Healthcare for International Students & Scholars
All international students and scholars are required to have international student and scholar health insurance. The United States (US) does not have a universal healthcare system. This insurance is likely different from any regular insurance you might find in the US as it includes coverage that is unique to international visa holders.
It is customary for anyone living in the US to purchase health insurance, which pays for a portion of expenses incurred in the event of an illness or injury as even minor injuries can result in costs totaling thousands of dollars.
Insurance for Students
United Healthcare SHIP Plan (BANNER plan)
This is the international student health insurance plan that students will be enrolled in automatically unless they provide proof of insurance that meets the University System of Georgia (USG) requirements.
These costs are for student-only plans and do not include costs for plans with dependents. These prices are subject to change without prior notice.
- Full Year (08/01/24 - 07/31/25): $2,936
- Fall (08/01/24 - 12/31/24): $1,231
- Spring/Summer (01/01/25 - 7/31/25): $1,705
*Note: International student athletes may have additional health insurance costs.
Using Your UnitedHealthcare Insurance
All students must create an online account in order to access the insurance card for UnitedHealthcare. Students may download and print a copy of the insurance card or request that a hard copy be sent in the mail. You will not automatically receive a copy of your insurance card upon being enrolled. You must create the account and access it. If you have previously created an account but do not remember your login credentials, you will need to contact UnitedHealthcare. Your international student advisor cannot help you retrieve that information.
Each coverage term (fall and spring/summer) students will need to log in to retrieve their insurance card.
International Student Health Insurance Waivers
All international students will be automatically enrolled for UnitedHealthcare international student health insurance. If you already have health insurance and want to waive out of the mandatory insurance, you will need to complete a waiver. If you are denied, the UnitedHealthcare fee will remain on your BANNER invoice. If you are enrolled for UnitedHealthcare, you will need to create an account in order to access your insurance card.
The following benefits must be included in your plan to be considered for a waiver from the USG mandatory plan. You will be required to provide your international student and scholar advisor a copy of your benefits, in English.
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of at least $25,000
- Medical Evacuation to one’s home country in the amount of at least $50,000
- Accident and Sickness coverage of at least $250,000 per policy year
- A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness
- A plan in effect for the required dates:
- Fall semester: August 1 - December 31
- Spring/summer semester: January 1- July 31
- Entire year: August 1 - July 31 of the next year
- In-patient and out-patient, mental and nervous disorder benefits
- Prescription Drug Coverage
- Maximum preferred provider total out-of-pocket expenses cannot exceed $8,150 per member ($16,300 per family)
- Unlimited Maximum Benefit for covered medical expenses
- Preventative care with no cost-sharing for Preferred Providers
- Coverage for pre-existing condition with no waiting period
- Pediatric dental and vision coverage
Student FAQs
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Many students have a spouse or parent who have health insurance that may meet some requirements but usually not the requirements for repatriation and medical evacuation. Many scholars have insurance through UNG as part of their benefits package. If this is the case, you can consider purchasing a supplemental insurance policy instead of an entirely new international student or scholar health insurance policy. A quick internet search will produce some results for supplemental insurance options, but here are a few to get you started. Please remember that the Center for Global Engagement and your International Student and Scholar Advisor are not responsible for these plans and cannot answer specific questions about their coverages.
