The University of Missouri offers health insurance to support the medical needs of graduate students. Students must re-enroll each semester for on-going coverage.
infoFall 2025 Changes
The University of Missouri has partnered with a new student health insurance provider starting with the Fall 2025 semester. Coverage under the new plan will begin in August. Current policyholders should watch their email for information and instructions for enrolling with the new provider. All other students will receive enrollment information later this summer. The information on this page will be updated with enrollment details for United Healthcare. Check this page in late July for the new enrollment instructions.
Benefits and Claims Questions
For those new to health insurance, this glossary of health coverage and medical terms may be helpful. For questions about the student health insurance policy and specific areas of coverage, contact insurance representatives at the Student Health Center.
Eligibility
Enrollment is voluntary for students who are U.S.-citizen or permanent residents.
Enrollment is voluntary for students who are U.S.-citizen or permanent residents.
International students with F or J visa status are automatically enrolled in the international plan.
International students with visas other than F or J are required to carry the insurance and must enroll.
When to Enroll
Fall Enrollment Period: New or Continuing Students
Students must be registered for classes (minimum of one credit hour) to enroll in the insurance program.
Students who register for fall classes in April or May should be able to enroll in insurance by June.
The enrollment deadline for fall coverage is September 5.
International students with F or J visa status are automatically enrolled in the international plan when they register for classes.
Other international students are required to carry the insurance and must enroll.
View enrollment dates at the link below.
Spring and Summer Enrollment Period
Students interested in or required to have insurance coverage must re-enroll for the spring and summer after registering for at least one credit hour for spring semester.
The spring insurance also covers the summer session. The enrollment deadline for spring/summer coverage is early February.
Note: new enrollment dates will be added to this page this summer. Check back for updates.
How to Enroll
Graduate student medical insurance is issued by United Healthcare Student Resources (UHCSR).
- The Student Health Center offers detailed information about Mizzou’s plan.
- International students will be automatically enrolled when registering for classes. Domestic students will receive an email with instructions for how to enroll. Spouses and dependents must be enrolled using the UHCSR website.
- Students must re-enroll at the beginning of each semester to continue receiving semester-by-semester coverage.
- After enrolling and creating a user account, you will have a digital insurance ID card through the UHCSR website and mobile app.
For questions about how to enroll in student health insurance or the medical insurance subsidy program, contact:
Karen Gruen
Graduate School
gruenk@missouri.edu
573-884-2326
210 Jesse Hall
Costs & Coverage
The cost of the insurance premium depends on the number of family members covered, and whether you are eligible for a subsidy as a graduate assistant. If you include dependents on your plan, you must first be enrolled in your own plan. Visit the Student Health & Wellbeing site for more information.
Dates of Coverage
Fall semester coverage for domestic students begins August 15. If you enroll after August 15 but before the September deadline, coverage is retroactive, beginning August 15.
Season Coverage Dates:
- Fall semester coverage ends in early January.
- Spring semester domestic insurance coverage ends August 14.
- Spring/summer semester coverage begins right after the fall semester coverage ends, so there is no lapse in coverage as long as the student enrolls by the spring enrollment deadline.
Coverage for international students begins August 1. If you enroll after August 1 but before the September deadline, coverage is retroactive, beginning August 1.
Seasonal Coverage Dates:
- Fall coverage ends December 31.
- Spring insurance begins January 1.
- The spring/summer insurance coverage ends July 31.
Payment Dates
If you enroll in the insurance policy through the Office of Cashiers or through myZou and the premium is added to your student account, your first payment will be due when your first University bill is due.
To enroll a dependent into the student medical insurance coverage, you need to be enrolled in the student insurance first. After that, you may enroll dependents through the UHCSR website. The dependent insurance premium is not subsidized.
MU Student Health Fee
The Student Health Center is available to all full-time students, and the mandatory student health fee is automatically charged to accounts of graduate students taking at least seven hours of courses.
Part-time graduate students who do not want to use the Student Health Center and do not pay the student health fee can enroll in the insurance policy but will pay a higher deductible.
The Student Health Center is a provider for the insurance plan and also maintains a list of other participating providers for the insurance plan.
Coverage for Children
If you cannot afford the premium the insurance plan that provides coverage for your children, you may choose state coverage. The State of Missouri offers a Health Insurance Program for Children, entitled MC + for Kids for low-income families who do not have access to affordable health insurance. This program does not count student loans, grants, work-study, fellowships, or parental support as income to meet the low-income eligibility requirement.
Subsidy Program
Students in qualifying graduate research, library, and teaching assistantships; graduate fellows, graduate instructors; and fellowships may be eligible for a medical insurance subsidy.
To be eligible for the subsidy program, a graduate student must meet the following requirements:
- Enrollment in Student Accident and Sickness Insurance, which is available to all Mizzou students
- A student in a graduate assistantship or fellowship position with at least quarter-time (.25 FTE, or 10 hours per week) responsibilities and with a minimum stipend at the amount set each year by the University
- A qualifying title, as defined by the Graduate Faculty Senate
- Enrollment in a graduate degree program, working toward a master’s, doctoral, or educational specialist degree
Note: Professional degree students (law, medicine, veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy) are not eligible for this subsidy from the Graduate School.
The subsidy will apply only for the semester during which the student holds an assistantship and/or fellowship. The student is responsible for paying the insurance premium for all other semesters.
A student who holds a qualifying position in the spring semester automatically receives insurance coverage and the subsidy for the summer even without a qualifying summer position.
The subsidy will be credited to the student’s University account after eligibility for the subsidy program has been verified. For eligible students in a .50 FTE assistantship (or a combination of 2-.25 assistantships) or a university fellowship at the level of a .25 FTE assistantship, they qualify for a subsidy that covers the full cost of the individual student insurance plan. For eligible students in a .25 assistantship only, they qualify for a subsidy that covers 50% of the cost of the individual student insurance plan. However, students with assistantships or fellowships enrolled for the first time in Summer 2022 or later can be in a .25 assistantship ONLY if they have a second .25 assistantship or equivalent fellowship.
Students who are eligible for the insurance subsidy will receive an email with a link to enroll in the health insurance plan with the subsidy already credited to their account. If you have questions or concerns, contact the coordinator, Karen Gruen, at gruenk@missouri.edu.