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About
All graduate students are eligible for medical and voluntary insurance coverage. The specific insurance plan will vary depending on appointment as an
- employee - Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or Teaching Assistant (TA),
- fellow - Graduate Student Fellow (GSF) who is a scholarship or training grant recipient, or
- international student (employee or fellow).
The available medical plans are UT Ship (Academic Blue) and UT Select, both underwritten by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). UT Select is the university employee health plan; UT Ship is designed and priced for students, so premiums are lower than UT Select.
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Benefits Video
This video describes your benefit options for Plan Year 2024-25.
Options for Student Employees (GRAs or TAs)
Please visit UT Human Resources for detailed insurance information for graduate student employees.
UT Ship (Academic Blue)
New GRAs or TAs appointed part-time (20 hours/week for 4.5 months) are automatically enrolled in the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP), also known as Academic Blue, for medical coverage and the Premium Sharing Credit Plan for dental, vision and voluntary accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.
- UT Austin provides 100% premium support for medical coverage for part-time GRAs/TAs, and 50% premium support for dependent coverage, with the employee paying the remaining 50% of their dependent premiums directly to Academic Health Plans, the plan administrator, on a monthly basis.
- You will need to add dependents in the Academic Health Plans Enrollment System within 31 days from your date of hire.
- You must re-enroll your dependents each plan year by September 15, or they will not have coverage.
- Optional coverage such as dental, vision, and AD&D must be elected via My UT Benefits by the end of your initial 31-day enrollment period.
UT Select
Part-time GRAs and TAs may opt for UT Select over UT Ship (Academic Blue), at a greater out-of-pocket cost. To do so, you'll need to waive UT Ship (Academic Blue) in the Academic Health Plans waiver system. You will then need to elect UT Select in the My UT Benefits enrollment system. These elections must be completed by the end of a 31-day initial enrollment period.
- UT Austin provides 50% premium sharing for part-time GRAs and TAs and 25% premium sharing for dependent coverage. Premium costs for part-time and/or dependent coverage is through monthly or semi-monthly payroll deduction.
- You will need to add dependents in the My UT Benefits enrollment system within 31 days from your date of hire. You will need to upload documentation to verify their eligible dependent status. Review Evidence of Eligibility to learn more about document requirements.
- You do not need to re-enroll your dependents each year.
- Optional coverage such as dental, vision, and AD&D must be elected via My UT Benefits by the end of your initial 31-day enrollment period.
Comparison: Out-of-Pocket Medical Premium Costs Per Month
| Level of Coverage | UT Ship (Academic Blue) | UT Select |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber Only | $0.00 | $390.12 |
| Subscriber + Spouse | $143.25 | $930.54 |
| Subscriber + Child(ren) | $229.80 | $872.30 |
| Subscriber + Family | $373.05 | $1,388.22 |
Options for Student Fellows (GSFs)
Please visit UT Human Resources for detailed insurance information for graduate student fellows.
UT Ship (Academic Blue)
New Graduate Student Fellows (GSFs) must enroll in UT Ship (Academic Blue) medical and dental coverage by the enrollment deadline.
- NRSA and training grant recipients pay the premium out-of-pocket and submit receipts for reimbursement by the fellowship or training grant. Other fellowships will provide an insurance allowance to cover the cost of the premium.
- Online enrollment periods:
- Fall - 06/01/2024 - 09/16/2024
- Spring - 11/01/2024 - 02/09/2025
- Summer - 04/01/2025 - 06/15/2025
UT Ship (Academic Blue) Cost - Medical
| Level of Coverage |
Fall 9/1/24 - 12/31/24 |
Spring/Summer 01/01/25 - 08/31/25 |
Summer 06/01/25 - 08/31/25 |
Annual Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscriber Only |
$1,146 |
$2,292 |
$864 |
$3,438 |
| Subscriber + Spouse |
$2,929 |
$4,584 |
$1,728 |
$7,513 |
| Subscriber + Child(ren) |
$2,984 |
$5,969 |
$2,250 |
$8,953 |
| Subscriber + Family |
$4,130 |
$8,261 |
$3,114 |
$12,391 |
UT Ship (Academic Blue) Cost - Dental
| Level of Coverage |
Fall 9/1/24 - 12/31/24 |
Spring/Summer 01/01/25 - 08/31/25 |
Summer 06/01/25 - 08/31/25 |
Annual Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscriber Only |
$86 |
$171 |
$65 |
$257 |
| Spouse |
$86 |
$171 |
$65 |
$257 |
GSFs may also purchase an Individual Vision Care Plan offered through VSP, which covers eyewear, contacts, and eyes exams at an affordable price from a large network of vision care providers. For more information, including coverage and cost, please visit the VSP Individual Vision Care Plan webpage.
- The premium is paid out-of-pocket and receipts submitted for reimbursement by the fellowship or training grant.
UT Select
GSFs may enroll in the university's medical, dental, and vision plans. To enroll in these employee plans, you must have one or more fellowships awarded on a competitive basis, that either singly, or in combination, are valued at $10,000 or more per year.
- Since GSFs are not employees and do not receive premium sharing to offset the cost of their medical insurance, the cost of UT Select may be prohibitively expensive, when compared to the cost of UT Ship (Academic Blue).
- To enroll in the university's employee insurance plans, you must submit a Graduate Student Fellow Insurance Enrollment Request (Online) within 31 days of the start of your fellowship. When submitting your request, you will be asked to upload documentation verifying your eligibility for coverage that shows your name, the name or type of your fellowship, the annual value of your fellowship, and your fellowship's begin and end dates.
UT Select Medical Plan Cost
| Level of Coverage |
Per Month |
Annual Total |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber Only |
$780.24 |
$9,362.88 |
| Subscriber + Spouse |
$1,189.20 |
$14,270.40 |
| Subscriber + Child(ren) |
$1,041.90 |
$12,502.80 |
| Subscriber + Family |
$1,453.34 |
$17,440.08 |
Options for International Students (GRAs, TAs, or GSFs)
Please visit Texas Global for detailed information on insurance for international students, including enrolling for optional dental and dependent coverage.
UT Ship (Academic Blue)
International students (regardless of appointment as an employee or fellow) are automatically enrolled in the UT Student Health Insurance Plan (UT SHIP), also known as Academic Blue, for medical coverage and the cost automatically charged to the tuition and fee bill each fall, spring, and summer semester.
GRAs & TAs
GRAs and TAs (appointed at 20 hours/week for 4.5 months) are automatically enrolled in UT Ship (Academic Blue) for medical coverage and the Premium Sharing Credit Plan for dental, vision and accidental death and dismemberment coverage. Since the University covers the employee-only premium for UT Ship (Academic Blue), international students should apply for a waiver online to remove the automatic billing to the tuition and fee bill for each applicable fall, spring, or summer semester as a GRA or TA.
GSFs (Fellows)
Fellowship recipients will receive an insurance allowance to cover the cost of insurance charged to the tuition and fee bill, so don't apply for a waiver to remove the automatic billing to the tuition and fee bill.
Health Care Assistance Fund
UT Ship (Academic Blue) provides affordable, quality coverage that meets or exceeds a gold-level of coverage according to the Affordable Care Act (the same rating as UT Select). The university expects that the majority of students will have lower out-of-pocket costs under Academic Blue.
Nevertheless, a small percentage of the overall benefits-eligible graduate student population may experience increases in out-of-pocket costs due to plan differences. The impact of this insurance change will vary based upon utilization and students’ specific healthcare needs.
The Health Care Assistance Fund is intended to help students who encounter higher costs through block grants awarded by the Graduate School. Efficiency of the application and award processes and the protection of student privacy are high priorities. It is expected that the fund will adapt to best suit student needs as we learn more about the impacts of the change.
Each individual student should verify the plan that is available to them. Please contact Marsha Berkman at berkman@austin.utexes.edu with questions regarding health insurance options.