Eligibility
Eligibility for the Student Health Benefits Plan
Students that wish to enroll in the Student Health Benfits Plan, must meet the academic program and credit hour requirements each semester. Students that enroll in autumn will be enrolled for spring as long as they continue to meet these requirements.
Domestic Student Eligibility
All registered Domestic Students enrolled in a degree program and enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours for undergraduates, at least four (4) credit hours for graduate and professional students and at least three (3) credit hours for post-candidacy doctoral students are automatically enrolled in this insurance plan.
Students who do not meet the minimum credit hour requirements are not eligible to purchase Student Health Benefits Plan.
Please note students enrolled in the following courses or programs are NOT ELIGIBLE for the coverage.
- Graduate - Non-degree or Visitor
- Undergraduate - Non-degree, Visitor, Academy
- Law - Non-degree or Casual
- Courses designated as Continuing Education
- Courses taken as Audit
- Online Academic Degree Programs - ONL (in the absence of campus based in person credit hours and/or fees)
Students taking one of the approved exception course numbers representing co-ops, internship, study abroad, and thesis or dissertation research will be automatically enrolled, and the health insurance premium will be included in their fees regardless of credit hours unless the student waives coverage.
It is your responsibility to view your online Statement of Account at the beginning of each academic term (and any time your course enrollment changes) to confirm it reflects the correct Student Health Benefits Plan level.
International Student Eligibility
International Students are required to enroll in Student Health Insurance as a condition of their enrollment at The Ohio State University regardless of credit hours. Students may be eligible for an exemption if they meet specific exemption requirements.
International students that reside in their home country and enroll only in distance learning courses are excluded from the requirement. Additional information is available in the International Students - Residing in Your Home Country section on our Waive page.
Dependent Eligibilty
Students that would like to add eligible dependents must do so when completing the Enroll process before their first semester each academic year. Dependents cannot be added outside of the Enroll window unless you experience a Life Event.
Dependent Eligibility
Eligible Dependents:
- The student’s legal spouse
- The student's same or opposite sex domestic partner
- The student’s unmarried child(ren)* under age 26
*Children include:
- Biological children
- Stepchildren
- Foster children
- Adopted children from the date of placement in the student’s home and who depend on the student for their support
- Children for whom the student has been granted legal custody
- Children for whom the student has legal obligation to provide coverage due to a court order
Domestic Partner Eligibility
To enroll a Domestic Partner as a dependent, you must be registered with the City of Columbus Domestic Partner registry prior to the start of a coverage period and provide SHI a copy of your personalized certificate and a copy of the notarized application upon request.
Available Coverage Levels
During ENROLL process before their first semester each academic year eligible students can select the following levels of the Student Health Benefits Plan:
- Student Only (default)
- Student + Spouse/Domestic Partner
- Student + Child
- Student + Spouse/Domestic Partner + Child
- Student + 2 or more Children
- Student + Spouse/Domestic Partner + 2 or more Children
If you select a new level of coverage, your fee will change according to the level you select. The new fee post to your Statement of Account within 1-2 business days - it will not post immediately. It is your responsibility to confirm the correct fee posts.