Health Insurance
To ensure your safety and wellbeing while studying abroad, you must have valid comprehensive health insurance coverage in the country where your program takes place. Students must therefore be covered by the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP) or by a comparable health insurance plan that is valid in the program country.
We strongly recommend that students use U-SHIP because of the comprehensive range of benefits the plan provides internationally. For information about U-SHIP, please contact the on-campus insurance office at uchicagoadvocates@uhcsr.com or 773.834.4543 (select option 2).
Students not covered by U-SHIP must have a comparable health insurance plan that covers emergency and non-emergency care that is valid in the program country. In many countries, it is customary to make immediate upfront payments for medical services; then, upon return to the U.S., students request reimbursement from their insurer. Participants intending to use an alternative policy must confirm with their insurance provider that the coverage allows for reimbursement of medical expenses paid abroad.
In cases where an alternative policy provides no coverage or emergency-only coverage for international travel, students must either subscribe to U-SHIP (full-year only) or purchase supplementary short-term travel insurance. Here follows a short list (listed alphabetically; the University does not endorse any specific provider) of insurance companies that provide such coverage.
- BETINS (866.552.8834)
- CISI (800.303.8120)
- Gateway Plans (317.655.4500 or 877.808.7434)
- GeoBlue (610.632.5048)
- HTH Worldwide (888.243.2358 or 610.254.8769)
- International Student Insurance (877.758.4391)
- ISO International Student Insurance (800.244.1180)
- Seven Corners (800.335.0611)
- UnitedHealthcare Global (800.732.5309)
- Wallach & Company (800.237.6615 or 540.687.3166)
In evaluating health insurance options, please keep in mind that many short-term travel plans have exclusions for services or benefits typically covered by student, employer, and private insurance plans. Please consider carefully the risks associated with a plan that may have any of these exclusions:
- Pre-existing conditions (with no limitations for time periods or dollar thresholds)
- Mental health treatment, either in-patient or out-patient
- Injuries related to participation in sports or athletics
- Injuries or sickness related to alcohol use
- Self-inflicted injury
- STDs and pregnancy-related care
Please note that some parental insurance policies only cover students up to age 21. Students who are covered by a parental policy should confirm that their coverage extends through the full term of the program.
Upon accepting an offer of admission to a study abroad program, students will be asked to complete the Study Abroad Health Insurance Coverage Form indicating that their insurance is international.
Travel Insurance
UChicago Study Abroad arranges automatic membership at no extra cost to all University travelers to a travel and health assistance program provided by International SOS. This program provides coverage of some costs associated with medical emergencies, illness, and security issues overseas, as well as useful contacts for assistance with medical or legal issues. The International SOS program does not remove a student’s obligation to have separate and full medical insurance while abroad. Additional details and a policy number will be provided to program participants prior to departure.