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 2025-26 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. The opt-out and enrollment period is annual, and open from July 8 through Sept. 8, 2025. Students who submit proof of alternative insurance and complete the opt-out process will not be able to enroll later in the academic year.
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.
Acknowledgment Form
Students are required to complete a brief GSHIP acknowledgment form, which can be found on HealtheConnect.
To sign the GSHIP acknowledgment form, log into HealtheConnect and navigate to the “Forms” tab, complete the form and submit. Please note: In addition to the acknowledgment form, you must either opt-out or enroll. Step-by-step instructions can be found below under the “How can I opt-out of GSHIP or enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan?” section.
Installment Option Available
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 2025-26 year, including the summer, is $4,266 , with coverage running from Aug. 15, 2025 to Aug. 14, 2026. 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 Amounts Due for Fall 2025 are:
| Installment | Due Date | Amount |
|
1 |
9/20 | $600 |
|
2 |
10/20 |
$600 |
|
3 |
11/20 | $600 |
|
Total |
$1800 |
The Installment Amounts Due for the Spring and Summer 2026 Semesters are:
| Installment | Due Date | Amount |
|
1 |
2/20 | $822 |
|
2 |
3/20 | $822 |
|
3 |
4/20 | $822 |
|
Total |
$2,466 |
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, if you do not have existing health insurance, you can secure healthcare coverage by enrolling in the Aetna Student Health insurance plan. To either opt-out or enroll, you must complete the following steps between July 8 - Sept. 8, 2025:
- Create an account through the Academic HealthPlans (AHP) portal by going to: https://students.care26.com/login
- Once in the secure AHP portal, you can select to either enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan or complete the opt-out process.
- Complete the GSHIP acknowledgement, 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.
- 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
Insurance Terms (Video)
This video from Well-Being & Health Promotion defines some common health insurance terms.
Student Health Services
This web page has some general advice about using health insurance and communicating with health insurance providers.
Appointment
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: No, by choosing to enroll in the Aetna Student Health plan, you are electing to enroll in a plan with coverage running from Aug. 15, 2025 through Aug. 14, 2026. However, should your enrollment status at SDSU change during the coverage period, you will no longer be eligible for coverage through Aetna Student Health. It is your responsibility to notify GSHIP should you have any changes to alternative healthcare coverage or no longer be enrolled in a GSHIP-eligible program during the designated coverage period.
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 more 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 insurance portal, will be enrolled in Aetna Student Health plan to ensure that they have health insurance coverage per the university’s requirement. A charge in the amount of $1,800, which is the cost of the insurance premium for the fall 2025 semester, will appear on their my.SDSU Financial Account Tile during the week of Aug. 12, 2025. If you want to opt out after the charge appears during the week of Aug. 12 , 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 during the week of Aug. 12 , 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, 2025 deadline.
Applying the fee for the cost of the fall semester premium to student accounts during the week of Aug. 12 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: 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 Covered California or other public 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: All graduate students enrolled in the Aetna Student Advantage plan will have smaller installment payment options.
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 at SDSU 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 Covered California or other public 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.
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: 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 July 8, 2025. 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 2025 semester.
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 Plan (AHP) demonstrating that they have existing coverage which meets the following requirements:
- The health insurance is Affordable Care Act-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.
