The new PSHIP (Professional Student Health Insurance Plan) is available to students enrolled in and participating in a defined program of study within one of the following schools: School of Public Health, School of Dentistry, School of Law, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, or School of Social Work, and who is actively attending and/or participating in classes and/or their program study requirements. Please note: Students who are eligible for the Graduate Appointee Insurance Plan (GAIP) or the International Student Health Insurance Plan (ISHIP) are not eligible for PSHIP.
This student health insurance plan is available to students and their dependents to help support your health and well-being while you’re in school. This plan is built to ensure students have reliable, comprehensive coverage while living and studying in a program sponsored by the University of Washington. Participation is optional, but action is required if you do not wish to be automatically enrolled in student-only PSHIP coverage and charged the student premium with your tuition and fees.
Step 1: Understand the UW Professional Student Health Insurance Plan
The UW PSHIP is designed specifically for students and their dependents and provides:
- Access to medical coverage through Aetna Student Health, including the Aetna Open Choice PPO network, nationwide provider access, telehealth services, doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital services, urgent care, mental health support, preventive care, and annual out-of-pocket limits for financial protection. Pediatric dental and vision coverage is also available for members up to age 19.
- Students enrolled in PSHIP are encouraged to use Husky Health Center for visits and services, including preferred access to care through the Husky Health Center.
- You may also enroll eligible dependents onto the plan with you – eligible dependents are; your legal dependent child (biological, adopted, custodial child) or your legal spouse
- Premiums for dependents are owed directly to Aetna Student Health and can be paid for on the Aetna Student Health portal
- Dependents may also utilize Husky Health Center, but certain eligibility criteria may apply. Contact HHC for questions about eligibility of non-students.
Coverage for the 2026-27 PSHIP plan is effective September 15, 2026 and runs through September 14, 2027.
Step 2: Decide If You Want to Enroll or Opt Out
You have two choices:
Option 1: Enroll in the UW Professional Student Health Insurance Plan
You may want to enroll if:
- You do not currently have health insurance
- Your current plan has limited coverage where you live or study
- You want coverage that works locally AND nationally
- You prefer predictable costs and access to the Husky Health Center health services
If you take no action, you will be enrolled by default into self-only coverage.
Option 2: Opt Out (Waive Coverage)
You may choose to opt out if you already have other health insurance that works for you or simply do not want to pay the premiums associated with your enrollment. Proof of other health coverage is not required to opt out of the plan and you are not required to enroll in the UW PSHIP plan to continue your course of study.
Step 3: Review the coverage and cost to enroll in the plan
The cost of coverage is due to the University of Washington after you enroll in the plan and will be collected at the same time you make your next tuition and fees payment. Please note the rate table below does not include the $200/year admin fee assessed by the University to administer the program. The $200 fee is charged once and only to the student enrolling.
| Annual | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer | |
| Start Date | 9/15/2026 | 9/15/2026 | 1/1/2027 | 3/29/2027 | 6/21/2027 |
| Term Date | 9/14/2027 | 12/31/2026 | 3/28/2027 | 6/20/2027 | 9/14/2027 |
| # of Days | 365 | 108 | 87 | 84 | 86 |
| Student, Spouse, Each Child (Cost Per Enrollee) | $5,411.00 | $1,601.00 | $1,290.00 | $1,245.00 | $1,275.00 |
| Two or More Children Capped at Cost of Two Enrollees | $10,822.00 | $3,202.00 | $2,580.00 | $2,490.00 | $2,550.00 |
- Student-only coverage is $5,411 for annual enrollment.
- Student plus one dependent (spouse or child) is $10,822 for annual coverage.
- Student plus two dependents (spouse and one child, or two children) is $16,233 for annual coverage.
- Student plus spouse and two or more children is $21,644 for annual coverage.
- Student plus three children is $16,233 for annual coverage, reflecting the cap on child rates at two or more enrolled children.
Student-only premiums are billed and collected with your tuition and fees due to the University of Washington. If you enroll eligible dependents, you must complete dependent enrollment and pay dependent premiums directly through Aetna Student Health.
You may enroll eligible dependents, including your legal spouse and legal dependent children, through the Aetna Student Health portal. If you choose quarterly enrollment, dependents must be re-enrolled each quarter. The cost of enrolling dependents into the plan is illustrated above for your reference, but dependent premiums are paid directly to Aetna Student Health on the Aetna student health portal.
ENROLL AND PAY FOR DEPENDENT COVERAGE
Need Help Deciding? Choosing health insurance can feel overwhelming—it’s okay to take your time. You may want to;
- Compare your current plan to the UW plan benefits – insert the links below as sub-bullets
- Think about where you’ll receive care while at school – search for providers and review Aetna network information
- Review the FAQs on this webpage and the available information on the Aetna Student Health website. If you still have questions – please reach out to the PSHIP admin team at uwpship@uw.edu
Step 4: Submit Your Decision to opt out OR enter your dependent coverage information if you want to enroll your family members onto the plan with you
- If you want to opt out: You can submit your waiver directly at this website.
- If you want to enroll dependents onto the plan with you: You will do so directly on the Aetna Student Health portal. You will need your dependents personal information (name, DOB, SSN, etc.) to enroll them and pay Aetna Student Health directly for your dependent coverage premiums
- Please note : if you do not opt-out of the plan and you do not enter any dependent enrollment information you will be automatically enrolled in coverage for yourself only and owe the student only premiums to the University of Washington.
Important Deadlines!
For fall quarter 2026, you must submit your opt-out waiver by October 16, 2026. For future quarters, opt-out timing aligns to the applicable tuition and fees due date for that quarter. After that, changes are only allowed if you experience a qualifying life event (for example, gaining or losing coverage).
If you do not submit a waiver by your quarterly tuition due date deadline, you will be enrolled in the UW PSHIP plan.
PSHIP ENROLLMENT FAQ
The PSHIP program is available for those participating in a defined program of study within one of the following schools: School of Public Health, School of Dentistry, School of Law, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, or School of Social Work, and those who are actively attending and/or participating in classes and/or their program study requirements. In addition to yourself, you can also enroll your legal spouse and legal dependent children.
Yes, the PSHIP plan offers nationwide coverage and is available to any students that participate in the professional schools listed above. For medical students residing in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho, along with any other professional students that may be out-of-area, you are still eligible for the PSHIP plan.
No, if you are currently eligible for the ISHIP or GAIP plans, you will not be eligible for the PSHIP plan. Both ISHIP and GAIP eligibility will supersede the eligibility for the PSHIP plan.
The PSHIP plan includes a robust medical and pharmacy plan, with coverage through the Aetna network. This plan will support in the coverage for doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital services, urgent care, mental health and preventive care. An annual out-of-pocket maximum is built into the plan to provide a limit on the amount that you spend on healthcare each year. Pediatric dental and vision is also available for members, up to age 19.
The Aetna Student Health Portal can be found at www.aetnastudenthealth.com. When promoted for your student ID and email address, please use your UW student ID number and your UW email address.
Costs can be reviewed on the PSHIP opt-out page at pship.uw.edu. Costs vary depending on whether you are enrolling any dependents. Please note that premiums are included in your tuition payment for student only coverage. If you choose to enroll dependents, you must take action in the Aetna Student Health Portal
Dependent premiums are paid directly to Aetna.
The Aetna Student Health Portal can be found online. When promoted for your student ID and email address, please use your UW student ID number and your UW email address.
We encourage you to visit an in-network provider, to avoid any out-of-network balance billing costs. The PSHIP plan uses the Open Choice PPO Network. To find an Open Choice PPO in-network provider with Aetna, visit www.aetna.com or download the Aetna mobile app, then click find a provider. You can also search for in-network providers and view additional details on the Aetna Student Health Portal.
Yes, medical ID cards will be mailed out to all enrolled members for the 2026-27 plan year. For students with enrolled dependents, two ID cards will be issued. The ID cards will include information for your new medical and pharmacy benefits. Please be sure to provide your ID card information to your providers and your pharmacy.
If you choose to opt-out of the PSHIP plan, please ensure you are taking action to complete and submit your opt-out waiver on the PSHIP opt-out page at https://pship.uw.edu/ before tuition is due each quarter. If you take no action, you will be enrolled by default in self-only coverage and owe the student-only premium to UW.
Action is required if you would like to enroll dependents, or if you would like opt-out of coverage. To enroll dependents, visit the Aetna Student Health Portal.
Yes, if you choose to enroll quarterly, you will need to ensure that you are taking action each quarter to re-enroll your dependents in coverage.
If you experience a qualifying life event, you may be eligible to change your enrollment decisions at a later date. Please notify the University within 31 days from the date of the event. Examples of a qualifying life event include birth or adoption of a child, marriage or divorce, or gain or loss of other coverage. Qualifying Life event questions can be directed to uwpship@uw.edu
You may be eligible for other health coverage options, including Medicaid or an individual health insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Depending on your circumstances, a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) may allow you to enroll in coverage outside of the annual open enrollment period. We encourage you to review all available coverage options and determine which plan best meets your needs and budget. Medicaid enrollment may be available year-round for eligible individuals.
If your questions cannot be answered by this FAQ – please submit your questions to uwpship@uw.edu – you will receive a replay as soon as someone is able.
QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT (QLE) FAQ
A Qualifying Life Event (QLE) is a significant change in your personal circumstances that may allow you to enroll in, change, or cancel your PSHIP coverage outside of the normal enrollment and opt-out periods. QLE requests can be sent to uwpship@uw.edu – please keep in mind that QLE requests must be made within 31 days of your QLE in order for you to make changes to your coverage.
Common examples of Qualifying Life Events include:
> Marriage
> Divorce or legal separation
> Birth of a child
> Adoption or placement for adoption
> Loss of other health insurance coverage
> Gaining eligibility for other health insurance coverage
> Death of a covered dependent
> A change in employment that affects health insurance eligibility
> Becoming eligible for GAIP or ISHIP
Not all changes in circumstances qualify, and additional documentation may be required.
Possibly! If you gain other qualifying health insurance coverage after enrolling in PSHIP, you may be eligible to request cancellation of your coverage.
Contact the PSHIP team as soon as possible after your new coverage becomes effective. QLE requests can be sent to uwpship@uw.edu
When you turn 26, that will be a “qualifying life event” and will give you the ability to newly elect the PSHIP program. Your PSIP coverage will be start the first of the month after your other coverage ends and once you have paid your premium. QLE requests can be sent to uwpship@uw.edu
Possibly! If you lose other health insurance coverage during the plan year, you may be eligible for a special enrollment opportunity.
You should contact the PSHIP team as soon as possible after losing coverage. QLE requests can be sent to uwpship@uw.edu
LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA) FAQ
Yes. If you are on an approved leave of absence, you may continue your PSHIP coverage for up to one year, depending on your eligibility.
Your coverage will continue through any period you have already paid for. After that, you must enroll and pay for continuing coverage directly on the Aetna Student Health website.
If you want to stay covered while on leave, you must pay premiums directly to Aetna Student Health. The University of Washington will not bill you while you are on leave. You will remain on the plan through the period of time you have paid for. Beyond that, If you want to stay covered while on leave, you must pay premiums directly to Aetna Student Health
If Aetna does not receive payment, your coverage will end at the conclusion of your paid through period. You will not automatically be re-enrolled.
If you choose not to continue your coverage beyond the period you already paid through, but are still on leave, you do not need to opt-out. Your plan will simply end after your paid through period; There is no separate opt-out required.
Yes, once you return from leave, you can come back onto the plan. Please keep in mind that you may enroll at the next quarter start date. Standard enrollment rules will also apply.
Yes, you can use your insurance while on leave if have an active paid coverage period. If your coverage is active, you may continue to use your services as normal.
Please direct any questions about eligibility and leave status to your designated UW Program Office. For any questions about payments, coverage and claims, please connect with the Aetna Student Health team via their Aetna Student Health
Given that you are not actively enrolled in coursework, you will not receive payment reminders. It is your responsibility for monitoring your coverage and to make payments directly to Aetna Student Health.
Before going out on leave, we recommend to review the following details:
> Confirm your current coverage end date
> Decide whether you want to continue coverage
> Review how to make payments directly with Aetna