for the group contract — an obligation under Article L. 141-4 of the Insurance Code. An archive binder or a folder dedicated to administrative paperwork will save you chasing after these documents at tax return time. To understand all your financial entitlements during your contract, the financial support page lists the schemes that can be combined (housing, transport, equipment).
Four back-to-school habits
- Read the notice before signing anything relating to the health plan.
- Ask your parents for their family cover certificate, checking for the word "mandatory".
- Work out the premium-to-gross-pay ratio: above 10%, the waiver is yours as of right.
- File every document in a single folder: contract, notice, waiver request, payslips.
A pocket diary or a tracking notebook for jotting down key dates (group contract renewal, medical check, training-centre progress meetings) will stop you missing the annual waiver window, which only reopens once a year.
What if the employer offers no health plan at all?
It happens, especially in very small businesses. It is an irregularity: the obligation under Article L. 911-7 has no headcount threshold.
Here are the steps to follow, in order:
- Request in writing (an email is enough) the information notice for the company's health cover scheme.
- If there is no reply within fifteen days, refer the matter to the staff representative or, failing that, to your training centre via your apprenticeship mediator (chambers of commerce and trades, Article L. 6222-39 of the Labour Code).
- As a last resort, report it to the labour inspectorate (DREETS). An employee deprived of cover can obtain compensation for the loss before the employment tribunal.
In the meantime, don't go without supplementary cover: the Complémentaire santé solidaire and student health mutuals offer contracts from a few euros a month for the under-26s.
A final word on how this cover is actually used. Many work-study students barely use any healthcare — until the day a pair of glasses, a cavity or a sports sprain comes along. Simple preventive habits matter: a compact first-aid kit in your bag, earplugs in a noisy workshop, a correct posture at your screen. INRS regularly points out that workers under 25 are twice as exposed to workplace accidents as the average employee — a figure that gives the question of health cover a far more concrete significance than a line on a payslip.
As for what comes next, if you are still looking for a contract for this September, browse our work-study vacancies and our article on the method for finding a company.