Boston University Health Insurance Waiver: 2026 Guide

To get a Boston University health insurance waiver, your plan must meet all of BU's comparable coverage criteria: it must comply with the Affordable Care Act, be underwritten in the United States, use an open provider network in your area, have no lifetime limit, and cover a full list of services from preventive care to prescriptions. BU's waiver deadlines are September 20 for fall and January 31 for spring, and waivers must be resubmitted every year.

For international students studying in Boston, most home country and travel style plans fail on underwriting or lifetime limits. BU relaxes the ACA and US underwriting rules only for students studying outside the United States.

Key facts at a glance

• BU states that its policy and Massachusetts law require students to have health insurance while enrolled at BU.
• BU automatically enrolls full time, certified full time and three quarter time students (9 or more credits), and international students, in the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan.
• BU lists the standard annual SHIP rate for 2026 to 2027 as $4,054.
• Fall start SHIP coverage runs from August 15 through August 14 of the following year, and spring start coverage from January 1 through August 14, according to BU.
• BU's waiver deadlines are September 20 for fall and January 31 for spring, and waivers must be resubmitted annually.

What are BU's waiver criteria for the student health insurance plan?

BU requires a waiver plan to meet every one of these criteria, according to its enroll, waive or change coverage page:

• ACA compliance: the plan must meet Affordable Care Act requirements.
• US underwriting: the plan must be underwritten in the United States. BU warns that being "based in" the US is not the same thing.
• Open network: an open network of providers in your area, which excludes closed network HMOs, EPOs and Medicaid products from elsewhere.
• No lifetime limit: unlimited lifetime benefits.
• Core services: preventive care without coinsurance, primary care, emergency room, inpatient and outpatient surgery, hospital stays, specialist visits, mental and behavioral health visits and hospitalization, and prescription drugs.

BU also publishes a list of some plans it has found noncompliant and cautions about certain products that are aggressively marketed to college students. If a seller describes a plan as "US based", look for the name of the underwriting insurer in the policy document.

How does the Massachusetts comparable coverage test apply at BU?

Massachusetts requires college students to have health coverage through the school plan or a comparable plan, which is why Boston schools apply stricter tests than many other states. BU's criteria put that standard into practice: comprehensive benefits, an accessible network near campus, and no lifetime cap.

The lifetime limit rule is the deciding factor for most international plans. Student plans sold by travel insurers usually state a policy maximum or a per incident maximum. IMG's Student Health Advantage, for example, lists $500,000 per incident on its Platinum tier in Ombrela's plan catalog, which is a cap and would not meet BU's unlimited lifetime requirement. When comparing plan documents, look for the words maximum, limit or cap in the schedule of benefits.

Do international plans pass or fail at BU?

Run each plan through three quick checks before you spend time on a waiver:

• Who underwrites it? A plan underwritten outside the US fails immediately if you are studying in Boston.
• Is there any dollar ceiling? A lifetime, policy or per incident maximum fails the unlimited lifetime test.
• Does preventive care cost nothing? Plans that exclude routine care or apply coinsurance to preventive visits fall short of BU's list.

Home country national plans and travel medical plans usually fail the first or second check. A US employer plan through a spouse, or a marketplace plan with an open network in Boston, is the realistic route to a waiver. If you are unsure how university plans compare with private options in general, see our guide to waiving university health insurance.

How do you waive BU student health insurance, and by when?

According to BU, you go to the MyBU Dashboard, open Student Health Insurance, select Waive SHIP, and complete the form on the Gallagher website. BU says decisions usually arrive within one to two business days. The deadlines are September 20 for the fall semester and January 31 for students starting in spring.

If you lose other coverage during the year, BU allows enrollment in SHIP within 31 days of the loss as a qualifying life event. Questions about charges go to Student Accounting Services.

Before you waive to save money, compare like with like. The $4,054 SHIP rate covers a full year with no lifetime cap. A plan that looks lower priced may carry a high deductible, coinsurance on specialist visits, or a network that sends you across the city for care. Add the premium, the deductible and a realistic estimate of visits, and our medical cost estimator can help you gauge what an emergency in Boston might cost.

How should you plan for summer coverage?

BU's plan year runs to August 14, so students who stay on SHIP are covered through the summer. The summer questions arise in three situations:

• You waived with a plan that ends in May or June. That breaks your coverage, and you should use the 31 day qualifying event window rather than go uninsured.
• You graduate in May and start OPT. SHIP runs to August 14, but you need a plan for the months after that. Our OPT health insurance guide covers the options.
• You spend the summer abroad or at home. Check what your plan covers outside the US, and read our guide to student insurance over summer break.

For dates BU does not cover, such as an arrival before August 15 or the period after SHIP ends, you can compare student plans on Ombrela. Study in the States notes that new F-1 students may arrive up to 30 days before the program start date on the I-20. Plan availability varies: IMG's Student Health Advantage is not sold to residents of countries including Nigeria, Ghana and Iran, and WorldTrips' Student Secure is not sold to citizens of Cuba or Ukraine.

Download our free BU Waiver Worksheet below. It turns BU's criteria into a checklist, adds the Massachusetts comparable coverage questions, and gives you a summer coverage plan and a place to record appeal notes.

How to get covered

If your plan passes BU's criteria, submit the waiver before the deadline and keep the confirmation. If not, stay on SHIP and only insure the gaps. Get student insurance quotes for exact dates, keeping in mind that premiums depend on age, trip length, policy maximum and deductible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can international students waive BU student health insurance?

Yes, if their plan meets all of BU's criteria, but few do. When you are studying in the US, BU requires an ACA compliant plan underwritten in the United States with an open local network and no lifetime limit. BU waives the ACA and US underwriting requirements only for students studying outside the United States. Most home country and travel plans therefore fail.

What is the BU health insurance waiver deadline?

BU lists September 20 as the fall deadline and January 31 as the spring deadline. You waive through the MyBU Dashboard, then complete the form on the Gallagher website, and BU says decisions usually take one to two business days. The waiver must be resubmitted every year, even if your plan has not changed.

How much does BU student health insurance cost?

BU lists the standard annual SHIP rate for 2026 to 2027 as $4,054. Fall start coverage runs from August 15 to August 14 of the next year. Compare that figure with your own plan's yearly premium plus its deductible and likely out of pocket costs, not the premium alone, before deciding whether a waiver saves money.

What if I lose my other coverage after waiving SHIP?

BU treats loss of other coverage as a qualifying life event and allows you to enroll in SHIP within 31 days of the loss. Act quickly: missing the 31 day window can leave you uninsured, which conflicts with BU policy and Massachusetts law. Keep the termination letter from your previous insurer as proof of the date coverage ended.

Use the worksheet before September 20 to test your plan honestly, and compare student plans on Ombrela for the weeks before or after BU coverage.