Health Insurance Eligibility 

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 that paying 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. When you 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 on University 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 to to print 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 form on University Health Plans. The premium is added to your term bill each semester once you register for your courses.  

Please note that paying 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 the RGlobal Portal. 

Waiver: If you have other coverage and wish to waive the SHIP, you must visit the RGlobal Portal. 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 for summer, you still need to complete a waiver form, even if you have other health insurance. 

Note: The SHIP premium 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. 

F and J non-Rutgers visa sponsored students must follow the applicable process for full-time or part-time domestic students. 

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, visit University 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 to have health insurance. In conjunction you’re your department, University Human Resources (UHR) will determine eligibility. If deemed eligible, you will automatically be enrolled by UHR in the Postdoctoral Fellows Health Insurance Plan with UnitedHealthcare StudentResources. If you decline the postdoctoral health insurance then you must waive 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 Insurance Plan through UHR, you are still eligible to enroll in the SHIP. If you are a part-time student taking courses, you may enroll in the SHIP under the part-time rate.  

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

Please note that this does not apply to Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS) Postdoctoral Fellows. RBHS Postdoctoral Fellows with enrollment and waiver questions should contact Kenneth Young via phone (973-972-6617) or email. 

Graduate fellows who have been awarded a full fellowship from internal or external sources are considered eligible. 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 Insurance Plan with UnitedHealthcare StudentResources.  

If you decline the Graduate Fellow Health Insurance Plan, then you must waive 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 UnitedHealthcare StudentResources (UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card 5-7 business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcare StudentResources directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process. 

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependents University 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 Health Insurance 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 UnitedHealthcare StudentResources (UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card 5-7 business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcare StudentResources directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process. 

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependents at University 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). Information on this plan is available at UHR's website. 

New full-appointment TAs/GAs 

Enroll in the SHBP online through Benefitsolver here. Should you need assistance with Benefitsolver, contact OneSource. 

You are not required to complete the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) online waiver form unless you are declining the SHBP*. The Office of Student Health Insurance will remove the SHIP premium once you are in UHR's system (showing that you have submitted your SHBP paperwork). Please keep your confirmation number until the SHIP premium has been removed from your term bill. Please allow 3-4 weeks from the receipt of your confirmation number for 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-time student, complete the online waiver form for the SHIP at University Health Plans. If you are a F1, F2, J1, J2 Rutgers sponsored visa student, complete the online waiver form here. You will complete two waivers: one with UHR declining the SHBP, and one for the SHIP via online waiver form. 

PhD students who have completed their course work and are working on research, a dissertation, exams, etc. are eligible to enroll in the Full-Time Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) at the full-time premium rate. Terminal master’s students in their final semester who previously enrolled in the SHIP are eligible to enroll in the Full-Time SHIP at the full-time premium rate. (This plan is not to be used by F1, J1 Rutgers sponsored visa students. These students will enroll online on University Health Plans). 

Students may obtain an enrollment form here and must enroll prior to the deadline each 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 UnitedHealthcare StudentResources (UHCSR) with instructions on how to print a card 5-7 business days after UHCSR has received your enrollment. Please call UnitedHealthcare StudentResources directly at 866-599-4427 if you need assistance with this process. 

Insured persons may enroll their eligible dependents on University 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-time RBHS students in clinical rotation for the SHIP annually, unless proof of comparable coverage is submitted by September 30, 2023 at University 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 note that the 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, if you choose to enroll in the SHIP, you are responsible for paying the premium each semester. Please complete an enrollment or waiver form each semester on University Health Plans. 

Veterans under the Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) program: please note that the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will pay the premium for the SHIP according to your percentage of eligibility, as you are not considered to 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 on University Health Plans. 

Veterans who choose to waive the SHIP using the VA Hospital as 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