Carnegie Mellon University
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International, Exchange, & Study Abroad Students

All full-time students who are physically located in the U.S. must have medical insurance that meets university requirements, either through enrolling in the CMU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) or obtaining a SHIP waiver. Certain programs also require this of their part-time students. Students must take this action during their Open Enrollment period, through the insurance portal in Student Information Online (SIO). 

When deciding whether to enroll in the SHIP, or submit a SHIP waiver, it is important to review all the benefits and guidelines. And there are some important distinctions for international, exchange, and study abroad students:

  • Must have a U.S. address to enroll in the SHIP. Enrollments submitted with a non-U.S. address or an incomplete address will not be processed. We recommend that you wait until you have an address in the U.S. where you will be able to receive mail, before submitting your SHIP enrollment.
  • Cannot cancel the SHIP when returning home for the summer, or after graduating in May. You can, however, cancel if you graduate in December.
  • If you are waiving the SHIP, you must have insurance that meets CMU's requirements. 
  • If your spouse and/or dependent child is joining you from overseas you can add them to your SHIP enrollment due to that Qualifying Life Event (QLE). 
  • Must have a U.S. address to enroll in the SHIP. Enrollments submitted with a non-U.S. address or an incomplete address will not be processed. We recommend that you wait until you have an address in the U.S. where you will be able to receive mail, before submitting your SHIP enrollment.
  • If you are waiving the SHIP, you must have insurance that meets CMU's requirements.
  • If coming for the Fall term, students can cancel their SHIP when they return home at the end of the Fall term.
  • If coming for the Spring term, students cannot cancel the SHIP when they return home. They must remain enrolled until the end of the coverage period (July 31).

Fall Term Study Abroad

Students who study abroad are required to either enroll in the SHIP or apply to waive it, during the Fall Open Enrollment period.  Students who take no action during this time will be auto-enrolled in the medical SHIP.

  • Students who enroll in the SHIP will have a coverage period of August 1 - July 31.
  • Students who wish to waive the SHIP only need to provide proof of active insurance. The insurance plan does not need to meet all university requirements for a waiver.
    • Please note: if returning for the Spring term, students are required to either apply for a waiver again (at which time they must have insurance that does meet university requirements) or enroll in the SHIP. 
    • This process takes place during the Spring Open Enrollment period.
    • Students who take no action during Spring Open Enrollment will be auto-enrolled in the medical SHIP.

Spring Term Study Abroad

Students going abroad for the Spring term will have already met the insurance requirement during the Fall Open Enrollment period and either have a SHIP enrollment or an approved waiver. There is no action required. 

  • The SHIP also provides medical coverage while overseas. You can find information in the Global Core Plan and AXA Emergency Plan documents.
  • If you are need of documentation verifying your insurance, please email HUB International to request a proof of coverage letter.
    • You can also find information on SHIP's global coverage on page 2 of the SHIP Medical Plan Coverage Table.
  • Students cannot cancel their SHIP when going abroad for the spring.

Helpful Documents & Links

Immunizations & Health Forms

Information on immunization requirements and health forms can be found on the UHS website. For questions about immunizations and health forms, email Health Services. 

SHIP Cancellation Guidelines

SHIP Benefits

CMU offers a medical insurance plan, as well as optional dental and vision plans. You can find details about the plans, and their benefits, on the SHIP Benefits page.

Enrolling or Waiving the CMU SHIP

When deciding whether to enroll in the medical SHIP or apply to waive it, students should be aware of the SHIP benefits and consider the following:

Waiver Requirements

All medical insurance plans must meet university waiver requirements. It is important to carefully review these requirements against your current plan, as most insurance plans from outside the U.S. will not meet our waiver requirements. Travel insurance plans do not meet university waiver requirements. Most travel plans only provide medical coverage for emergencies and do not provide coverage for routine exams (such as a check-up), pre-existing conditions, or mental health. 

The only exception to this rule is for domestic students studying abroad during the the Fall term.

If you are unsure whether your plan meets CMU requirements, you can request a plan review through the Student Health Insurance Office. Be sure to make the request prior to purchasing the plan.

 

Waiver Coverage Periods

All insurance plans must be effective the first of the month you arrive on campus, and remain active for the duration of your time as an enrolled student. Please do not wait until you arrive in the U.S. to secure your insurance plan, or the effective date could be too late, and your waiver will be denied. Start looking into plans as soon as possible to ensure the plan will start when needed:

  • Fall students - if arriving in August, you must have insurance effective 8/1.
  • Spring students - if arriving in January, you must have insurance effective 1/1.
  • Summer students - if arriving in May, you must have insurance effective 5/1.

If you arrive either before or after these dates, contact the CMU Student Health Insurance Office for assistance. 

CMU SHIP Enrollments

International students must have a U.S. address to enroll in the SHIP. This address is where you will receive your insurance member ID card and other insurance documents, so it is important that you can receive mail there. If you do not have a U.S. address prior to your arrival, please wait until you have arrived to enroll: 

  • The SHIP is effective starting August 1 (for students enrolled for the fall term) and January 1 (for students enrolled in the spring term).
  • Students not yet enrolled by August 1 will still be covered for any medical services after August 1.
  • If you need medical treatment prior to your enrollment, you can either request to be billed or pay for the service and submit a claim for reimbursement.

For any questions about SHIP enrollments and reimbursements, please contact the Student Health Insurance Office.