Why the University encourages Health Insurance
Every student’s health and well-being are critical components to academic success. The primary purpose of student health insurance is to provide an affordable and comprehensive benefits package, so students have easy access to physical and mental health care and prevention screenings while attending school. Student health insurance (SHIP) plays a critical role in optimizing student’s choice for health care services.
Students required to have health insurance:
- Graduate students taking six hours or more
- Graduate students with assistantships
- USC School of Medicine students enrolled in 1 or more hours
- All international students
Domestic undergraduates are not required to have health insurance, but it is highly recommended.
Exception: Graduate students showing the “Distributed Graduate Program” concentration on their primary curriculum are not required to waive out of the student health insurance. These students must enroll in the plan voluntarily if they want the insurance. Please direct any questions to sahiao@mailbox.sc.edu.
Student Health Fee
In many instances, the Student Health Fee, which is paid through tuition each semester, covers the cost for basic services such as physical and mental health services, including routine office visits and preventive health consultations.
What Does the Student Health Fee Cover?
The student health fee, paid with tuition, covers office visits in Primary Care, Women’s Health, and Sports Medicine. The student health fee also covers individual counseling visits as well as group counseling and wellness, prevention, and advocacy services and programs.
Covered Services
- Primary Care office visits
- Women’s Health office visits
- Sports Medicine office visits
- In person and virtual counseling sessions
- Group Counseling
- Support Groups
- Preventive screenings
- Wellness coaching
- Clinical nutrition, stress management, sexual health consultations
- Public health preparedness
- Advocacy services
Services with Additional Fees
Routine services are covered completely by the student health fee, paid with your tuition, and most other services are partially covered. You can view a list of services with additional fees and the corresponding charge rates.
Who is Covered by the Student Health Fee?
Students who have enrolled and paid their tuition by university deadlines are eligible for services covered by the student health fee. This includes:
Students
- Undergraduates taking six hours or more
- Graduate students taking six hours or more
- Graduate students with assistantships
- USC School of Medicine students enrolled in 1 or more hours
- All international students
Special Enrollment Status
- The dean of The Graduate School, under certain circumstances, may certify that a student’s full-time enrollment is less than the normal requirement of 9 hours for graduate students or 6 hours for students serving as graduate assistants.
Students with Special Enrollment Status are also eligible for all services at Student Health Services.
Spouse/Parents and Children Are Not Covered
- Spouse/Parents and children of students cannot access care at Student Health. Students can choose to purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan for their spouse/partner and children.