Dependent Coverage

NOTE:  Dependent coverage does not automatically roll over to the new plan year. If you wish to enroll your dependents for the 2025-2026  plan year, please see the information below. 

2025-2026 plan year (August 15, 2025 – August 14, 2026)

NEW for the 2025-2026 plan year:  Student enrolled in Student Basic plan are eligible to add their dependents.

NOTE: The 2025-26 open enrollment period will end on September 20, 2025*.

*The following students have an earlier open enrollment deadline:

  • BU School of Medicine: new entering M.D. Candidate: September 4, 2025
  • BU Goldman School of Dental Medicine:
    • new PreDocs (D.M.D.): August 28, 2025
    • new entering PostDocs & new Fellowship students: August 1, 2025

NOTE:  The following are NOT eligible to enroll in SHIP

  • Students enrolled solely in Online courses are not eligible to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
  • Domestic part-time non-degree students enrolled in less than 75% of a full-time course load are not eligible to enroll in SHIP.
  • Students who are eligible for Medicare are not eligible to enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

Basic Plan:  Fall 2025 registered students enrolled in SHIP may enroll their dependents (at the Basic level) during 2025-2026 open enrollment, or after open enrollment if there has been a recent qualifying life event change.

Plus Plan*:  Students enrolling in the Student Plus plan during 2025-2026 open enrollment may enroll their dependents (at the Plus level) during open enrollment, or after open enrollment if there has been a recent qualifying life event change.

*NOTE: Only fall 2025 registered students who were actively enrolled in the Student Plus plan in the 2024-2025 plan year are eligible to change from Student Basic to Student Plus during 2025-2026 plan year open enrollment. Contact insmed@bu.edu for instructions how to change your own 2025-2026 plan year coverage from Basic to Plus.  In the subject line of your email, enter “Plus Plan Instructions”. Include your BU ID number in your email. Plan level cannot be changed after open enrollment.

Enrolling Your Dependents:

To add your dependents, visit Aetna Student Health’s website , select the Enroll button and follow the instructions from there. After completing the dependent enrollment, Aetna Student Health will send you a confirmation of receipt of your application.

The Open Enrollment Deadline for the Annual Policy for most students is September 20, 2025.

Student Basic rates:

For students enrolled for the 2025-2026 plan year effective August 15, 2025, through August 14, 2026, the rates for the family plan are:

Student (Basic level): $3,538

Spouse (Basic level): $3,538  (in addition to student-subscriber’s own premium)

One Child (Basic level)**: $3,538  (in addition to student-subscriber‘s own premium)

Two or More Children (Basic level)**: $7,076 (in addition to student-subscriber‘s own premium)

[Total annual cost: Student + spouse $7,076; Student + one child $7,076; Student + spouse + one child $10,614; Student + spouse + two or more children $14,152.]

**Full-time PhD students meeting certain requirements may be eligible for a subsidy for the cost of adding dependent children six years old and under.  More information can be found here.

New entering Professional Medical students ( M.D. candidates), new Dermatology students, new entering SDM DMD students, new entering SDM Post Doctoral students: refer to the 2025-2026 Plan Design and Benefits Summary – Basic Plan document PDF) for plan rates and deadlines.

***For Plus Plan rates refer to the 2025 – 2026 Plan Design and Benefits Summary – Plus  Plan document PDF) for plan rates and deadlines

Important Note

You must be an Aetna Student Health member to add your dependents to the plan. Dependent premiums will be charged to your Boston University student account 7 to 14 business days after you submit your online enrollment. You will be responsible for payment in full of any resulting balance due.

For instructions on how to add dependents after open enrollment due to a recent qualifying event refer to our Add Insurance page.  Scroll down the page to find the “After Open Enrollment Guidelines”.

*** Plus Plan: Student Plus coverage for the 2025-2026 plan year is limited to students who were actively enrolled in the Student Plus Plan in the 2024-2025 plan year. Students are automatically assessed for SHIP at the Student Basic level. Eligible students may change to the Student Plus plan during open enrollment and then add dependents at the Plus level.  Plan level cannot be changed after open enrollment.

Students enrolled in SHIP whose dependents experience a recent (i.e., within thirty days) significant life change event may request to add their dependents to their SHIP plan for the balance of the plan year. Examples of significant life change events include: adding a newborn child* or adding a spouse who loses coverage due to change in employment status. For instructions, refer to the bottom of our Add Insurance page. (scroll to bottom of page)

Note: Dependents of the student enrolled in the plan are not able to be seen at Student Health Services and do not require a referral from Student Health Services to access the outpatient benefits. A list of Preferred Providers may be viewed using Aetna’s DocFind® service at www.aetnastudenthealth.com or through Aetna Navigator.

Eligible dependents are the student’s legal spouse and dependent children up to age 26