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
Summer 2024
- Students enrolled in Summer 2024 KU classes: Activation requests can be submitted between April 22, 2024 and June 3, 2024.
- Students NOT enrolled in summer 2024 KU classes who were enrolled in spring 2024 KU classes: Activation requests can be submitted between April 22, 2024, and June 27, 2024.
Health Insurance Waiver
Deadline: (first day of class)
Fall 2023 - August 21, 2023
Spring 2024 - January 16, 2024
Summer 2024 - June 3, 2024
Fall 2024 - August 26, 2024
If you are in J-1 status, F-1, or F-2 status and can show adequate insurance coverage from another provider, you may request a waiver by completing the electronic waiver process, which includes uploading an insurance identification card. To receive an insurance waiver, your insurance must meet all the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) minimum requirements, or your waiver will be denied. Stand-alone travel and/or emergency/urgent care only coverage is not acceptable.
2023/2024 Insurance Requirements
If all the insurance requirements are not specified in your summary of benefits, additional documentation will be required.
- Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses.
- 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
- A policy year deductible of $500 or less.
- 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.)
- A minimum of 75% coinsurance payable by the insurance plan to network providers.
- Plan is not a Travel plan or for Emergency/urgent care only.
- At least $100,000 in coverage for repatriation and medical evacuation.
- 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
- Plan document(s) in English, with currency amounts converted to U.S. dollars, and the insurance company contact phone # in the U.S.
- Insurer has a base of operations in the US or has a US based claims payer.
- 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.
- 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.
Open enrollment to add dependents for summer 2024 is 6/1/24 - 6/30/24.
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 6/3/24.
- Step 2: Login or Create your UHCSR “My Account” to add dependents after your KU UHCSR health insurance plan has been activated.