Student Health & Counseling

Students Who Already Have Health Insurance

Summer Only Waiver Status:  Open May 8, 2024 - July 7th, 2024 11:59 pm

If you missed the Spring Waiver Deadline visit the Missed Waiver Appeal information page for due dates and criteria. 

This is for Summer students who did not do a waiver in Fall/Winter/Spring of the 2023-24 academic year.  

Access the Summer Only Waiver

  • Summer Only 2024:  You may do an insurance waiver as long as you have adequate health insurance in place at the beginning of     Summer term.  The waiver is for     domestic students taking 5 or more Summer credits (1 or more if an International student).  If you  already have an approved waiver on file from Fall 2023 or Winter 2024, or     Spring 2024, you do NOT need to do a new waiver until next Fall of 2024.  The Summer waiver deadline is July 7th, 2024.    
    • Please note: If you just registered for 5 or more Summer credits (1 if you are an international student), you must wait 1 business day for the waiver database to be updated in order to access the waiver.
  • Fall 2024 Waiver Information:  Students are required do one waiver per academic year if they have their own private insurance including OHP.  All students who attend PSU in Fall 2024, will need to do one new waiver for the 2024-25 academic year.  Messaging and Fall waiver link will go live on August 5th 2024.
Multiple students pointing at a computer screen.
Waiver Application

Students Taking 5+ Credits

Portland State University requires any student taking 5 or more credits per term to maintain comprehensive medical insurance coverage.  Students must do one waiver per academic year.  If a student has their own health insurance plan, including the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), they can submit an application to waive the PSU Student Health Insurance Plan.  Waiver applications must be submitted by the term’s waiver application deadline.  If a student’s waiver application is approved, the Student Health Insurance premium will be removed from their PSU account within 2-3 business days of approval.

Students are automatically charged $1256 until they waive out by the deadline.  Only one waiver is needed per academic year. A new academic year begins each Fall.

Students taking 1-4 credits

The PSU health insurance requirement does not apply to students taking 1-4 credits. No further action is required.
If you drop below 5 credits within the first two weeks of the term, the insurance charge will automatically be reversed from your student account within 48 hours of the drop/waiver deadline.

Students taking Restricted Differential credits

Some credits, such as those earned during study abroad, the School of Public Health with OHSU, and some continuing education credits are considered Restricted Differential Tuition credits, meaning they do not count toward the 5 credit hours triggering the Student Health Insurance Plan requirement.

Waiver Criteria

Insurance Waiver Criteria

In order to waive the PSU Student Health Insurance Plan, students must have a private health insurance plan with the following benefits: 

  • An annual individual deductible of $2,500 or less
  • At least 70% in-patient hospitalization coverage
  • Plan must be effective on or prior to the term start date. If the plan's effective coverage date is after the term start date, a waiver cannot be approved for that term. 

OHP Students

Students covered by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) meet the University's requirements to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan.

Unsure if your plan meets the criteria?

If you are not sure if your private insurance plan meets PSU's waiver criteria, contact the Student Insurance Team by  emailing insurancehelp@pdx.edu.