The TAJ card (Társadalombiztosítási Azonosító Jel) is your golden ticket to the Hungarian state healthcare system. It is a small blue card with a 9-digit identification number.

• What it covers: GP (General Practitioner) visits, state hospital stays, emergency care, and subsidized prescriptions.

• Who gets it automatically? International students on state scholarships (like Stipendium Hungaricum) and anyone legally employed by a Hungarian company.

• The "Color" System: When a doctor scans your card, they see a color. Green means you’re fully covered. Red means your status is "unsettled" (usually a paperwork delay), but you can still receive care.

Link: NEAK, Hungary's state health care provider (in Hungarian only)

Scholarship Students (e.g., Stipendium Hungaricum): Your TAJ card is free and usually handled by your university’s international office. You also typically receive a secondary private insurance (like Union or Generali) for faster access to English-speaking doctors. 

To get a residence permit, you must have health insurance. You have two choices:

1. Private Student Insurance: Most popular. Costs ~20,000 – 40,000 HUF/month. It’s accepted for your visa and gives you access to modern private clinics.

2. Public TAJ "Agreement": You can pay the state to join the public system. In 2026, this costs 96,840 HUF/month. (Note: This is usually more expensive than private options for students).

If you are working under a Hungarian contract, your healthcare is handled for you.

• The Deductions: Your employer automatically deducts 18.5% from your gross salary for social security (which includes healthcare).

• Private Benefits: Many multinational companies in Budapest (like BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, or Wise) provide Medicover or Swiss Clinic packages as a perk. This allows you to skip the long wait times of the public system for non-emergency issues.