UH Student Health Center - International Students - University of Houston
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Student Health Center & Campus Pharmacy

International Students

Health Insurance Requirements

UH System Policy states that international students with "F" or "J" visa status are required to be covered under the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan or have equivalent health insurance coverage, regardless of the number of credit hours taken. At the time of registration, the student will automatically be charged for the mandatory UHS-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) coverage period on their student financial account.

The University of Houston does not require international students with "non-F" or "non-J" visa status to show proof of health insurance.

The Student Health Center facilitates the reporting and communication functions on behalf of the university. The Student Health Center does not interpret/update a student's visa or residency status, admissions or class registration status, or determine which students the university requires to maintain health insurance and be charged the international student health insurance fee.

Quick Links

Acknowledgment of the Health Insurance Notification: All international students, regardless of their visa status, are required to read and ackowledge the University of Houston International Student Health Insurance Requirements each Fall and Spring term.

Enrollment Activation Instructions: Follow the step-by-step instructions to activate your enrollment in the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan each coverage period.

Waiver Submission Minimum Requirements and Instructions: Review the minimum requirements and follow the step-by-step instructions to request a waiver of the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insuance Plan if you have acceptable aternate health insurance coverage.

Class Registration Changes: Review how the mandatory health insurance requirements will be affected if you drop or withdraw from all classes prior to the posted deadline or register for classes after the posted deadline.

UH System-Endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan - Administered by Academic HealthPlans: Your one-step resource for managing your UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan. View benefits, enroll, waive, update your insurance account address, or Academic HealthPlans Customer Care.

Student Health Center HELP HUB: An online tool containing information, links, and contacts that may assist you with many of your questions and resource needs.

Your Responsibilities

The health insurance fee is posted to a student's university financial account based on the information reflected in their university records. It is the responsibility of each student to review their financial account for accuracy.

International students who are required to maintain health insurance must activate their enrollment or submit a waiver for each coverage period before the term's posted deadline.

The Official Reporting Day listed for the regular session for each term on the university’s general Academic Calendar is used as the posted deadline date for all sessions within that term.

Summer 2024:  June 6, 2024 (5:00 pm CDT)

2024 – 2025 Academic Year
Fall 2024 Spring 2024 Summer 2024
September 4, 2024
(5:00 pm CDT)		 January 29, 2025
(5:00 pm CDT)		 June 5, 2025
(5:00 pm CDT)

Changes/corrections that may affect or reverse a student's waiver, enrollment in the mandatory UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan, or being charged the health insurance fee must be posted to the student's university account no later than the posted deadline for the current term. (Including, but not limited to, a change or correction of residency, citizenship/visa status, admissions, class registration, etc.)

Changes should be submitted as early as possible, and it is the responsibility of the student to follow up with the appropriate department(s) to ensure all changes are POSTED before the term's deadline and that their university records and financial accounts are accurate.

Please note that the university processes tuition and fee calculations each weekend. The health insurance fee may not be reversed or added to your university account until after the weekly calculation is complete. The last calculation recorded for each term that may affect the health insurance fee will be scheduled the morning after the posted deadline.



It is the responsibility of each international student to inform the university of their current visa status and verify that the information posted in their university account is accurate. Questions about your visa status or why you are considered to be an international student should be directed to the International Student and Scholar Services Office.
A change in a student's Residency for Tuition Purposes Only does not change an international student's visa status or health insurance requirements. Questions about your residency status should be directed to the Office of the University Registrar.
It is the responsibility of each international student charged the health insurance fee who drops or withdraws from all classes or defers their admission before the term's posted deadline to review the Class Registration Changes instructions and complete them as needed.
It is the responsibility of each international student enrolled in an approved Distance Education Program and residing outside of the United States for the entire insurance coverage period to have their status updated before enrolling in classes to avoid being charged the health insurance fee. If a student has already been charged the health insurance fee, changes to their status must be posted to their university account no later than the term's waiver deadline.
It is the responsibility of each international student required to maintain health insurance who registered in classes after the posted deadline for the current term to enroll in the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan as a Qualifying Event directly through Academic HealthPlans before their first class day.
It is the responsibility of each international student to meet university payment deadlines. The university should not be responsible for any late fees, penalties, or dropped classes that may occur due to a student's failure to render acceptable payment before the university's payment deadline. The Office of Student Business Services processes all payments. Payment Plans are available.
It is the responsibility of each international student required to maintain health insurance with an Authorized Medical Withdrawal or a SEVIS Authorized Reduced Course Load to carry health insurance equivalent to that offered by the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan.

Questions about your visa status or why you are considered to be an international student should be directed to the International Student and Scholar Services Office.

Questions about your residency status should be directed to the Office of the University Registrar.

UH Email Account Requirements

The University of Houston provides students with an email account @cougarnet.uh.edu which is accessible via the UH email icon in AccessUH or Outlook in Microsoft 365 Online. To ensure that you are receiving critical University information, students need to regularly check their @cougarnet.uh.edu UH-provided email.  

Students, faculty, and staff receive a UH email alias (@uh.edu) that redirects email messages to your "Destination" email recorded in myUH, as well as the UH provided @cougarnet.uh.edu or @central.uh.edu email account.  UH uses email aliases to send important information such as emergency closings or information from colleges or departments.

The Student Health Center and Academics HealthPlans, the administrator for the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan, will also use the UH email alias to send email notifications.

  • It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the UH e-mail alias points to a working e-mail address at all times. Students may update their e-mail address information by logging on to AccessUH and going to myUH.
  • It is the student's responsibility to read e-mail correspondence frequently and consistently.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to check their SPAM folder to verify that all communication is reviewed.

The university, UH Student Health Center, Academic HealthPlans, and AcademicBlue are not responsible for students missing important information due to emails being misdirected, rejected, or blocked.

Distance Education

An International Student is charged the health insurance fee based on their status with the university. The Student Health Center does not determine a student's international status, which students the university requires to maintain health insurance, or if a student is studying outside of the United States.

  • If a student is enrolled in an APPROVED distance education program and is residing outside of the United States for the full coverage period, it is the responsibility of the student to have their status updated in their university account prior to class enrollment to avoid being charged the health insurance fee.
  • If a student has already been charged the health insurance fee, changes to their status must be posted to their university account no later than the term's waiver deadline.
  • If the student later plans to enter the United States prior to the end of the current coverage period, it is the responsibility of the student to enroll in the UH System-endorsed Student Health Insurance Plan as a Qualifying Event prior to their arrival.

Contact the Online and Distance Education Department, Learning Abroad, or your department program prior to the term's posted waiver deadline if you require assistance.

Contact the International Student and Scholar Services Office prior to the term's posted waiver deadline with questions regarding your status with the university while studying outside of the United States.