Health Insurance Eligibility | University Finance and Administration (2024)

Fall and Spring Terms

All full-time undergraduate students taking 12 or more credit hours and all full-time graduate students taking 9 or more credit hours* are required to have comprehensive health insurance each semester for the dates of the coverage period. Student insurance eligibility may be affected if an enrollment status change occurs (part-time to full time or full time to part-time). Students must actively attend classes for at least 31 days after the date for which coverage is purchased. Online-only degree programs and non-matriculated students registered only for online courses do not fulfill the requirements.

The student health insurance premium is added to your Rutgers term bill each semester once you are registered for full-time credits. Please note thatpaying the premium on your term bill is NOT enrolling in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).You need to complete the online enrollment form.

*Full-time student status, as defined by the student’s department, could require registration for 12 credits (example: Rutgers Business School, Rutgers Law School).

**Exception to waiver and enrollment process: graduate fellows and full/partial-appointment teaching and graduate assistants, please see the instructions under your student type in the Health Insurance Eligibility table.

Waiving: If you have comparable health insurance for the dates of the coverage period, you must waive health insurance online before the deadline on University Health Plans.Whenyou submit your waiver form, a confirmation number will be emailed to you. Once you have your waiver confirmation number, allow 4 business days for the SHIP premium to be removed from your term bill. Students who do not complete the online waiver form before the deadline will be automatically enrolled in the SHIP and will be responsible for paying the premium for that coverage period,even if they have other coverage.

Enrolling: If you are enrolling in the SHIP, complete the online enrollment form onUniversity Health Plans.  We encourage you to submit the enrollment form before the deadline.

You will get an email from United Healthcare Student Resources (uhcsr.com) within 5-7 business days after enrollment with instructions on how totoprint a card or download the mobile app. Please call United Healthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process.

If you do not receive a confirmation number or have enrollment or waiver issues, call University Health Plans directly at 833-251-1142

To add dependents or a spouse, you must visit University Health Plans. Payment is made directly to University Health Plans. As such, the premium for dependents/spouse cannot be added to the Rutgers term bill.

Coverage Period:        Fall 08/15/XX - 01/14/XX            Spring 01/15/XX - 08/14/XX                

For Summer, Advanced Standing, and Third Term: see the rates table for the coverage period.

Summer/Third Term Eligibility

New full-time undergraduate students registered for 6 or more credit hours and new full-time graduate students registered for 4.5 or more credit hours are eligible* to enroll in this plan.

*Online-only degree programs and non-matriculated students registered only for online courses do not fulfill the requirements.

Enrollment procedures:  F and J Rutgers visa sponsored students will enroll by completing an enrollment formon University Health Plans. The premium is added to your term bill each semester once you register for your courses. 

Please note thatpaying the premium on your term bill is NOT enrolling in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).You need to complete the online enrollment form.

To add dependents/spouse, or indicate a life status change, visit theRGlobalPortal.

Waiver: If you have other coverage and wish to waive the SHIP, you must visittheRGlobalPortal. Students who do not complete the online waiver form before the deadline will be automatically enrolled in the SHIP and will be responsible for paying the premium for that coverage period,even if they have other coverage.

You will need to complete a waiver form for each fall and spring semester at Rutgers. If you are new forsummer,youstillneed to complete a waiver form,evenif you have other health insurance.

Note: TheSHIPpremium is a separate charge from the Health Services Fee. The Health Services Fee cannot be waived. The SHIP is medical health insurance with nationwide coverage.

Part-time degree-seeking students taking at least 1 credit hour are eligible to enroll on a voluntary basis before the deadline. Online-only degree programs and non-matriculated students registered only for online courses do not fulfill the requirements.

To enroll in the Part-Time Student Health, visitUniversity Health Plans. To add dependents or a spouse (insured part-time students may purchase this coverage on a voluntary basis), visit University Health Plans.

Payment is made directly to University Health Plans. As such, the premium for dependents/spouse cannot be added to the Rutgers term bill.

Full-time postdoctoral fellow students are required tohavehealth insurance.In conjunction you’re your department,University Human Resources (UHR) will determine eligibility. Ifdeemedeligible, you willautomaticallybe enrolled by UHR in the Postdoctoral Fellows Health InsurancePlanwith UnitedHealthcareStudentResources.If you declinethe postdoctoral healthinsurancethenyoumustwaive the Student Health Insurance Plan. Insureds may enroll their eligible dependents with UHR.

If you are a postdoctoral fellow who is not eligible for the Postdoctoral Fellows Health InsurancePlanthrough UHR, you are still eligible to enroll in theSHIP. If you are a part-time student taking courses, you may enroll in theSHIPunder the part-time rate.

If you have completed your coursework and are working on research, exams,yourdissertation, etc., please view the section below for Graduate/PhD Students Considered Full Time Who Are Registeredfor Less Than Full-Time Credits.

Please note that thisdoes not apply toRutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS)Postdoctoral Fellows. RBHS Postdoctoral Fellowswithenrollment and waiver questionsshouldcontact Kenneth Youngvia phone(973-972-6617)oremail.

Graduate fellows who have been awarded a full fellowship from internal or external sources areconsideredeligible. The Graduate School Dean’s Office will make final determinations as to the individual eligibility. Upon this determination, you will automatically be enrolled in the Graduate Fellows Health InsurancePlanwith UnitedHealthcareStudentResources.

If you declinetheGraduate Fellow Health Insurance Plan,thenyoumustwaive the Student Health Insurance Plan.In this case,you must complete a waiver form each semester at University Health Plans. Select the option bar for Graduate & Medical Student (not the Graduate Fellow bar). 

Note: You will get an email from UnitedHealthcareStudentResources(UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card5-7business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcareStudentResources directly at 866-599-4427if you need assistancewiththis process.

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependentsUniversity Health Plans. The premium is paid by the insured directly to University Health Plans.

The standard coverage period for the Graduate Fellow Plan (GFHI) covers a date range between 09/01/XX-08/31/XX, depending on your appointment.

Partial appointment TAs/GAs are eligible under this plan as determined by University Human Resources (UHR).Once you are on payroll, you will be automatically enrolled by UHR.

If you decline the Partial Appointment TA/GA HealthInsurance and have other insurance while registered for full-time credits, you must waive the Student Health Insurance Plan.

Note: You will get an email from UnitedHealthcareStudentResources(UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card 5-7 business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcareStudentResources directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process.

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependentsatUniversity Health Plans. The premium is paid by the insured directly to University Health Plans.

The coverage period for the less than full-appointment TAs/GAs covers a date range between 09/01/XX-08/31/XX, depending on your appointment.

Full-appointment TA/GAs are eligible for the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) which is managed by University Human Resources (UHR). Informationon this plan is available at UHR'swebsite.

New full-appointment TAs/GAs

Enroll in the SHBP online throughBenefitsolverhere. Should you need assistance withBenefitsolver, contactOneSource.

You are not required to complete the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) online waiver formunless you aredecliningthe SHBP*. The Office of Student Health Insurance will remove the SHIP premium once you are in UHR's system(showingthatyou have submitted your SHBP paperwork). Please keepyour confirmation number until the SHIP premium has been removed from your term bill. Please allow 3-4 weeksfrom the receipt of yourconfirmation numberfor the SHIP premium to be removed. 

Returning TAs/GAs

When your appointment has been updated in Rutgers system by your department, the Student Health Insurance Office will waive the SHIP for you and the premium will be removed from your student account.

*Waivers: If you are declining the SHBP and are a full-timestudent,complete the online waiver form for the SHIP at University Health Plans. If youare a F1,F2,J1,J2 Rutgerssponsored visastudent, complete the online waiver formhere.You willcomplete twowaivers:onewith UHR declining the SHBP,andonefor the SHIP via online waiver form.

PhD students who have completed their course work and are working on research,adissertation, exams, etc. are eligible to enroll in theFull-TimeStudent Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) at the full-time premium rate. Terminalmaster’sstudentsin their final semesterwho previouslyenrolled in the SHIP are eligible to enroll in the Full-Time SHIP at the full-time premium rate. (This plan isnot to be used byF1, J1 Rutgerssponsored visa students. These students will enroll onlineonUniversity Health Plans).

Students may obtain an enrollment formhereand mustenrollprior tothe deadlineeach semester. The enrollment form is emailed to the Student Health Insurance Office at insure@rutgers.edu.  The SHIP premium will be added to your term bill.  

You are enrolling in the SHIP under the Full-Time rate but are still considered Part-Time (PT) based on credits. Even though you have the Full-Time policy, you may incur charges as a PT student at Rutgers Student Health.

Note: You will get an email from UnitedHealthcareStudentResources(UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card 5-7 business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcareStudentResources directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process.

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependentsonUniversity Health Plans. The premium is paid by the insured directly to University Health Plans.

Departments: If you are funding the premium instead of the student, please process a journal entry for domestic students only, as instructed on the Part-Time Considered Full-Time Form. If you are funding the premium for an F1, J1 Rutgers-sponsored international student, then contact student accounting to provide a GL string to use for the posting.

All full-time Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) students, as well as part-time students who participate in clinical experience as part of their educational programs, are required to have health insurance coverage. Rutgers initially charges all part-timeRBHSstudents in clinical rotation for theSHIPannually, unless proof of comparable coverage is submitted by September 30, 2023 atUniversity Health Plans.

All part-time degree or certificate seeking RBHS students taking at least 1 credit hour and not participating in clinical experience are eligible to enroll on a voluntary basis before the deadline. To enroll in the RBHS Student Health Insurance Plan, complete the voluntary student enrollment form at University Health Plans.

To add dependents or a spouse, you must visit University Health Plans. Payment is made directly to University Health Plans. As such, the premium for dependents/spouse cannot be added to the RBHS term bill.

Online-only degree programs and non-matriculated students registered only for online courses do not fulfill the requirements.

Veterans under the Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation) program:please notethatthe Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) does consider you to have healthcare coverage under a comprehensive health insurance plan,even though you must go to a VA facility for treatment. Therefore, the VA will not pay the premium for the Student Health Insurance Plan(SHIP).Therefore, ifyou choose to enroll in theSHIP,you are responsiblefor paying thepremium each semester. Please complete an enrollment or waiver form each semesteronUniversity Health Plans.

Veterans under the Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) program:pleasenotethatthe Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will pay the premium for theSHIPaccording to your percentage of eligibility, as you arenot consideredto have coverage under a comprehensive health insurance plan. The premium is included in the term bill each semester.Please complete an enrollment or waiver form each semester onUniversity Health Plans.

Veterans who choose to waive the SHIP using the VAHospitalas their health insurance will still need to complete a waiver form. On the waiver form,you will acknowledge that by using the VA Hospital as your health insurance, you are responsible for medical care received outside the VA hospital that is not covered.

If you have questions regarding Veteran Benefits, please contact Dennis Penny Jr., Certifying Official at dp887@echo.rutgers.edu