Parents Information
Overview of Northwestern’s Annual Insurance Requirements
Each year all degree-seeking students* are defaulted into the Northwestern University Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP).- Students who are covered under an alternate insurance plan, e.g., a parent’s or spouse’s plan, must waive their NU-SHIP enrollment during the open enrollment period (typically July 1 – Oct 1).
- To waive NU-SHIP enrollment, students must affirm active alternate insurance that meets all of NU’s comparable coverage requirements. See the 2023-24 Comparable Coverage Checklist (pdf) for details regarding what benefits plans must provide to qualify to waive the NU-SHIP.
- If students do not waive the NU-SHIP by the enrollment deadline, they remain enrolled in the NU-SHIP for the entire academic year, and they are billed the annual premium on their student account.
- Students who intend to use the NU-SHIP coverage are encouraged to confirm their enrollment online in CAESAR as soon as open enrollment begins. It takes Aetna approximately 4-5 business days to process enrollment records in their system, after students confirm NU-SHIP enrollment online.
- The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes requirements for student health insurance plans; the NU-SHIP is a platinum-rated plan that meets all relevant ACA requirements.
*SPS students are exempt from this process
Guest Access not yet available
We apologize. Northwestern recently experienced a University-wide system upgrade, and all new links to guest access were postponed. We anticipate Guest Access will be available in the future. We appreciate your patience as we work to improve access and services.
Waiving NU-SHIP Coverage
- All degree-seeking students must carry good health insurance. To qualify to waive NU-SHIP enrollment, alternate insurance plans must meet all of Northwestern University’s comparable coverage requirements.
- Download the 2023-24 Comparable Coverage Checklist (pdf) to review the benefits all plans must provide to meet Northwestern’s annual insurance requirements.
Alternate plans must cover routine, non-emergency medical and mental health care in addition to emergency care, provided in the Evanston / Chicago area.
- Out-of-state (non-Illinois) HMO plans, as well as out-of-state Medicaid/Medicare plans, do not qualify to waive the NU-SHIP, because they do not offer routine, non-emergency medical and mental health care in Evanston / Chicago.