Health Insurance

Health insurance is compulsory for all domestic undergraduate, graduate, exchange, and certificate students enrolled full time and all international students. This requirement may be waived by those students who have their own health insurance coverage by:

  1. Completing an online waiver form at saic.myahpcare.com annually
  2. Providing proof that such coverage meets SAIC's minimum standards
  3. Granting SAIC or its designee permission to verify coverage

Part-time Students

SAIC's Student Health Insurance Plan is also available to all domestic part-time, degree-seeking students. The fee for health insurance is added to the student's account each semester for which coverage is requested. Health insurance coverage for the fall semester must be requested online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of fall classes. Spring semester-only requests must be made online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of classes for the spring semester.

If a domestic student is enrolled full-time and then drops to part-time before the end of the add/drop period, the health insurance charge will automatically be removed from the student's account and health insurance coverage will not be provided. The health insurance charge will be added back to the account if the student requests health insurance online at saic.myahpcare.com.

SAIC-Sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan

Information associated with SAIC’s 2023-24 Student Health Insurance Plan, designed for students of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and their dependents, can be found at saic.myahpcare.com. The current plan rate can be found in the Student Financial Services Health Insurance section of the site. Questions regarding benefits may be directed to the insurance plan administrator:

Academic HealthPlans
855-844-3023
saic.myahpcare.com/contact

Applying for a Health Insurance Waiver

Read more about how to qualify for a health insurance waiver. Questions regarding the process of waiving and/or requesting insurance can be directed to SAIC_StudentInsurance@saic.edu.

Domestic Students

Domestic students enrolled full-time are automatically charged for and covered under SAIC's health insurance plan. Students who have comparable coverage and wish to waive SAIC's insurance must complete and submit a waiver:

  • Entire Academic Year: A waiver must be completed online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of fall classes.
  • Spring Semester Only: Spring-semester-only waivers must be completed online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of spring classes.
  • Summer Semester Only: All new full-time domestic students and all new international students who are beginning their degree program in the summer, as well as all new international students participating in SAIC's EIS (English for International Students) program, are automatically enrolled in and charged for SAIC’s summer student health insurance plan. Students with comparable coverage who do not wish to purchase SAIC’s summer student health insurance plan may submit an online waiver through saic.myahpcare.com by the first day of classes for summer sessions 3W3 and 6W2.
    Summer health insurance coverage is also available upon request for continuing degree-seeking students enrolled for summer who were not covered under SAIC’s student health insurance plan in the spring by submitting an online request through saic.myahpcare.com.
    Students will access the online waiver at saic.myahpcare.com using their Artic account login and password. Questions associated with Artic account activation and/or login problems can be directed to SAIC's CRIT Help Desk at 312.345.3535 or crtihelpdesk@saic.edu.
  • Health insurance policy information provided on the waiver will be reviewed by Academic HealthPlans to ensure that coverage meets minimum standards. If the information is incomplete, incorrect, cannot be verified, and/or does not satisfy criteria, the waiver will not be accepted, and health insurance coverage through SAIC will be required.

Minimum Coverage Requirements

  • The insurance plan must provide coverage for medically necessary care in the Chicago area equivalent to the coverage provided by SAIC's Student Health Insurance Plan. (saic.myahpcare.com)
  • The insurance plan must provide unlimited coverage for pre-existing conditions.
  • The insurance plan must provide unlimited benefits for medical and pharmacy expenses.
  • The insurance plan must provide coverage for mental health issues.
  • The insurance plan coverage must remain in force for the term(s) for which the waiver is submitted.

International Students

SAIC requires that all international students have insurance coverage while enrolled at SAIC. To ensure compliance with this policy, all international students are automatically enrolled in and charged for SAIC's Student Health Insurance Plan.

SAIC insurance will be automatically billed in addition to your tuition and fees. Your dependents (a spouse or children) can obtain coverage once they arrive in the United States. The website for the Student Health Insurance Plan that SAIC offers is located at saic.myahpcare.com. On the site, you can:

  • Print your student insurance ID card
  • Read the student health insurance brochure
  • View the health insurance claim form

If an international student has comparable coverage and wishes to waive SAIC's insurance:

Entire Academic Year

A waiver must be completed online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of classes for the fall semester.

Spring Semester Only

Spring-semester-only waivers must be completed online through saic.myahpcare.com by the end of the first day of classes for the spring semester.

Summer Semester Only

All new full-time domestic students and all new international students who are beginning their degree program in the summer, as well as all new international students participating in SAIC's EIS (English for International Students) program, are automatically enrolled in and charged for SAIC’s summer student health insurance plan. Students with comparable coverage who do not wish to purchase SAIC’s summer student health insurance plan may submit an online waiver through saic.myahpcare.com by the first day of classes for summer sessions 3W3 and 6W2.  

Health insurance policy information provided on the waiver will be reviewed by Academic Health Plans to ensure that coverage meets minimum standards. If the information is incomplete, incorrect, cannot be verified, and/or does not satisfy criteria, the waiver will not be accepted and health insurance coverage through SAIC will be required.

Minimum Coverage Requirements

  • The insurance plan must provide coverage for medically necessary care in the Chicago area equivalent to the coverage provided by SAIC's Student Health Insurance Plan.
  • The insurance plan must provide unlimited coverage for pre-existing conditions.
  • The insurance plan must provide unlimited benefits for medical and pharmacy expenses.
  • The insurance plan must provide coverage for mental health issues.
  • The insurance plan coverage must remain in force for the term(s) for which the waiver is submitted.
  • The insurance plan must provide coverage of at least $50,000 U.S. dollars for medical evacuation and $25,000 U.S. dollars for repatriation.

Optional Practical Training

Health insurance coverage through SAIC is available for international students who have graduated and who have been approved for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Health insurance coverage for the fall semester only or entire academic year must be requested through Student Financial Services by the end of the first day of classes for the fall semester. Health insurance coverage for the spring semester must be requested through Student Financial Services by the end of the first day of classes for the spring semester. The fee for health insurance will be added to the student's account each semester for which coverage is requested.

Health insurance is compulsory for all domestic undergraduate, graduate, exchange, and certificate students enrolled full time and all international students. This requirement may be waived by those students who have their own health insurance coverage by:

  1. Completing an online waiver form at saic.myahpcare.com annually
  2. Providing proof that such coverage meets SAIC's minimum standards
  3. Granting SAIC or its designee permission to verify coverage