Countries

United States: university health plans and waivers

The United States has no national health service, and medical care can be expensive. For that reason most US universities require international students to have health insurance, and many enrol students in their own plan automatically.

Automatic enrolment

At many universities, every student, or every international student, is enrolled in the university's student health insurance plan and billed for it each term. If you already have cover that meets the university's standards, you can apply for a waiver before a deadline. Miss the deadline and you are usually charged for the plan.

What a waiver needs

Universities set their own standards. They usually look at whether a plan covers care in the US, how high the deductible is, whether it covers mental health and prescriptions, and whether it includes medical evacuation and repatriation.

Exchange visitors

Students and scholars on J-1 visas must hold insurance that meets federal minimum requirements for the whole programme, including for their dependants.

Terms to understand

• Premium: what you pay for the plan.
• Deductible: what you pay yourself before the plan starts paying.
• Co-pay and co-insurance: your share of each visit or bill after the deductible.
• In-network: doctors and hospitals that have agreed rates with the plan.

Universities

The Universities DB United States page lists universities across the country.

This page is general information, last reviewed in October 2026. It is not advice, and rules change. Check the official source for your visa and your university's own guidance before you buy anything.