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Coverage for college and graduate students

Student health plans, without the guesswork.

Four realistic ways to get covered while you are in school, what changes the year you turn 26, and how to be sure a plan actually works near campus.

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The age 26 ruleMost young adults can stay on a parent health plan until their 26th birthday, even if they are married, in school, or living on their own. Aging off that plan opens a 60 day window to enroll in your own coverage.

Your options

Four ways students get covered.

Most students end up on one of these. The right answer usually comes down to your age, your own income, and whether your school requires a plan of its own.

01Family coverage

Stay on a parent plan until you turn 26

Federal law lets most young adults stay on a parent health plan until age 26, whether or not you live at home, are enrolled in school, are married, or are financially independent. Often the simplest option while you are still in school.

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02School sponsored

A student health plan through your school

Many colleges and universities offer a student health insurance plan, sometimes billed with tuition and sometimes required unless you waive it by showing other coverage. Check the waiver deadline before you decide.

See how it compares locally
03Marketplace

Buy your own ACA plan

A marketplace plan covers the 10 essential health benefits and cannot turn you down for a pre-existing condition. If your own income is modest, a premium tax credit may bring the monthly cost down.

Read about ACA plans
04State programs

Medicaid, if your income qualifies

Students living on their own with little or no income often qualify for Medicaid or their state program. There is no enrollment window: you can apply any time of year and coverage can start quickly.

Check Medicaid eligibility
See all plans for individuals and families

Turning 26

Aging off a parent plan is a deadline, not a surprise.

Coverage on a parent plan generally ends at the end of the month you turn 26, though some plans run it to the end of the plan year. Either way it counts as loss of coverage, which opens a Special Enrollment Period: about 60 days to pick your own plan without waiting for Open Enrollment. You can usually start shopping ahead of the end date so the new plan begins the day the old one stops. Know the exact date your parent plan ends, because that date is what the marketplace asks for.
See plans available in my areaHow marketplace plans workCheck Medicaid eligibility
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Before you enroll

What to check on a student plan.

Two plans can look similar on premium alone and behave very differently once you are on campus. These are the details that decide whether coverage is usable where you actually live.

  • Whether the plan network includes doctors and hospitals near campus, not only near home
  • How the plan handles care when you travel home for breaks or study abroad
  • That emergency care is covered wherever you are, including out of network
  • Whether your regular prescriptions are on the plan drug list and which pharmacies are in network
  • Mental health and counseling coverage, and how it works alongside campus services
  • The deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximum you would owe before the plan pays in full
  • Whether the campus health center bills your plan or charges a separate student health fee
  • The waiver deadline if your school requires proof of other coverage

Dates and numbers

What students most often need to know.

age most young adults can stay on a parent plan until
26
to enroll after losing coverage
60 days
age limit for a catastrophic marketplace plan
Under 30
Medicaid and CHIP applications are accepted
Year round

Good to know

Common questions from students and parents.

Can I stay on my parent health plan while I am in college?
Usually yes. Under the Affordable Care Act, most plans that cover dependent children have to keep that coverage available until the child turns 26. Your school enrollment, marital status, place of residence, tax filing status, and financial independence do not change that. The exception worth checking is a grandfathered individual plan, and some employer plans handle dependent coverage differently, so confirm with the plan itself.
What happens when I turn 26?
Losing coverage because you aged off a parent plan is a qualifying life event, which opens a Special Enrollment Period. You generally have 60 days from the date coverage ends to enroll in a marketplace plan, and in many cases you can apply up to 60 days before it ends so there is no gap. Medicaid and CHIP have no enrollment window at all.
Is my school health plan the same as an ACA plan?
Not always. Student health insurance plans sold through a college or university are regulated under their own set of federal rules, and while they generally have to follow ACA protections such as no lifetime limits and coverage of preventive services, the benefits, network, and cost sharing can look different from a marketplace plan. Compare the plan documents side by side rather than assuming they match.
What is a catastrophic plan and can I buy one?
Catastrophic plans are marketplace plans with low monthly premiums and a very high deductible, available to people under 30 and to people of any age with a hardship or affordability exemption. They cover the same essential health benefits, plus preventive services and a small number of primary care visits before you meet the deductible. The tradeoff is that premium tax credits cannot be applied to a catastrophic plan, so for many students a subsidized Silver or Bronze plan ends up costing less.
I am an international student. What do I need?
Requirements depend on your visa category and your school, and many institutions set a minimum level of medical, evacuation, and repatriation coverage that a plan has to meet. Start with your school international student office, then compare plans designed for visitors and students in the United States.
Does my plan work if my school is in another state?
It depends on the network. Emergency care is covered wherever you are, but routine visits, specialists, and prescriptions are usually only covered at in-network providers, and many individual plans build their network around one region. If you go to school out of state, check for in-network providers near campus before you enroll, and ask whether the plan offers a student or away-from-home rider.
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Back to school

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