Student Health Insurance


Mandatory Coverage

Health insurance coverage is mandatory for all international students who are in:

  • F-1 or F-2 status and enrolled in classes; or
  • J-1 or J-2 dependent status (regardless of enrollment) for the duration of their program.

F-1, F-2, and J-1 students enrolling in classes receive the United Healthcare insurance coverage automatically, regardless of their course load. The charge for insurance is added to the student tuition and fees bill. Learn about how much United Healthcare costs.

NOTE: Because all J-1 Visitors are required to have health insurance for themselves and their J-2 dependents for the duration of their stay, regardless of enrollment, J-2’s who enroll in KU classes are not automatically billed for the insurance. Contact issinsurance@ku.edu to sign up for the KU UHC insurance.

Activation Process

Spring 2024

  • Students enrolled in Spring 2024 KU classes: Activation requests can be submitted between December 1st, 2023 and January 16th, 2024.  
  • KU CAMPUS WILL BE CLOSED 12/23/23 - 1/1/24.  Students must submit insurance activation request by 12/15/23 to have insurance plan activated prior to 1/1/24. 
  • Students must be enrolled in KU Spring 2024 classes to have insurance plan activated.

F-1, F-2 or J-1 international students enrolling in Spring 2024 KU classes and do not have a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or Graduate Assistant (GA) appointment eligible for the spring insurance credit must enroll in Spring 2024 KU classes before a Spring 2024 health insurance plan can be activated. Students who are enrolled in Spring 2024 KU classes and do not submit an activation request between 12/1/23 – 1/16/24 will have their health insurance activated by the automated activation process after classes begin, Spring insurance waivers have been processed and Human Resources Management (HRM) has processed the university insurance credit for graduate students with an eligible appointment have been keyed. 

F-1, F-2 or J-1 international students enrolled in Spring 2024 KU classes can activate their KU United Healthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) International Basic (2023-471-04) health insurance plan by taking the following steps: 

  • Click on the “Opt-in” tab in the initial insurance waiver email from ECI Services.
  • Log into your ECI Services account and click on the “Enroll Now” icon.  

 

F-1, F-2 or J-1 International students with at least a 50% GTA/GRA/GA payroll appointment for spring 2024 OR students who were enrolled in the GTA/GRA/GA KU UHCSR health insurance plan in fall 2023 and graduated, need to go to Health Insurance for Graduate Assistants for activation processes (including adding dependents). 

Coverage Dates

Fall Semester: August 1 - December 31

Spring Semester: January 1 - May 31

Summer Semester: June 1 - July 31

2023/2024 Insurance Requirements

If all the insurance requirements are not specified in your summary of benefits, additional documentation will be required.

  1. Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses.
  2. Coverage for essential benefits (with no dollar limits), as defined under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This includes:
    • pharmacy
    • mental health services
    • maternity benefits
    • preventive care, and coverage for pre-existing conditions
    • pediatric dental and vision coverage
  3. A policy year deductible of $500 or less.
  4. Maximum total out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $8,200 per member ($16,400 per family) with preferred providers. Deductibles, coinsurance, and copays all count toward the out-of-pocket maximum.)
  5. A minimum of 75% coinsurance payable by the insurance plan to network providers.
  6. Plan is not a Travel plan or for Emergency/urgent care only.  
  7. At least $100,000 in coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation.
  8. Coverage includes effective dates spanning the entire period for which the waiver is requested.
    • Fall - 08/01/2023 through 12/31/2023 
    • Spring - 01/01/2024 through 05/31/2024
    • Summer - 06/01/2024 through 07/31/2024
  9. Plan document(s) in English, with currency amounts converted to U.S. dollars, and the insurance company contact phone # in the U.S.
  10. Insurer has a base of operations in the US or has a US based claims payer.
  11. Insurer is authorized to do business in Kansas and is providing coverage under a health insurance policy that has been filed and approved by the Kansas Department of Insurance.
  12. Coverage is provided by an employer’s group plan which is compliant with items 1-11 or is backed by the full faith and credit of the student’s home government.

Insurance Activation for Dependents

The student's KU UHCSR health insurance plan must be activated prior to adding dependents. UHCSR must receive payment for the dependent insurance before activating the dependent insurance.

F-1, F-2 or J-1 International Students with at least 50% GTA, GRA, and/or GA appointment, please visit the Graduate Student Insurance page for information about adding dependents.

All other F-1, F-2 or J-2 international students should take the following steps:

  • Step 1: Submit request to ECI Services to activate your KU UHCSR health insurance plan by 1/16/24. 
  • Step 2: Login or Create your UHCSR “My Account” to add dependents after your KU UHCSR health insurance plan has been activated.

Accessibility Statement

An accessible version of the documents on this site will be made available upon request. Please contact the International Support Services , at iss@ku.edu to request the document be made available in an accessible format.