Health insurance for international students

1. Check your student fees
   After you register for classes, check your fees by logging in to your Student Services Centre (SSC) and selecting “Financial Summary” under Finances. Confirm you are charged for iMED coverage (check the section below) and AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan fees. If you are charged, you are enrolled for your program’s coverage dates. If you can't find the iMED fee listed in your financial summary, contact International Student Advising. If you can't find the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan fee listed in your financial summary, contact StudentCare Centre.

2. Download and print your iMED card
   After you register for your first on-campus (in-person) course, your iMED card will automatically be sent to you via email by David Cummings Insurance Services (DCIS). Print it and keep it with you along with a copy of your study permit, if you have one.
3. Check your iMED coverage dates
   If the start date on your iMED card is not the calendar month of your arrival in Canada, follow the instructions to change your iMED coverage dates.
4. Download and print your AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan card
   Your AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan card is available online. Print it, add your UBC student ID number, your name and signature, and keep it with you, along with your valid UBC student card.
5. Apply for the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (BC MSP)
   As soon as you arrive in British Columbia, apply for MSP online for yourself and any family members who came with you.
6. Extend your MSP, if required
   Each time you extend your study permit or get the Post-Graduation Work Permit, you will need to extend your MSP online to maintain coverage in British Columbia.

Coverage period

If your program is longer than 6 months

You will have iMED while you are waiting to be eligible for the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (MSP) since MSP has a 3-month waiting period.

Your iMED coverage dates depend on when you start your program:

• Winter Term 1 (September to December): your coverage will start on August 1
• Winter Term 2 (January to April): your coverage will start on December 1
• Summer Term 1 (May to June): your coverage will start on April 1
• Summer Term 2 (July to August): your coverage will start on June 1

If you arrive earlier than your iMED coverage dates, you should purchase iMED advance coverage. For example, if your coverage starts on August 1 but you will arrive in July. 

If you arrive the calendar month after your iMED insurance starts, you should apply to change your iMED coverage dates. For example, if your coverage starts August 1 but you will arrive in September, you will need to change coverage dates.

If your program is shorter than 6 months

You will have iMED for the duration of your studies.

One-term exchange students have set iMED coverage dates for 130 days (one academic term) which cannot be changed.

Visiting International Research Students (VIRS) studying for less than 6 months have iMED coverage dates based on your research period. If you need to change your research period, check changing your iMED coverage dates.

For other non-degree-seeking students, such as unclassified, access studies, and visiting students, this depends on your program and your period of studies at UBC. You might have iMED coverage for 130 days (same as one-term exchange students above) or you might have coverage for a specific number of months instead of the whole academic term (for example, if you will be enrolled for two months). If you are enrolled for a specific number of months and need to change your period of studies, check changing your iMED coverage dates.

If you arrive in Canada before your iMED coverage start date, you should purchase iMED advance coverage.

If you plan to stay in Canada after your iMED coverage dates, contact David Cummings Insurance Services (DCIS) or another private health insurance provider for options. Ensure you always have sufficient health insurance during your stay in Canada. You also need to ensure you have valid immigration status in Canada - contact International Student Advising for support. 

Eligibility and enrolment

You are automatically enrolled in iMED as a new-to-UBC international student when you register in one or more on-campus courses. If you are charged iMED fees, you are enrolled for your program’s coverage dates. Certain exceptions exist, so check your Student Services Centre (SSC) account in the “Financial Summary” under Finances to ensure you’ve been charged for the fees and will be enrolled.

If you are a returning UBC student, or if you register for off-campus (distance learning) courses only, you are not eligible for iMED and can purchase other private insurance, such as the Global Campus Health Plan (GCHP), if you will be enrolled in full-time studies.

If you think you should be covered but you are missing the fees, or to confirm your coverage, contact International Student Advising.

Your iMED card will be automatically emailed to the email address you provided to UBC by David Cummings Insurance Services (DCIS) after you register for one or more on-campus courses. During your coverage dates, print your iMED card and keep it with you in case you need medical attention, along with your UBC student ID and a copy of your study permit (if you have one). Consider saving a digital copy of these documents on your phone as well.

If you did not receive your iMED card by the start of the iMED coverage period, check your inbox and junk-mail folders to ensure you did not receive it, then email DCIS at imed@david-cummings.com. In your email, write “Missing iMED card” as the subject line, and in the message, you must include your name, UBC student ID number, and date of arrival in BC.

If you already have iMED, BC MSP or another Canadian provincial or territorial health plan, if your studies are being funded by a third-party organization and they are providing you with basic health insurance, or if you will complete your entire program of studies online while being physically outside of Canada, you might be eligible to opt out of iMED.

If your family (spouse, partner, and/or dependent children) will be with you in Canada, you are responsible for adding them to the iMED basic health insurance.

More about iMED

Coverage period

There is a 3-month waiting period to be eligible for MSP, starting with the balance of your month of arrival in BC, plus the next 2 calendar months. 

As long as you apply upon your arrival in BC, you should be covered from the first day of your 4th month in BC until the expiry of your study permit, unless you leave BC for an extended period.

When you get a new study or work permit, you must extend your MSP online to maintain coverage. If you applied for a new study or work permit but you haven’t received it yet, ensure you request temporary coverage while on maintained status.

Eligibility and how to apply

You must apply for MSP online for yourself and any family members who come with you as soon as you arrive in BC. Processing your MSP application could take several months. Once processed, you will receive your BC Services Card (formerly known as "BC CareCard") by mail.

You should register for the BC Fair PharmaCare Plan, which might provide additional coverage for prescription drugs, medical devices, and pharmacy services. Fair PharmaCare registration may be required for prescription coverage through the AMS/GSS Health and Dental plan. As of October 2022, you can register for the BC Fair PharmaCare plan at the same time you apply for MSP. It is also possible to register for Fair PharmaCare separately.

If you will be in BC for 6 months or less, you are not eligible to apply for MSP coverage.

If your family (spouse, partner, and/or dependent children) will be with you in BC for 6 months or more, they may be eligible to enrol with the BC MSP.

More about MSP

Coverage period

• If you start your studies at UBC in Winter Term 1, you’re covered by the plan for 1 year from September 1 to August 31
• If you start your studies at UBC in Winter Term 2, you’re covered by the plan for 8 months from January 1 to August 31
• If you start your studies at UBC in the Summer Session: you are not automatically enrolled, but you may be eligible to self-enrol during the change of coverage period. If you wish to opt into the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, you must opt into all other AMS fees.

Eligibility and enrolment

All AMS and GSS members are automatically enrolled, including full-time and part-time students, international students, and those auditing a course. Certain exceptions exist, so check your Student Services Centre (SSC) account in the “Financial Summary” under Finances to ensure you’ve been charged for the fees and will be enrolled.

If you are not automatically enrolled because you started or will start your studies at UBC in the Summer Session, but you wish to enrol with the extended plan, be sure to opt into the plan during the change-of-coverage period. If you wish to opt into the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, you must opt into all other AMS fees.

If you think you should be covered but you are missing the fees, or to confirm your coverage, contact the StudentCare Centre.

Download, print, and fill out your Pay Direct Card, which allows your claim to be processed immediately when you fill a prescription. Consider saving a digital copy of the card on your phone as well.

If your family (spouse, partner, and/or dependent children) will be with you in Canada, you are responsible for adding them to the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan.

Exchange students

If you are an exchange student and you pay tuition at your home university, you are not automatically enrolled in the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. You may, however, be eligible to apply once you arrive at UBC. You will need to fill the AMS Fee Opt-in form and submit your request during the change of coverage period. If you wish to opt into the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, you must opt into all other AMS fees. It is important that you have extended health and dental coverage while you are in Canada.

If you’re covered by another extended plan

If you have a separate extended health insurance plan which is equivalent to the coverage provided by the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan, you may be eligible to opt out of the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. The BC MSP coverage is not equivalent to the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. If you want to opt out, you must do so within the change of coverage period or within 3 weeks of your registration date, whichever is later.

If you have questions about coverage outside of Canada or documentation to opt out, contact the StudentCare Centre.

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