Current Health Plan Hours

Health Plan Office Hours:

September - April

Studley Campus

Monday - Wednesday & Friday:

9:30am - 4:30pm

Thursday:

10am - 3pm

MAY - AUGUST

Studley & Sexton Monday - Friday

9:30am - 3:30pm

Drop ins are available at any of the Health Plan Offices during our hours. We are also offering appointments for students on the Sexton campus during office on Thursdays. Students can book a half hour appointment to discuss their plan details. Appointments can be booked through the link below.

Enrollment in the DSU Health and Dental Insurance Plan:

DSU Health Insurance plan: Policy year September 1st - August 31st 

The DSU offers two different health insurance policies to its students: The International Health Plan (policy 92652) and the Health and Dental Plan (Policy 0091936000). Automatic enrollment in the International Health Plan is offered to all international students, while only students whose studies first begin in the Fall Term are automatically enrolled in the Health and Dental Plan. Plans work on automatic renewal if enrollment criteria are met each policy year.

PLEASE NOTE: There are exceptions to automatic enrollment in the Health and Dental Plan these include:

- Part-time Students

- Co-op Students

- Outbound Exchange Students

- Distance Study Students

- Winter and Summer Start Students

Students who do not meet the criteria for automatic enrollment can purchase coverage during the appropriate enrollment period. Students are only eligible to purchase coverage during the enrollment period in which their studies first begin, each policy year*.

* Students on co-op and outbound exchange during the Fall term both have the option the purchase coverage during either the Fall, or Winter, term enrollment period.

International Student Insurance Plan: 
Policy year, 1st day of the academic term your studies begin - August 31st 

Students who are paying international student fees are automatically enrolled in the International Student Health Plan during the term in which their studies begin and this fee will be included in your tuition. Depending on when your studies begin at Dalhousie will determine the start date of your policy coverage, though the plan's end date is always the 31st of August.

Start Dates of coverage:

- Fall Term Enrollment policy start date: September 1st

- Winter Term Enrollment policy start date: January 1st

- Summer Term Enrollment policy start date: May 1st

Dual Citizens: If you are coming to Dalhousie as a dual citizen, you will not be enrolled in the International Health Plan. Please reach out to DSU.ca for coverage options.

Automatic Renewal: 

These plans work on an automatic renewal to ensure that there is no lapse in coverage. This plan renews on the 1st of September, each year your enrollment at Dalhousie continues, and your enrollment in this plan depends on your status whether you continue to pay international tuition in the Fall. 

International Students who have qualified for Nova Scotia Medical Services Insurance (MSI) through the provincial health care program can opt-out from their International Health Plan as long as the coverage under the International Plan has not been used by following the “OPT OUT” button at the bottom of this section.

Family Coverage:

Family coverage is available under both plans and must be purchased during the enrollment period in which student’s studies first begin, each policy year. Automatic enrollment is not extended to family coverage.

If you miss the opt-in period for family coverage, the only exception to allow a late opt-in for the Health and Dental Plan is if you or your family have just given birth. The Health Plan Office should be notified within 30 days of delivery. Policy coverage will be set to the date of birth of the child and the price of the policy will be the cost of enrollment per the current term the newborn is being added to the student plan.

Similarly, international students whose families arrive in Canada later than their arrival date can reach out to the DSU Health Plan office with proof of travel to have the coverage offered through the International Health Plan extended to their family. The Health Plan Office should be contacted within 30 days of the student’s family arriving in Canada.

Health and Dental Plan: 
Policy year, 1st day of the academic term your studies begin - August 31st 

Only full-time students whose studies first begin during the Fall Term, at the start of the insurance policy year, are enrolled in the Health and Dental Plan automatically. If a student qualifies for automatic enrollment, the cost of the plan will be included in the tuition breakdown available on Dal Online. Students not enrolled automatically can purchase the coverage out of pocket during the enrollment period in which their studies first begin, each policy year.

Start Dates of coverage:

- Fall Term Enrollment policy start date: September 1st

o Exceptions to automatic enrollment must opt-in.

- Winter Term Enrollment policy start date: January 1st

o Students first starting in the Winter Term must Opt-in manually for coverage.

- Summer Term Enrollment policy start date: May 1st

o Students first starting in the Summer Term must Opt-in manually for coverage.

OPTING OUT

Students enrolled in alternate health plans may be able to waive the cost and coverage under the student insurance.

Health and Dental Plan Opt-outs:

Students enrolled in the Health and Dental Plan automatically can opt-out from their plan if they can provide proof of being enrolled in an alternate, comparable, plan and submit an opt-out during the Fall Term enrollment period. Students must be able to provide the name of the insurance company that administers the alternate plan, a policy number, or ID, for that plan, as well as the name of the policy holder.

If the opt-out is not submitted during the Fall Term enrollment period, opt-outs will not be accepted.

Students who opt-out from the plan are not eligible to rejoin the plan during the same policy year.

International Health Plan Opt-outs:

There are different types of opt-outs for International Students which are as follows:

- Private Opt-outs:

o International students who come to Canada with a private insurance plan may be eligible to waive the cost of the Dalhousie International Health Plan if their policy meets Dalhousie’s insurance requirements for international visitors. * Opt-outs must be submitted during the enrollment period in which your studies first begin, each policy year.

- Home Country Opt-outs:

o If you are completing your studies at Dalhousie from your home country, please reach out to DSUHLTH@dal.ca during the enrollment period in which your studies first begin for opt-out options.

- Sponsored Opt-outs:

o If you are coming to Dalhousie with sponsored coverage from Saudi Arabia, you can opt-out from the International Health Plan by submitting an opt-out during the enrollment period in which your studies first begin, each policy year.

- MSI Opt-outs:

o International students qualify for MSI (Medical Services Insurance), Nova Scotia’s provincial health plan on the 1st day of the 13th month they have been in Canada. Students who qualify and receive their MSI card can submit an opt-out throughout

the policy year. MSI opt-outs are processed from the date of submitting an opt-out waiving the full months the student is covered by MSI. Opt-outs must be submitted each policy year. MSI Opt-outs can be submitted here.

International Health Plan Private Insurance Opt-out Requirements:

Policy document must state:

· Your name

· Policy number

· Dates of coverage (must be valid for full duration of study/time in Canada)

· Policy document in English must be provided

· Health cards are not accepted.

The policy must provide and state the following:

· Minimum of 2 million dollars in coverage in Canadian funds– please consider exchange rates

· Coverage for doctor visits, inpatient and outpatient expenses, surgery, lab tests, diagnostic imaging (x-rays), repatriation and medical evacuation.

Your coverage cannot have the following exclusions:

· Injury or death while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, or

· Injury or death due to self-harm, or attempted self-inflicted injury, attempted suicide or suicide

FAQs

Who is covered by the DSU Health Insurance Plan?

All full-time students who start in September on the Halifax and Truro Campus are automatically covered under the DSU Health Insurance Plan. Students on a co-op, outgoing exchange, who are a distance or part time student or begin their studies in January or May are not automatically covered and must opt in.

All international and international exchange students on the Halifax and Truro Campus are automatically covered under the DSU International Students Health Insurance Plan unless they are registered as a co-op student in the fall term.

How do I opt out/in?

IMPORTANT - All opt-ins must be done during the opt in period DURING THE TERM in which you will start your studies. If you have family that arrives to Canada after you, please contact the DSU Health Plan Office for assistance.

If you have comparable and alternative coverage you may opt-out of the DSU Health Insurance Plan during the appropriate opt-out period. DSU Health & Dental Plan opt-outs are done through Dal Online or the Student VIP portal during the Fall Term opt-out period.

International students who have qualified for MSI can opt-out from their International Health Plan throughout the year at www.studentvip.ca/dsu.

International Health Plan Private Insurance Opt-out Requirements: 
Policy document must state: 

• Your name 

• Policy number 

• Dates of coverage (must be valid for full duration of study/time in Canada) 

• Policy document in English must be provided 

• Health cards are not accepted. 

The policy must provide and state the following: 

• Minimum of 2 million dollars in coverage in Canadian funds– please consider exchange rates 

• Coverage for doctor visits, inpatient and outpatient expenses, surgery, lab tests, diagnostic imaging (x-rays), repatriation and medical evacuation. 

Your coverage cannot have the following exclusions: 

• Injury or death while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants, or 

• Injury or death due to self-harm, or attempted self-inflicted injury, attempted suicide or suicide

DSU Health and Dental Plan

Individual and family opt-in:
studentvip.ca or email dsuhlth@dal.ca during the appropriate enrollment period
Individual opt-out:
Online opt-out from the Health and Dental Plan during the Fall Term ONLY
Family opt-in:
Email dsuhlth@dal.ca if you are an international student and your family arrives in Canada after you.

How do I access my health plan card?

Either download your health plan card online.

Is there a blackout period?

There is a "blackout period" for students on the Health plans, but this period does not affect the coverage provided under the plan.

The "blackout period" refers to the time between the start of each semester when your policy comes into effect and the time it takes Medavie Blue Cross, the insurance provider, to complete your enrollment. You are still covered under the plan during this time; however, you will not have access to your Health Insurance Plan card until the blackout period ends and Medavie Blue Cross has finalized your enrollment. This usually takes a few weeks from when the policy begins.

If you need to use the benefits provided by your plan during the blackout period, you are still able to however you will need to submit claims manually for reimbursement instead of being covered at the time of the appointment. Once the blackout period is over near the end of the first month of the term in which students' studies begin, you will be able to visit www.studentvip.ca/dsu to download your Health Insurance Plan card. Full policy details, as well as useful resources for students, are available on this website.