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Student Health Insurance

University insurance policies and annual requirements

All degree-seeking Northwestern students must have comprehensive health insurance, and all degree-seeking students are defaulted each year into the òòò½ÎÑ Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP). Students who have alternate insurance coverage must waive their NU-SHIP enrollment online in CAESAR during their applicable open enrollment period.

Open Enrollment Overview

òòò½ÎÑ is currently running two Open Enrollment periods for the NU-SHIP, depending on your program and start term.

Summer 2026 (2025-26 Academic Year) 

If you are beginning your studies in the Summer 2026 quarter, your Open Enrollment period runs from May 20, 2026 through July 3, 2026.

1Y, MMM, PA, and PO Programs (2026-27 Academic Year)

If you are enrolled in a 1Y, MMM, PA, or PO program, your Open Enrollment period runs from May 14, 2026 through July 3, 2026.

Fall 2026 (2026-27 Academic Year)

For all other insurance-eligible students, the Fall 2026 Open Enrollment period has not yet begun and will run from July 1, 2026 through October 1, 2026.

What You Need to Do

During your applicable Open Enrollment period, you must complete one of the following actions:

  • Confirm your enrollment in the òòò½ÎÑ Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP), or
  • Waive NU-SHIP by providing proof of other eligible insurance coverage

All insurance-eligible students are required to complete this process each academic year.

òòò½ÎÑ the Open Enrollment Process

Confirming or Waiving Instructions

Alternate Insurance

Does my insurance meet Northwestern’s comparable coverage requirements?

The following types of insurance plans typically do not meet òòò½ÎÑ’s insurance requirements:

Plans Not Accepted
Most out-of-state HMO plans
Out-of-state Medicaid plans
Travel insurance plans
Short-term or catastrophic plans
Healthcare sharing ministry or cost-sharing plans
Medisave plans
Accident-only or sickness-only plans
Hospital charity care or financial assistance programs

To make sure your plan qualifies, please review the Comparable Coverage Requirements Checklist and confirm that your insurance meets òòò½ÎÑ’s coverage standards.

Access the 2025-26 Checklist

ACCESS THE 2026-27 CHECKLIST

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about the confirming and waiving health insurance.

How do I waive the NU-SHIP? (During Open Enrollment)

If you have comparable health insurance coverage, log into  to submit your waiver application. Please review òòò½ÎÑ’s comparable coverage requirements to ensure your plan qualifies for a waiver. For step-by-step instructions, see our screenshot guide. Once your waiver is successfully submitted, the default charge will be reversed within 1–2 business days.

How do I enroll in the NU-SHIP? (During Open Enrollment)

If you wish to enroll in NU-SHIP, log into  to confirm your enrollment. For step-by-step instructions, see our screenshot guide.

When will I be billed for the NU-SHIP?

The NU-SHIP premium will be billed to your student account following your tuition posting.

How do I pay the NU-SHIP premium?

The NU-SHIP premium will be billed directly to your student account. We recommend reviewing the payment methods posted on the Student Finance website.

Can I enroll in the NU-SHIP quarterly?

The NU-SHIP is annual plan. Therefore, we are unable to enroll students on a quarterly basis.

Can I be billed quarterly?

The NU-SHIP is an annual plan. Therefore, we are unable to bill you on a quarterly basis. We encourage you to reach out to the Office of Student Finance to find out if you are eligible to enroll in a payment plan.

I submitted my waiver. When will the charge be reversed?

The default charge will reverse within 1-2 business days of you successfully submitting your waiver. When reviewing your student account in CAESAR we recommend reviewing the real time activity versus the monthly snapshot.

What insurance options are available outside of the NU-SHIP?

We recommend reviewing the alternative insurance coverage options we have posted on our website.

Why is this charge appearing on my student account?

Each academic year, in the first quarter in which you have an active registration status at Northwestern, you are asked either to confirm or waive your enrollment in the NU-SHIP, via the online form in CAESAR, at your earliest convenience:

  • If you intend to use the NU-SHIP for your insurance coverage this year, please confirm your enrollment to ensure you do not experience any eligibility or service issues.
  • If you will use alternate insurance coverage – which must meet all of Northwestern’s comparable coverage requirements – then please waive your NU-SHIP enrollment so you are not billed for coverage you do not need.

Why is NU-SHIP enrollment mandatory for international students?

The NU-SHIP mandatory enrollment policy was enacted due to international students obtaining insurance plans that do not provide comprehensive coverage (i.e. travel plans, catastrophic plans, short-term plans, etc.) leaving the students and the university with significant financial burden. Furthermore, most insurance plans do not include the required coverage which is directly tied to the student’s visa compliance per the U.S. Department of State insurance requirements. Consequently, the NU-SHIP Policy Committee which includes cross-campus leadership from the Dean of Students Office, the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of International Student & Scholar Services, and the Office of Risk Management & Compliance agreed upon and mandated the aforementioned policy along with formal approval from the Office of the Provost and the Office of the President.

I submitted my waiver. Why was my waiver denied?

Most waiver requests are denied because one or more questions on the waiver form were answered “No,” meaning the plan does not meet òòò½ÎÑ’s comparable coverage requirements. Additionally, the most frequent reasons include enrollment in an out-of-state Medicaid plan or an out-of-state HMO plan. These plans typically limit coverage to emergency services only and therefore do not provide sufficient in-network access in Illinois.