Enroll, Waive, or Add Coverage

Enroll in SHIP

BU automatically enrolls all students legally required to have health insurance in the Aetna Student Health Insurance (SHIP) Basic plan. If you are satisfied with this coverage, no further steps are necessary and the SHIP premium will be billed to your student account.

You must take action by the Fall deadline (September 20) or Spring deadline (January 31) if you wish to:

  • Add dependent coverage
  • Add dental insurance coverage
  • Elect the Plus option (for students currently enrolled in Plus, only)

The Fall deadline applies to students who are eligible or automatically enrolled in Aetna SHIP during the fall semester.

The Spring deadline applies to students who are newly eligible or automatically enrolled for Aetna SHIP during the Spring semester. This includes students who were not registered for the Fall semester or who were ineligible for Aetna SHIP during the Fall semester.

If you have not enrolled in SHIP before the deadline, you may still enroll if you experienced a “qualifying life event.”

Waive SHIP

To waive SHIP coverage, you must be enrolled in a healthcare plan that meets comparable coverage requirements and is underwritten in the United States. Waivers must be submitted every year by the Fall deadline (September 20) or Spring deadline (January 31).

We encourage students to consider their options before waiving SHIP. For many students, SHIP offers the most comprehensive coverage with the lowest out-of-pocket costs. Boston University has no financial stake in promoting this health insurance plan. Premiums are billed to your student account and paid directly to Aetna.

Before waiving SHIP, use the checklist below to see whether your current healthcare plan meets all the requirements for comparable coverage. If your current plan doesn’t meet the criteria, your request for a waiver will be declined.

How to Waive SHIP

If your health insurance plan meets comparable coverage requirements, follow these steps to submit your waiver:

  1. Visit MyBU portal, select Student Health Insurance, and then select Waive SHIP.
  2. Once redirected to our partner’s website (Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk), complete the waiver.
  3. Select “Save as draft” and submit your completed form. You’ll receive an email from Gallagher Student Health & Special Risk confirming that the waiver has been submitted.
    • A waiver decision will be emailed to you in 1-2 business days.
    • If your waiver is approved, the credit will be applied to your student account within 1-2 business days.

    Add SHIP Coverage

    You can add or change SHIP coverage any time before the Fall deadline (September 20) or Spring deadline (January 31). Dependent coverage can also be updated within 31 days of a qualifying life event.

    Add Dependent Coverage

    Eligible dependents include spouses and dependent children up to age 26. More information about enrolling dependents is found on Student Accounting Services’ Dependent Coverage page.

    Add Dental Coverage

    To learn more about adding dental coverage, please visit Student Accounting Services’ Dental Care Options page.