The student health insurance program is only available to full-time Ph.D. students and first professional students (D.D.S., M.D. and Pharm.D students), as well as international students (those on F-visas and J-visas). These students will all fall under a hard waiver, meaning they will be automatically enrolled into the program unless they can provide proof of other coverage.

• For first professional students, there is an annual plan only from August 15,  2024 - August 14, 2025. If you enroll in the plan during the fall semester, you are enrolled for the academic year. If you have a QLE during the plan year, you can enroll in the Virginia Commonwealth University health insurance for the remainder of the current coverage period by submitting a QLE form to UHC for processing and payment. Also, please email a copy of your QLE form and paid premium to your eligibility coordinator. 
• International undergraduate and master's students are on semester-based plans and must take action during each open enrollment period to opt in or waive coverage. There are two open enrollment periods–fall (August 1) for the fall-only plan and spring (December 15) for the spring-only plan. Those enrolled students needing summer coverage must submit the enrollment form to UHC for processing and payment. 
• Full-time Ph.D. students are on semester-based plans and must take action during each open enrollment period to opt in or waive coverage. There are two open enrollment periods–fall (August 1) for the fall-only plan and spring (December 15) for the spring/summer plan. Please note that coverage for spring insurance is for the spring and summer semesters.  

• Student insurance costs will appear on their student bill once the student enrolls in classes and tuition and fees are assessed for the semester. First professional students who opt into the annual coverage will have the cost split and billed in August and in January. Ph.D. and international students (those on F-visas and J-visas) who opt into the program will be billed the semester plan rates in August, January, and May.
• Additional costs for any added dependents will be paid directly to the vendor (UHC) and will not appear on the student accounting bill.
• Once enrolled, students will be insured until their coverage expiration date, even if they graduate before that time.
• Full-time Ph.D. students will receive a 70% subsidy to offset the costs of the program. The subsidy is automatically applied and reflected on the student accounting bill. 
• The full details of the insurance package can be found on our plan benefits webpage.

A hard waiver means that you are automatically enrolled in the student health insurance plan unless you can provide proof of other insurance. Step-by-step instructions on how to enroll in the plan or opt out will be provided prior to the insurance portal being opened.

All full-time Ph.D. students, first professional students (D.D.S., M.D., Pharm.D.) and international students (those on F- and J-visas) will receive access to a health insurance portal during open enrollment.

• First professional students must enroll or opt out of the health insurance program during fall open enrollment. If waiving coverage, the waiver will automatically roll over to the next semester in the current academic year. If the student experiences a QLE, the QLE form must be submitted to UHC and applicable fees will be paid to them UHC.
• International students (those on F-visas and J-visas) will be required to take action to enroll or waive coverage during each semester (fall, spring, and summer). If waiving coverage, the waiver will not roll over to the next semester. Please note that only health insurance plans that comply with all Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements will be eligible for a waiver.  Most alternative plans designed for international students are not ACA-compliant.
• Full-time Ph.D. students will be required to enroll or waive coverage during open enrollment each semester (fall and spring). Please note that coverage for spring insurance is for spring/summer semesters. If waiving coverage, the waiver will not roll over to the next semester. Please note that only health insurance plans that comply with all Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements will be eligible for a waiver. 

Within this portal, you will be able to provide the proof of insurance coverage needed to opt out of the program. You must do so, however, before open enrollment closes or else you will be considered enrolled in the VCU health insurance program and responsible for paying the bill.

Additional information, including a link to the portal and step-by-step instructions for opting out of the program will be shared when the portal opens.

• First professional students must enroll or opt out of the health insurance program during fall open enrollment. If waiving coverage, the waiver will automatically roll over to the next semester in the current academic year. If the student experiences a QLE, the QLE form must be submitted to UHC and applicable fees will be paid to them UHC.
• International students (those on F-visas and J-visas) will be required to take action to enroll or waive coverage during each semester (fall, spring, and summer). If waiving coverage, the waiver will not roll over to the next semester. Please note that only health insurance plans that comply with all Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements will be eligible for a waiver.  Most alternative plans designed for international students are not ACA-compliant.
• Full-time Ph.D. students will be required to enroll or waive coverage during open enrollment each semester (fall and spring). Please note that coverage for spring insurance is for spring/summer semesters. If waiving coverage, the waiver will not roll over to the next semester. Please note that only health insurance plans that comply with all Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements will be eligible for a waiver. 
• If no action is taken during open enrollment, the student will be hard waived (automatically enrolled) into the health insurance program and responsible for any applicable fees.

Yes. Dependents can be added via the insurance portal once it is available. Costs for the dependent will be billed directly by the vendor.

Once you have enrolled in the VCU student health insurance plan, you will then need to create your UnitedHealthcare Student Resources account. There you will be able to find providers, access your insurance cards, submit a claim, etc. The Help Center can be found here for step-by-step instructions on creating your account. 

No, no benefits will be paid for routine vision or dental treatment costs.

If you experience a significant life change that affects your insurance coverage after the open enrollment deadline, you must complete the QLE form and submit it to UnitedHealthcare. Subsidies do not apply to those enrolling in the plan via QLE.

At this time, all full-time Ph.D. students, first professional students (D.D.S., M.D., Pharm.D.) and international students (those on F- and J-visas) are eligible for the student health insurance program. The program may be expanded to include additional student populations in the near future.

All international students (those on F-visas and J-visas) are enrolled in the UHC program unless they can provide proof of other comparable health insurance coverage during open enrollment. Please note that comparable plans must comply with all Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements, and that most plans designed for international students are not ACA compliant.

For questions about the student health insurance program, please contact your respective eligibility coordinator.