Health Insurance & Subsidy Info for Graduate Students
At Lehigh University, we believe that access to good health care is critical to your academic success. Therefore, we require that full-time graduate students have health insurance. Lehigh offers a high-quality student health insurance plan at a reasonable cost. Please see below for some key information and click on the links for more details.
Graduate Student Health Insurance
New or readmitted students who enter Lehigh University in the Fall or Spring term are NOT automatically enrolled in the Lehigh Student Health Insurance Plan, but are still required to have health insurance.
For complete details on the Student Health Insurance plan, including complete eligibility requirements, effective dates and costs, enrollment periods, and the schedule of benefits, click this link to the Lehigh University Student Health Insurance Plan information available from University Health Plans.
A brief summary is provided below:
- Full-time graduate students in degree-seeking programs must either enroll or waive the insurance by the deadline. Click here for more information (check back often for updated information).
- If you are a US citizen and covered by an employer, spouse, or parent, you are not required to purchase Lehigh’s plan but you must waive the insurance.
- If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa, you are required to enroll in Lehigh’s insurance plan.
Teaching, Research and Graduate Assistants may be eligible for an 80% subsidy. Criteria is below.
# Of Credits Registered | Required To Have Insurance | Ability To Waive Student Insurance | Eligible To Enroll In Lehigh Student Insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grad International Student On F-1 OR J-1 Visa | 1 or more | Yes | No (**) See Below For Exceptions | Yes |
| Grad Student In Degree Program On-Campus(*) | 9 or more | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Grad Student With Certified Full-Time Status(*) | 1-8 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Grad Student Without Full-Time Status(*) | 1-8 | No | N/A | No |
| Grad Student In Distance Ed Program | 1 or more | No | N/A | No |
| Grad Student In Non-Degree Program(*) | 1 or more | No | N/A | No |
(*) International students on F-1 or J-1 Visa are required to have health insurance regardless of program or number of credits registered.
(**) International students covered under a family member's U.S. plan or foreign government insurance plan can contact the Office of International Affairs 610-758-4859 to verify if they qualify to waive Lehigh's plan
Graduate Student Health Insurance Subsidy
The subsidy program is an integral part of the University’s commitment to providing our graduate students with a quality insurance program. This insurance covers the graduate student only and not their dependents. There are Criteria for the Student Health Insurance Subsidy Program.
Criteria for Student Health Insurance Subsidy Program
The subsidy program is offered to graduate students who meet ALL criteria which can be found by clicking on the button below titled Health Insurance Subsidy Info for Grad Students. Questions about the subsidy programs can be directed to Kathleen Hutnik, Associate Deputy Provost for Graduate Education (kaha@lehigh.edu)
Here is a brief look:
- The student must confirm their enrollment of insurance AND
- The student must be a full-time or certified full-time graduate student. (It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she is registered as a full-time or certified full-time student prior to the payment of the subsidy) AND
- Receiving a graduate assistantship with an appointment of at least 10 hours/week or graduate fellowship paid through the university payroll system AND
- Has paid their Lehigh student health insurance premium in full by the time the subsidy is paid out, or has signed up for the payroll deductions of premiums.
Spouse and Dependent Health Insurance Subsidy
Lehigh does not cover spouses and dependents under the insurance plans offered to students. However to help afford the dependent coverage the University will provide a subsidy of $250 per semester per student/family per academic year to the eligible graduate students with a dependent child and/or spouse; minus the appropriate taxes for each semester during which they qualify. Eligible students must apply for the subsidy before the deadline and provide necessary documents.
For qualifying graduate students who have met criteria and purchased health insurance click on box below to apply.
Please click the buttons below for the dependent subsidy policy and insurance options for spouses and dependents.