As a full-time international student at the University of Waterloo, you have two health plans that cover different health related issues. You'll need to print out two health cards.
1. University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)
As a full-time international undergraduate student in your first term, your student account will be automatically charged for UHIP coverage. Full-time and part-time graduate students in on-campus programs are automatically charged for UHIP coverage on their student account.
Your registered status on Quest must be “Fees Arranged” for Student Financial Services to activate your coverage with Cowan Insurance. Cowan Insurance will email your UHIP coverage card to your UWaterloo email address within two weeks after that. Please have this card accessible at all times in case of a medical emergency.
Note: In some instances, upfront payment will be required when healthcare services are availed. Additionally, there may be some out-of-pocket expenses for services that are not covered or only partially covered by UHIP.
2. Your supplementary Health and Dental Plan
Your WUSA/GSA student Health & Dental Plan is additional to the UHIP coverage and covers medical services that the UHIP plan does not, including prescriptions, physiotherapy, chiropractor, massage therapists, visits to the dentist or eye doctor, and travel insurance.
- Undergraduate students (both domestic and international) are covered under the WUSA Health & Dental Plan.
- Graduate students (both domestic and international) are covered under the GSA Health & Dental Plan.
3. Next steps after graduation
If you're completing your studies at UWaterloo, you may still be eligible for UHIP by extending coverage by up to 4-6 months, depending on your program completion date. Learn how you can extend your UHIP coverage.
If you have applied for Permanent Resident status in Canada and have received your "Approval in Principle" letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, you may be eligible for OHIP coverage. Please visit the OHIP website to determine your eligibility.
If you have exceeded your UHIP extension and are not yet eligible for OHIP, then you will need to find alternate health insurance coverage via other insurance providers with medical coverage similar or comparable to UHIP.
A few examples of private health insurance companies include, but are not limited to:
- Ingle International
- Cown Insurance
- Guard.Me, and
- Blue Cross, among others.
Research which option works best for you so that you are sufficiently covered while travelling and living in Canada (compare different plans, understand the coverage details, consider your specific needs, and evaluate the cost-benefit ratio).
Additionally, there is UWaterloo Alumni Health & Dental Insurance available through Manulife.
If you’re planning to relocate to another province or territory, be aware that health insurance will vary from province to province. Check here for details.
