Ontario international students face 20% fee hike for compulsory health insurance
Every international student enrolled at a major Ontario university must pay at least $156 more for compulsory health insurance, effective September 1, 2026.
A family of three must pay $468 more.
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For individuals, the annual cost of premiums for the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) has risen from $792 to $948; for a family of three, from $2,376 to $2,844, according to an update on the UHIP web page, under a tab labelled “Rates for September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.”
Purchasing the coverage is compulsory for international students enrolled at UHIP member institutions, which include 22 publicly funded Ontario universities:
- Algoma University.
- Brock University.
- Carleton University.
- Lakehead University.
- Laurentian University.
- McMaster University.
- Nipissing University.
- OCAD University.
- Queen's University.
- Royal Military College of Canada.
- Saint Paul University.
- Toronto Metropolitan University.
- Trent University.
- Université de l'Ontario français.
- University of Guelph.
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Ontario Tech).
- University of Ottawa.
- University of Toronto.
- University of Waterloo.
- University of Western Ontario.
- Wilfrid Laurier University.
- York University.
About UHIP
The majority of international students enrolled at member institutions are compelled to purchase UHIP coverage for the duration of their studies.
Enrolled students are automatically charged the costs of UHIP premiums each term to their student account, alongside their tuition and other fees, unless they opt out by notifying their institution.
Students can only opt out of UHIP if they meet one of four exemptions:
- They have or will have coverage under OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan);
- They have coverage under another eligible pre-approved plan;
- They have diplomatic status; or
- They have coverage under a sponsored plan supported by their government.
Few students qualify for exemptions. In Ontario, foreign nationals cannot qualify for OHIP on the basis of having temporary resident status as international students, in contrast to provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia, which have provincial plans that provide coverage to qualifying international students.
International students must enroll their dependent(s) in UHIP if the dependent(s) live with them in Ontario, unless they meet one of the above criteria. This is not automatic, and must be done manually by the international student.
Coverage starts on the date an international student arrives in Canada, or the 10th of the month before the study period begins (whichever is later).
What does UHIP cover?
UHIP provides coverage up to a maximum of $1 million CAD per policy year.
As the coverage provided to international students who do not qualify for OHIP, UHIP is designed to cover certain basic medical services considered necessary.
Coverage includes services such as visits to primary care physicians, diagnostic tests, emergency room visits, and surgeries performed in hospitals, up to a maximum of $1 million per policy year, according to UHIP’s Coverage details web page.
UHIP coverage is not equivalent to OHIP coverage.
Extended health coverage
Many international students will also purchase extended group health insurance, which covers services not covered by UHIP.
Unlike UHIP, extended health coverage varies according to the institution, with group plans typically offered at the level of specific student societies.
Comparable to the group health insurance plans offered to many Ontario workers, students’ extended health plans typically cover services such as prescription drugs, dental care, and vision.
In many cases, purchasing the group extended health insurance coverage offered by one’s student society is also mandatory, unless the student meets a qualifying exemption and opts out.
To be exempt, a student must typically show proof of comparable coverage from another extended health insurance plan, for example, by being covered through an employer’s group plan as the spouse or dependent of a worker.
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