Student Health Insurance

Montclair State University requires all full-time students to have health insurance coverage. You are automatically enrolled in the University's Student Health Insurance Plan unless you submit a waiver by the published deadline. All questions about student health insurance, including waivers, coverage and claims, should be directed to University Health Plans.

Important Note

The Student Health Center does not handle questions about the University's Health Insurance Plan. Contact University Health Plans directly.

All waiver and enrollment actions must be completed by the published deadlines. Late requests are not accepted.

View of the bell tower on campus

Enrollment Overview

All full-time students are automatically enrolled in the plan. The cost is charged to your student account and coverage is managed through University Health Plans.

If you do not take action, the charge will remain on your account.

Students enrolled exclusively in fully online degree programs are exempt from this requirement and are not automatically enrolled.

Full-time status is defined as:

  • Undergraduate students enrolled in 12 or more credits
  • Graduate students enrolled in 9 or more credits

Cost of Coverage

The Student Health Insurance Plan is billed directly to your student account.

  • Full Year (August 15 to August 14): $2,940
  • Half Year: $1,812

Charges will appear on your bill in NEST and may take a few business days to update after enrollment or waiver activity.

Important Deadlines

Waiver and enrollment deadlines are strict and occur at the start of each term.

If you miss the deadline:

  • The charge will remain on your account
  • You will be enrolled in the University's plan for that term
View Important Dates for Students

Coverage and Plan Details

The Student Health Insurance Plan is provided by Aetna Student Health and includes access to a national PPO network.

As a student on this plan, you:

  • Do not need to select a primary care physician
  • Do not need referrals

All plan details are managed through University Health Plans, including:

  • Coverage and benefits
  • Claims and billing
  • Provider networks
  • Enrollment and waiver status

How to Enroll or Waive

If you already have comparable health insurance coverage, you may request a waiver.

All actions related to the Student Health Insurance Plan must be completed through the University Health Plans portal.

To get started:

  1. Log into the portal and submit an application
  2. Complete enrollment or waiver forms (one or the other)
  3. Submit any required documentation including proof of comparable, ACA-compliant coverage

If you do not take action, you will be automatically enrolled. You may receive reminder communications from University Health Plans.

If your waiver is approved, the insurance charge will be removed from your account.

Important

  • Submitting insurance information to any other University office or portal does not count as a waiver
  • Your coverage must be active by the start of the policy period
  • The University reserves the right to audit all waivers for compliance

How This Appears on Your Bill

The health insurance premium is billed to your student account.

If your waiver is approved, the charge is not removed. A Health Insurance Waiver credit is applied to offset the cost. Both the original charge and the waiver credit will appear on your account.

Changes may take several business days to show up. Continue to monitor your account in NEST for updates.

International Students

Health insurance requirements for international students differ and are strictly enforced.

F-1 visa students (part-time or full-time) must have an ACA-compliant, U.S.-based health insurance plan.

J-1 visa students must meet U.S. Department of State insurance requirements.

  • Are automatically enrolled in the University plan
  • Do not have access to the standard online waiver form
  • Must contact University Health Plans directly to request an international waiver

If you have an eligible U.S.-based plan (typically through an employer or embassy), email University Health Plans to request the waiver form.

  • State or federally subsidized plans such as Medicaid do not meet waiver requirements
  • Some international student plans do not qualify due to limited coverage or lack of U.S. approval
  • Using non-compliant insurance may impact your visa status or future immigration benefits