Health Insurance Requirements
Carnegie Mellon requires that all enrolled students have adequate health insurance. Additionally, all J visa holders (J-1 students, scholars, and their dependents) are required by U.S. federal law to have health insurance that meets minimum standards set by the government. Health insurance is a necessity for everyone living in the U.S. because of the high cost of routine and emergency health care, as well as prescription medication.
It is important to note that international students and scholars are not eligible for public benefits available to U.S. citizens with low incomes. Accepting any such public benefits can cause you to lose your legal status in the U.S. and create a bar to your re-entry to the U.S.
Information for Foreign Students
All full-time undergraduate and graduate students who are physically located in the U.S. must have medical insurance that meets the university's requirements. To meet these requirements, students must:
- Enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), or
- Obtain a waiver by providing documentation of current healthcare coverage that meets certain minimum criteria by the deadline set by University Health Services.
Carnegie Mellon student health insurance will become active on August 1. If you expect to arrive earlier, we recommend that you purchase short-term travel insurance at home to cover you before your Carnegie Mellon student insurance becomes active. If you are starting your studies in the spring or summer semesters, insurance is required and will begin at the start of the semester.
Note that individual health coverage programs purchased by you, either in your home country or in the U.S., will not qualify for a waiver and you may be required to also pay for Carnegie Mellon University healthcare coverage. To avoid having to pay for two health insurance plans, we recommend that you do not purchase any private health insurance without first consulting University Health Services.
Routine dental work and eye examinations are not covered by most U.S. health insurance plans; therefore, you should take care of any dental or eye care before you leave your home country. Optional dental and vision plans are available from Carnegie Mellon for an additional cost.