Get Health Insurance and Care

ISSS Guide :: Health Insurance and Student Health Services

  • All F-1 and J-1 international students are required to enroll in the Texas A&M University System Student Health Insurance Plan (SSHIP).
  • The SSHIP is through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) of Texas, and Academic Health Plans (AHP) provides management and administrative services for East Texas A&M.
  • Students are automatically enrolled each semester and the insurance premium charge is placed on an international student’s account as a separate charge with their tuition and fees during the second week of classes.
  • The ISSS does not set the cost of the insurance.
  • The cost of the insurance is set by criteria and a bidding process at The Texas A&M University System. The SSHIP is for all Texas A&M University System universities.

The Texas A&M University System has established the following circumstances in which an F-1 or J-1 international student can request a waiver of SSHIP and provide alternative health insurance coverage that is comparable to SSHIP.

  • Student is sponsored by the United States government.
  • Student is sponsored by a foreign government recognized by the United States or certain international government-sponsored or non-governmental organizations, and is covered under a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SSHIP.
  • Student is enrolled in an employer-provided group health plan that is compliant with the ACA. If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SSHIP.
  • Student is involved in intercollegiate athletics and coverage for all medical insurance is provided through a policy as part of the current sports accident medical policy approved by System Risk Management.

Only students who meet one of the A&M System-allowed exceptions on the Waiver Guidelines page may apply for a waiver.

Although a student may have alternate health insurance coverage, the student is not necessarily eligible for a waiver.

Insurance Waiver Dates

Please note the following:

  • Students will need to allow Academic Health Plans (AHP) up to ten business days to process waiver requests
  • It is your responsibility to provide any additional documents to AHP regarding your waiver request
  • Failure to respond to any document request from AHP or failure to
  • The ISSS will not review waiver requests
  • Students who fail to submit a waiver by the deadline will be required to pay the SSHIP charge on their student account and no refunds will be issued for the student.

To submit a waiver, go to ETAMU Waiver Request.

  • Students with a full-time assistantship that includes the Grad Plan insurance will need to submit the Assistantship Verification Form.
  • Do not submit a waiver through the AHP website.
  • The ISSS will use the information provided through the form to verify a student’s Grad Plan coverage.
  • Graduate assistants with Grad Plan insurance do not submit waiver requests.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Students with F-2 dependents who would like enroll in the SSHIP may contact Academic Health Plans at AHP Contact Us. The SSHIP coverage does not include dependents and a separate enrollment form will need to be submitted.

Back to menu
Navigate This Page