Hi Franci, we also got both the examption. However, on the forms that we handed in together to get the examption - as I just checked - we wrote that she is my fiancee and that she is currently looking for a traineeship - so you maybe right this is similar to being a student! On this form ("Formulaire de controle de l'Equivalence de l'assurance-maladie") it is possible to check boxes if you are "edtudiant", "travailleur expatrie", "stagiaire", "enseignant" or "other" (we chose other). All info that I have is in French, which I do not understand well. It seems an examption is issued for persons without big income like students. But it might depend also on other factors (from where you come from).