Graduate Student Health Insurance Program

Student Health Insurance

Once again, San Diego State University is pleased to offer the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program (GSHIP) for the 2023-24 academic year.

What is the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program (GSHIP)?

GSHIP is designed to ensure that our graduate students have health, vision, and dental coverage to support their health and wellness throughout their course of study. The program provides students direct support in either obtaining affordable healthcare coverage, if they are not yet covered, or verifying their existing health insurance. 

GSHIP is an opt-out program that offers health insurance through Aetna Student Health, the SDSU negotiated plan. 

GSHIP Eligibility 

The program requires that domestic (non-international) students at SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley who are in a graduate or credential program have health insurance. 

Graduate students enrolled in a degree program through SDSU Global Campus or those enrolled in a fully online program are not subject to the requirement and not eligible to enroll in the SDSU negotiated health insurance plan. 

New for 2023-24

Aetna Student Health 

As an update, for the 2023-24 academic year, the healthcare coverage plan will now be offered through Academic Health Plans (AHP), with the actual health insurance provided by Aetna Student Health. This is a change from Anthem Student Advantage, the name of the provider previously offered. 

If, however, you have healthcare coverage secured through Anthem Student Advantage for the 2022-23 academic year, this change will not impact your coverage during the remaining summer 2023 term, when the current coverage period ends on Aug. 14, 2023. 

If you have enrolled in the Aetna plan click here for more information including how to access your ID cards.

Acknowledgement Form 

This year, students are required to complete a brief GSHIP acknowledgement form, which can be found on HealtheConnect

To sign the GSHIP acknowledgement form, log into HealtheConnect and navigate to the “Forms” tab, complete the form and submit.

New Installment Option Available 

New this year, students who choose to enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan have the option to pay the insurance premium through smaller installments, instead of all at once. The total of the insurance premium for the full 2023-24 year is $3,190, with coverage running from Aug. 15, 2023 to Aug. 14, 2024. Students can choose to pay the premium for each semester as part of their normal billing cycle, or in three smaller installments spread across the fall and spring/summer semesters. 

Please note: Students who have accepted financial aid loans can use those loan funds to pay their insurance premium after all other university charges have been paid.

The installment schedule for the 2023-24 academic year is as follows:     

Fall 2023 insurance premium payment for coverage from Aug. 15, 2023 through Jan. 15, 2024: $1,330 total. The installment amounts due for the fall 2023 semester are: $443 due on Sept. 20, $443 due on Oct. 20, and $444 due on Nov. 20.

Spring and summer 2024 insurance premium payment for coverage from Jan. 16, 2024  through Aug. 14, 2024: $1,860 total. The installment amounts due for the spring 2024 and summer 2024 semesters are: $620 due on Feb. 20, $620 due on March 20, and $620 due on April 20, 2024.

How can I opt-out of GSHIP or enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan?

If you have health insurance already, you can opt-out and waive enrollment, or secure healthcare coverage by enrolling in in the Aetna Student Health insurance plan by following these steps beginning June 8 and through Sept. 8

  • On June 8, you will receive an email to your SDSU email account with an activation link for your AHP account.
  • Complete the activation process
  • Once in the secure AHP portal, you can select to either enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan or complete the opt-out process.
  • Once you receive approval, which will be sent through an email confirmation, you’re all set! This action is required only once per academic year.
Assistance, Contact Information

We are here to help you, no matter your health insurance status. If you are struggling to afford health insurance, we encourage you to explore your eligibility for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal insurance. Covered California (the U.S. Affordable Care Act exchange in California) also offers subsidies to assist with monthly costs. The university has advising and support for both Medi-Cal and Covered California exploration and enrollment. To access support, complete this online form.

We also encourage all students to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Application.  

For general GSHIP-related questions, please email [email protected]. For assistance enrolling in the Aetna Student Health plan, or for help navigating the AHP portal, please contact the AHP help center by calling (855) 777-5323. Students needing assistance can also submit a “ticket” at: help.ahpcare.com

Resources to better understand health insurance

This video from Well-Being & Health Promotion defines some common health insurance terms.

This web page has some general advice about using health insurance and communicating with health insurance providers.

Fill out this form to request a one-on-one appointment with SDSU's Community Resource Specialist regarding health insurance.

GSHIP Frequently Asked Questions

A:GSHIP is an opt-out program that offers health insurance through Aetna Student Health, the SDSU negotiated plan. The program requires that domestic (non-international) students at SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley who are in a graduate or credential program have health insurance. 

Graduate students enrolled in a degree program through SDSU Global Campus or those enrolled in a fully online program are not subject to the requirement and not eligible to enroll in the SDSU negotiated health insurance plan. 

A: Even when you are young and healthy, insurance provides financial protection in case of serious accident or illness. Securing health insurance can be complicated and overwhelming, but SDSU is here to help. Staff are assigned to advise you on all available insurance options and financial support.

Two essential things graduate students should consider about why you need health insurance:

Without insurance, health emergencies can be financially catastrophic. With insurance, they are manageable.

Regular preventative care is inexpensive or no-cost, and it keeps you healthy.

A: Students who take no action, or do not opt-out in the AHP portal, will be enrolled in the Aetna Student Health plan to ensure that they have health insurance coverage per the university’s requirement. A charge in the amount of $1,330, which is the cost of the insurance premium for the fall 2023 semester, will appear on their my.SDSU Financial Account Tile during the week of Aug. 7, 2023. This insurance premium provides insurance coverage from Aug. 15 through Jan. 15, 2024.

If you want to opt out after the charge appears during the week of Aug. 7,  you will still have time. Though the charge for the cost of the Aetna Student Health insurance premium will appear on my.SDSU Financial Account Tiles on Aug. 4, it will be removed seven to ten business days after a student opts out and receives confirmation that they have successfully opted out. To opt out, you must submit the GSHIP waiver in the dedicated AHP portal before the Sept. 8, 2023 deadline.

Applying the fee for the cost of the fall semester premium to student accounts during the week of Aug. 7 will allow students enrolling in Aetna Student Health to use their financial aid or use the payment plan option offered by Student Account Services for the cost of the insurance premium, should they choose to meet the requirement by proceeding with enrollment in this university negotiated plan. For those students who complete the waiver after financial aid has been applied, Student Account Services will refund the amount, and the student’s financial aid will be updated accordingly.

A: No, should you choose to enroll in Aetna Student Health, the SDSU negotiated plan, and your enrollment status at SDSU significantly changes during the coverage period, you may no longer be eligible for coverage through Aetna Student Health. It is your responsibility to notify GSHIP should you no longer be enrolled in a GSHIP-eligible program during the designated coverage period (Aug. 15, 2023 - Aug. 14, 2024). If your enrollment status changes and you do not notify GSHIP, you may incur out-of-pocket costs for any medical care billed to Aetna Student Health during this time, as you may no longer be covered under the plan.

A: Yes, the university will continue to offer a university-sponsored health insurance option, per policy under Aetna Student Health plan.  

A: If you are struggling to afford health insurance, you should first explore your eligibility for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal insurance. Covered California (the U.S. Affordable Care Act exchange in California) also offers subsidies to assist with monthly costs. 

Enrollment assistance is available to support students with healthcare coverage enrollment at no cost to the student. Students who do not have current health insurance and wish to enroll in alternative coverage should take action now, as the enrollment process for these plans often takes 6-8 weeks to complete.

We encourage all students to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Application. You can use your financial aid to cover the cost of your health insurance as well. 

A: Beginning fall 2023 all graduate students enrolled in the Aetna Student Advantage plan will have smaller installment payment options. Below, you will find the installment schedule for the 2023-24 academic year:

Three charges totaling $1,330, which is the cost of the insurance premium for the fall 2023 semester, will appear on their my.SDSU Financial Account Tile, the week of Aug. 7, 2023. The installment amounts due for the fall 2023 semester are: $443 due on Sept. 20, $443 due on Oct. 20, and $444 due on Nov. 20.

Three additional charges of $620 each, totaling $1,860, which is the cost of the spring and summer 2024 insurance premium, will be placed on their student bill for those who wish to continue with the Aetna Student Health plan in the spring and summer. The installment amounts due for the spring 2024 and summer 2024 semesters are: $620 due on Feb. 20, $620 due on March 20, and $620 due on April 20, 2024.

A: If you are struggling to afford health insurance, you should first explore your eligibility for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal insurance. Covered California, the U.S. Affordable Care Act exchange in California, also offers subsidies to assist with monthly costs. 

Enrollment assistance is available to support students with healthcare coverage enrollment at no cost to the student.Students who do not have current health insurance and wish to enroll in alternative coverage should take action now, as the enrollment process for these plans often takes 6-8 weeks to complete.

If you are not eligible for these options, or if the cost creates a financial hardship for you,  we encourage all students to apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Application.   If you are experiencing an immediate financial hardship you can reach out to SDSU’s Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) to learn about basic needs resources that may be available to you.

You can also view this video that provides instructions on how to sign up.

A: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that U.S. citizens and legal residents have health insurance. The health and wellness fee you pay each semester provides access to Student Health Services (SHS), but is not a health insurance plan under ACA guidelines. SHS is a healthcare facility that can address basic health care needs while on campus, in Calpulli Center. SHS offers quality and convenient healthcare by certified healthcare professionals. The health and wellness fee also supports Well-being & Health Promotion, Counseling & Psychological Services, as well as Student Disability Services (SDS) formerly SASC. For healthcare needs that require care beyond what SHS is able to offer, students need health insurance to access specialty and diagnostic services, as well as urgent and emergency care.

A: Health Literacy and Outreach Coordinator is here to assist you with additional questions about health insurance options or referrals. To request a one-on-one appointment with our Health Literacy and Outreach Coordinator, please fill out the online Health Literacy and Outreach  Coordinator Assistance form. Should you have any additional questions, please email [email protected].

For assistance enrolling in the Aetna Student Health plan, or for help navigating the AHP portal, please contact the AHP help center by calling (855) 777-5323. Students needing assistance can also submit a “ticket” at: help.ahpcare.com

A: As an international student, your health insurance requirement is coordinated through the International Student Center. GSHIP applies to domestic, non-international graduate students. Please reach out to the International Student Center at [email protected] for clarification on any visa or health insurance questions.

A: The GSHIP policy requires all domestic graduate students to go through the Opt-Out process. Being an SDSU employee does not mean that you are automatically processed or opted out.  Please take the required steps to opt out of the GSHIP requirement.  

A: Whether the requirement applies to you is based on the academic graduate or credential program you are enrolled in, and is not specific course enrollment (i.e. thesis hours offered through SDSU Global Campus).

A: The AHP portal will open on June 8, 2023. For assistance enrolling in the Aetna Student Health plan, or for help navigating the AHP portal, please contact the AHP help center by calling (855) 777-5323. Students needing assistance can also submit a “ticket” at: help.ahpcare.com

Additionally, please note that if you complete your acceptance to SDSU after June 8, it will take at least two weeks for the system to update with your information before you can opt out via the AHP portal.

A: Students are responsible for advising the university if they lose health insurance coverage. Students are expected to reach out to the health insurance broker, Academic Health Plans (AHP) in this instance. Special enrollment may be available for the university’s negotiated health plan outside of the designated enrollment / opt-out period, if the loss of coverage occurred due to a qualifying life event, as defined by the California Department of Insurance. If you believe your loss of coverage meets the definition of a qualifying life event, please contact the AHP help center by calling (855) 777-5323, or submitting a help “ticket” at: help.ahpcare.com

A: Currently, there is not a plan for students new to GSHIP for coverage prior to the fall 2023 semester. 

A: Following the instructions provided directly to graduate students who fall under the GSHIP requirement, students must submit a waiver request to the university’s student health insurance program broker, Academic Health Plans (AHP) demonstrating that they have existing coverage which meets the following requirements:

  • The health insurance is Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant.
  • The health insurance provider is owned, headquartered, and operated in the United States.
  • Coverage is active at the time the student submits the waiver.
  • The insurance provides access to primary care, specialty care, and emergency/urgent care within the San Diego area and surrounding counties.  

A: The Aetna Student Health plan only covers the individual student at this time, and not dependents. There are other options available through Covered California, as an example, to meet the needs of most students who need coverage for dependents.