Open-Enrollment for Fall 2025 is now OPEN.
Enroll
Enrollment and waivers can only be submitted during Open Enrollment.
All registered, degree-seeking students are required to maintain health insurance coverage while enrolled at Rice University. Therefore, all *students are REQUIRED to either enroll in the Rice Student Health Insurance Plan, administered by Aetna Student Health or request a waiver of the Student Health Insurance plan by demonstrating comparable insurance coverage.
Note: If you are a returning student, you must be enrolled in courses before you can access the enrollment and waiver application. Students enrolled in traditional online programs or enrolled in the Liberal Studies programs (excluding the MAT program for new teachers) are not eligible for Student Health Insurance and do not need to take action.
To enroll for the medical plan click here.
Waive
You may waive coverage under the Rice Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan if you have health insurance that meets the ENTIRE Rice plan requirements listed in this section.
To submit a waiver click here.
Waiver applications will be reviewed and verified as active with the insurance carrier.
Notice of Acceptance or Rejection of waiver applications will be sent by Aetna to the student’s Rice email address within 1-3 business days.
- Waiver Deadlines
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AY 2025-2026
Fall 2025 Waiver Deadline: August 31, 2025
Spring 2026 Waiver Deadline: January 15, 2026
Missing the original waiver deadline is not a basis for further review. See the "Waiver Denials and Missed Deadlines" section below for more information.
- Who can Waive?
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Domestic Students
Domestic undergraduates and graduates eligible for the Aetna Student plan and enrolled can request to waive if they have comparable coverage in the Houston area during the academic year. Please carefully read the Waiver Requirements below.
*Students enrolled in The Glasscock School are not eligible for insurance.
International Students
International undergraduates and graduates without an F1 or J1 Visa enrolled can request to waive if they have comparable coverage in the Houston area during the academic year.
- Waiver Requirements
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You are considered Exempt if you are currently a Domestic student OR an International student without an F1 or J1 Visa.
- The plan provides prescription coverage.
- The plan has an individual deductible of $5,000* or less.
- The plan provides coverage for both emergency and non-emergency inpatient and outpatient medical and mental health care in Houston, Texas.
- The plan provides unlimited annual and lifetime benefits (i.e., no policy maximum).
- The insurance coverage is not through a medical cost-sharing or co-op-type program.
- The plan has a U.S.-based claim administrator, a U.S. telephone number and address for submission of claims, and the policy is issued in the U.S.
- The plan is currently active and I agree to maintain health insurance throughout the policy year. If I lose coverage, I will notify Rice immediately.
*If your plan's deductible is more than $5000, you must have a Health Savings Account; contact studentinsurance@rice.edu.
- Waiver Denials and Missed Deadlines
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Students who submitted an online waiver form and received a denial will have the opportunity to submit additional documentation in support of further review.
It is important to note the following about the Rice further review process:
- Missed deadlines will not be a sufficient basis for further review. Student Insurance communicates deadline information via email with students.
- Missed email communications from Student Insurance will not be a sufficient basis for further review.
- Health cost-sharing plans are not considered comparable coverage as all plans must be fully compliant with the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and provide access to local primary care providers in the Rice University area.
- The assumption of the Health Data Form as a waiver will not be a sufficient basis for further review. Please see the next section below for more information.
- Students with questions on the further review process should contact studentinsurance@rice.edu.
- Health Data Form
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All new undergraduates and graduate students are required to submit a properly completed Health Data Form at the beginning of their enrollment at Rice.
This form is NOT a waiver. It is very important to note that the information provided on this form is not sent over to the Student Insurance Department. Students who miss the deadline to submit a waiver under the assumption that this form was a waiver will not be a sufficient basis for further review.
All waivers are submitted directly through the Aetna system found here.
Dental and Vision Plans
Please visit this link for more information on our dental and vision plans.
Important Information
Important |
Information |
Auto-Enrollment:All students who do NOT take action to enroll in coverage, or submit a waiver by August 31 (Fall) or January 15 (Spring) will be automatically enrolled in the Aetna insurance coverage and responsible for the annual (fall) or spring premium. Once you are enrolled in coverage, you cannot cancel for any reason. If you are automatically enrolled in Aetna Student Health, please note your enrollment will need additional processing time after Open Enrollment closes. You may need to pay out of pocket for medical services until your enrollment has been completed. Once completed, you will be able to file a claim for reimbursement. The coverage will not be prorated and will be effective August 1st (Fall) or January 1st (Spring). Please understand the risk of not electing to enroll yourself in coverage during the open enrollment period. If you are enrolled in annual coverage, you will not be able to submit a waiver for the spring semester. |
International Students With an F1 OR J1 Visa:Students who enroll in the Wellfleet plan do NOT need to apply for a waiver. OISS receives the enrollment confirmation directly from Wellfleet and will be processed within 5 business days; no action is needed from the student. There will be a credit to waive the student insurance fee on your Rice student account when confirmation is received from Wellfleet. Please contact OISS if your Visa status (F1/J1 visa) has changed and you are not able to submit a waiver for the Aetna student insurance plan.
*Students who reside in their home country outside the U.S., are not eligible to enroll in the insurance plan. Please contact studentinsurance@rice.edu regarding this issue. |