Because maintaining adequate health insurance is important, all students are automatically enrolled and charged for CalArts’ student health insurance plan unless proof of comparable coverage is submitted for review and approval by our insurance broker, Academic HealthPlans (AHP). For the 2025-26 academic year, coverage begins at 12:01 am on September 1, 2025, and ends at 11:59 pm on August 31, 2026.
Plan information and fees
Every CalArts student must be covered by health insurance. If you do not have comparable coverage already, CalArts offers a plan administered by Academic Health Plans, underwritten by UnitedHealthCare Student Resources.
| 2025-26 Academic Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| Fall semester (four months’ premium) | $889 |
| Spring semester (eight months’ premium) | $1,769 |
| Total | $2,658 |
A detailed brochure about the CalArts health plan is available at calarts.myahpcare.com. If you are already covered by another health insurance provider and do not need the Institute’s health insurance coverage, you must complete an insurance waiver. Once your waiver request and documentation have been submitted, the verification process takes 5-7 days. The insurance charge cannot be removed from your bill until we have been notified by our insurance broker, AHP, that the waiver has been verified and approved. If your insurance waiver is approved, it will be valid for the full academic year.
Benefits
- UnitedHealthcare has a nationwide network of hospitals, physicians, and behavioral health providers (PPO). You will have lower out of pocket costs if you visit a provider that is a member of the PPO.
- You also have the option to purchase dental coverage with Delta Dental. See below for additional information about enrollment and benefits.
Prescription costs
- Prescription drugs require a $10 copay for generic drugs, $30 copay for brand drugs, and $50 copay for the brand, non-formulary prescriptions at in-network pharmacies.
ID card
- Electronic ID cards will be available to download from UnitedHealthcare’s website (https://www.uhcsr.com/) or the UHCSR mobile app.
- You will receive an email from United Healthcare once your ID card is available to download along with instructions on how to register for an account.
- After you’ve created an account, you can view your electronic ID card or request a permanent ID card be mailed to you.
Dental insurance
| 2025-26 Academic Year | Cost |
|---|---|
| Student Only | $195.12 |
| Student plus spouse | $390.36 |
| Student plus child(ren) | $390.36 |
| Student plus family | $585.48 |
Health plan requirements
For domestic students
Domestic students must be enrolled in a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To comply, the plan must:
- provide the Essential Minimum Benefits required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) with no annual limits. A list of the benefits can be found at HealthCare.gov.
- contain no exclusions (or waiting periods) for pre-existing conditions.
- cover 100% of Preventive Care as defined by the PPACA. A list of these preventive services can be found at HealthCare.gov.
The following types of plan are not acceptable for waiver approval:
- Short-term coverage plans
- Financial assistance plans
- Travel plans or plans that require you to pay for treatment yourself and then apply for reimbursement
For international students
All international students entering CalArts are automatically enrolled in coverage through the CalArts Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), which is provided by UnitedHealthCare Student Resources.
International students can enroll in alternative health insurance if they can provide clear evidence that their alternative health insurance plan is sponsored by either their government or embassy and meets the waiver requirements to opt out of CalArts Student Health Insurance (please contact healthinsurance@calarts.edu to learn more about this requirement), or meets one of the following requirements:
- Student is sponsored by the United States government (if the sponsoring agency’s insurance meets CalArts Health Insurance waiver requirements).
- Student is sponsored by a foreign government recognized by the United States or certain international, government-sponsored or non-governmental organizations, and covered under a health plan that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the health plan does not include insurance coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SHIP.
- Student is enrolled in an employer-provided group health plan that is compliant with the ACA. If the health plan does not include medical evacuation and repatriation, a rider must be purchased providing coverage at equal limits to the SHIP.
- Student is enrolled in only distance-learning programs for the academic year.
- Alternate coverage must be effective 9/1/25 through 8/31/26.
If purchasing a qualified health plan that meets these requirements (which is consistent for J-1 visas), you must provide written documentation in English (with coverage values in U.S. dollars) from the insurance company certifying that it covers all of the mandatory requirements. This evidence should be provided during the health insurance waiver process that takes place via the online tuition bill payment during the registration process.
Exceptions are rarely provided and may not be given for any of the following reasons, including but not limited to: financial hardship, indicating that you have a better plan, or that somebody else was waived from this requirement. International students who wish to be waived from this requirement for the academic year must provide the necessary documentation by August 26 in order to use the insurance on September 1. Final deadline to waive is September 18.
The Institute insurance includes coverage for the following benefits: Office visits, hospital inpatient and outpatient services, alternative services (e.g., chiropractic, acupuncture), outpatient prescription drugs (available at any pharmacy). Please note that the plan is compliant with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Contact us
If you have questions or concerns about the plan offered or coverage requirements, please contact our program advocate.
Email: healthinsurance@calarts.edu