Student Health Insurance

The insurance carrier for the 2024-2025 school year is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas!

Deadlines

Fall 2024 Waive/Elect Deadline: September 7, 2024
Spring 2025 Waive/Elect Deadline: February 7, 2025 (New Students Only)

Cost

The premium for the Student Health Insurance Plan for the 2024-2025 Academic Year is $2,010.00 per semester.

Eligibility

All domestic students taking nine (9) or more credit hours are required to maintain health insurance as a condition of enrollment. A domestic student may waive out of the policy by documenting current, comparable U.S. insurance coverage in the Student Center component of mySMU before the deadline each semester. Domestic Students not waiving are required to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan.

All international students who are enrolled in one (1) or more credit hours are required to maintain the Student Health Insurance Plan as a condition of enrollment. International students must enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan unless they have a special waiver personally granted by the Student Health Center staff.

If you chose not to elect coverage, or do not waive coverage by the waiver deadline, the premium will be charged to your SMU student account.

Add-On Coverage Options

Students who wish to have dental or vision coverage must elect coverage for themselves and/or dependents here.

Dental

In addition to SHIP, SMU offers optional dental insurance. When it comes to dental care, everyone has different needs. We want you to keep smiling during your time on the Hilltop and are pleased to offer students dental insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Blue Cross Blue Shield is accepted on campus at Campus Smiles. 

 

Vision

Apply online for optional vision plan coverage here.

Requirements

Domestic Students taking less than nine credit hours are not required to carry the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) AND are not required to waive enrollment each semester.

International student visa holders are required to enroll in the Student Health Insurance plan, unless you receive a special waiver granted by the Student Insurance Office.



 

The option to elect the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is only available after the student has enrolled for classes each semester.

  1. Within my.SMU, and Click Student Health Insurance from the left menu
  2. Click Mandatory Health Insurance
  3. Enter your DOB and social security number (if applicable)
  4. Click Enroll
  5. Confirm your selection and agree to the Terms and Conditions

*To add dependents or enroll in add-on coverage options, such as dental and vision, visit the AHP website here.

 

Waivers must be completed each semester by the deadline date. Late submissions will not be accepted.  If you do not submit a waiver or if your waiver submission is not approved, you will be automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan and the cost of the coverage will be included on your student account.

The option to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is only available after the student has enrolled for classes each semester.

  1. Within my.SMU, Click Student Health Insurance from the left menu
  2. Click Mandatory Health Insurance
  3. Enter your DOB and social security number (if applicable)
  4. Click Waive under the section ‘I Already Have Health Insurance’
  5. Complete the waiver form and attach an electronic copy of the front and back of your medical insurance card
  6. Select Submit Waiver

Once you have successfully submitted your waiver request you will receive an on-screen confirmation and an automated email confirming receipt of your request. Please make sure you receive this submission confirmation email, and print it for your records. Should there be any problems with your waiver, you will need this confirmation email which contains your waiver request ID number. This automated email does not constitute granting of a waiver; a separate email as to whether your waiver request has been approved or denied will be sent from Academic HealthPlans within seven business days. For additional information or assistance, please contact Academic HealthPlans at 855-357-0242.

 

SMU’s policy is that all International Students enrolled in 1 credit hour or more must enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).  There are only two allowable exceptions:

  1. Your government sponsors you while you are attending SMU.  That means they provide for your schooling and your insurance (U.S. insurance).  If you don’t know if your government provides this, they don’t.  You would know if they did.
  2. You are provided U.S. insurance through either your parent’s or your spouse’s U.S. employer.

If your insurance does not meet these requirements, you are not eligible for a waiver and MUST enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

Additional Requirements for International Students:

  1. Your insurance imposes a deductible that does not exceed $5,000.
  2. Proof of Repatriation expenses in the amount of no less than $25,000.
  3. Proof of expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the insured to the insured’s home country of no less than $50,000.

If your health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

International policies, policies purchased from a broker, or policies from your home country are not acceptable.  

If you made a selection and wish to change it, you must contact the SMU Insurance Office at studenthealthinsurance@smu.edu. Changes are only permitted prior to the deadline each semester and can only be completed by the SMU Insurance Coordinator. You must complete a waiver and provide proof of current comparable insurance coverage. No waivers will be accepted or reversal of charges will be made after the deadline each semester. 

No. You will need to waive online each semester. To "Waive" health insurance, go to the Student Center component in My.SMU and select the Student Health Insurance Tile. Select the Mandatory Health Insurance Button on the upper left hand side of the screen (this component will only be available once you are enrolled in classes for the current or upcoming term) Failure to provide necessary and complete documentation, and receive an approval email by the deadline each semester will result in automatic enrollment into SHIP and the premium charged to your student account.

As a condition of enrolment, all students are required to have continuous health insurance coverage while at SMU.  Each year you must provide SMU with evidence of your coverage by the required deadline.  If you do not have coverage you will need to purchase the student health insurance plan (SHIP) offered by SMU.

You can meet this requirement by providing evidence of your coverage under an existing plan or by choosing the student health insurance plan offered by SMU. 

 

Every student must waive or elect each year.  

  1. Waive means you have coverage and are opting out of the SMU sponsored student health insurance plan (SHIP) in which case you will need to provide evidence of your existing policy.
  2. Elect means you are choosing the SMU sponsored student health insurance plan for your coverage.     

 

If you do not waive or elect by the deadline, you will automatically be enrolled in the SMU sponsored student health insurance plan (SHIP). 

To elect or waive health insurance, go to the student center in mySMU and select the Student Health Insurance Tile. Select the Mandatory Health Insurance Button on the upper left hand side of the screen (this component will only be available once you are enrolled in classes for the current or upcoming term).

*students cannot elect or waive health insurance until they are enrolled for classes.

No, Approved fall SHIP waivers will carry over to the spring semester. Only new students entering in the spring semester will be required to submit a spring waiver. If you were auto-enrolled in the fall, and do not wish to be enrolled in the spring semester, please contact the Student Health Insurance Office by emailing studenthealthinsurance@smu.edu

The insurance cost will be charged to your student account and you will automatically be enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan for the current semester. No waivers will be accepted and no reversal of charges will be made after the deadline each semester. 

Yes, a student may still enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan. A student must report the change in insurance coverage to the Student Health Insurance Office at studenthealthinsurance@smu.edu This office will assist you in signing up for Student Health Insurance Plan.

The Student Health Insurance Policy allows you to add your dependents to your coverage. Students must complete a Dependent Enrollment Form available HERE. Unlike your student premium, premiums for dependents cannot be billed to your student account and must be paid in their entirety at the time of dependent enrollment. You must repeat this process every semester, as dependent coverage does not carry over from semester to semester.

If you have other insurance you must complete the waiver process online in the Student Center component of My.smu. After students enroll for classes, they are strongly encouraged to complete the waiver process themselves at the same time they enroll in classes each semester. Please contact the SMU Insurance Office if you have difficulty or questions at studenthealthinsurance@smu.edu. Failure to waive each semester by the deadline will result in automatic enrollment into SHIP and the semi-annual premium will be incurred. No waivers will be accepted or reversal of charges will be made after the deadline each semester. 

You are not required to document health insurance if you are taking less than 9 credit hours, unless you are an International Student. However, all students are strongly encouraged to have health insurance for themselves and their dependents. Domestic Students Degree Seeking Students enrolled in at least 4 credit hours have the option of electing the Student Health Insurance. Follow the instructions under the FAQ "Where do I go to Elect or Waive Health Insurance?"

Yes, the student will maintain their coverage through the termination date of the policy for which they are enrolled. For instance, the student graduates in May, but the Student Plan is set to term on July 31. The student will maintain this coverage through July 31, even though they are no longer a student. December Graduates’ insurance will term on December 31.

Your insurance card and any correspondence from the insurance company will be mailed to the HOME address you have listed in My.smu. Insurance cards will not be mailed to international addresses. Therefore, it is vitally important that you ensure the correctness of your U.S. home address every semester. If there is not a valid U.S. address listed under Home Address, your mail will be delivered to the Student Health Center and held in the Insurance Office for you to pick up. The Insurance Office will notify you, by email to your SMU email address that your card is at the Student Health Center.