Graduate School

Health and Dental Insurance

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

All Brown students (except those in fully online programs) are required to show proof of health insurance while enrolled at the University and all registered students (except those in fully online programs) are automatically enrolled in the University's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

Waive Coverage

Students may waive SHIP coverage by presenting proof of adequate outside coverage. Find more information about waiving coverage below and on the Student Health Insurance Plan website.

Visit Student Health Insurance Plan

Enroll

Students enrolled in a fully online graduate program and residing in the United States can opt in to SHIP coverage and can enroll themselves through the Gallagher website. 

Enroll Now

Dental

Students are not required to have dental insurance, but all students are eligible to enroll in the Student Dental Insurance Plan through Delta Dental of Rhode Island. 

Doctoral and MFA Students

As part of the five-year support guarantee, doctoral and MFA students receive health and dental insurance coverage, including a dependent subsidy, and are automatically enrolled in both the health and dental insurance plans.

SHIP Details

  • Information on SHIP, including FAQs can be found on the Student Health Insurance Plan website.
  • Academic-year coverage is effective from August 15, 2022 to August 14, 2023.
  • The annual premium for the 2022-2023 academic year is $4,255.
  • The deadline for waiving SHIP for the 2022-23 academic year is September 23, 2022.
  • The plan offers spring-semester only coverage for students who matriculate in January 2023. Spring-semester coverage is effective from January 1, 2023 to August 14, 2023.
  • The spring-semester premium for the 2022-2023 academic year: $2,634.
  • The deadline for waiving SHIP for students matriculating in January 2023 is January 10, 2023.
  • The plan offers a summer only premium of $876 for students matriculating in the summer of 2023 and needing coverage before the 2023-2024 annual plan begins. Summer coverage is effective from June 1, 2023 to August 14, 2023.
  • All students enrolled in SHIP  have the option of using a dental savings program or vision discount program which provide pre-negotiated discounts on services from participating area providers. 

Health Insurance Waiver/Buyout

Graduate students who are covered by another comparable health insurance plan may elect to waive SHIP. Find more information about waiving coverage on the Student Health Insurance Plan website. Doctoral and MFA students who receive health coverage through their financial support packages from the University and who opt to waive SHIP will receive a buyout of $400 ($200 for spring-semester coverage). This buyout will be distributed through the student account system. If students have a credit balance on their student account at the time the buyout is disbursed, they will be able to request a refund from the Bursar's Office. If they do not have a credit balance at this time, the $400/$200 will be applied to their student account.

Student Health Insurance Plan

Bursar's Office

Students who choose coverage through both SHIP and an alternate plan should be aware that SHIP includes a "Coordination of Benefits" provision. Students should contact their other insurance company to inquire about a similar provision in that plan. "Double coverage" may affect the timely processing of claims between the two plans.

Health Insurance Continuation Coverage

 

Students who graduated during the past year and who were enrolled in 2021-2022 annual SHIP coverage can sign up for a 1, 2, or 3 month continuation of their coverage. Students will be responsible for paying the full premium, including for any dependents they add. Students can enroll in continuation coverage through the Gallagher website (log in under the ‘Profile’ box and then look under ‘My Coverage Options’ for the 2022-2023 Continuation Brown University Student Health Insurance Plan link). 

Questions

If you have any questions, please email studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu or graduate_school@brown.edu.

Health Insurance Coverage for Dependents

Dependents of graduate students may be enrolled in SHIP at an additional cost. Eligible dependents include a legal spouse or domestic partner, children up to the age of 26, or a child born while the graduate student is covered by SHIP. A spouse or partner is generally expected to be living with the covered student in order to be eligible for coverage. Students submit documentation of marriage or domestic partner status through the Gallagher website and will be contacted by Gallagher if additional information is needed. 

Enroll

Dependents can be enrolled during the annual open enrollment period (for Fall 2022, the dependent enrollment deadline is September 23, 2022) or within 30 days of a qualifying life event. See the 2022-2023 Brown University Student Health Insurance Plan Summary Brochure for dependent coverage rates.

2022-2023 Brown University Student Health Insurance Plan Summary Brochure

Visit Gallagher

To enroll dependents, vist the Gallagher website. Once dependents are added, you will receive a payment link. Coverage for dependents enrolled during the open enrollment period will begin August 15. Coverage for dependents enrolled after a qualifying life event will begin upon processing of the premium payment. Doctoral and MFA students who receive health coverage through their financial support packages from the University receive a 75% subsidy on the cost of enrolling dependents.

Enrollment Outside of the Annual Window

Qualifying life events that allow for enrollment outside of the annual window include:

  • Birth of child (this allows for enrollment of the child - not a spouse)
  • Loss of coverage under another insurance plan
  • Marriage
  • Divorce
  • Spouse entering the U.S. for the first time

Questions

If you have any questions, please email studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu or graduate_school@brown.edu

Dental Insurance

Brown University offers a Student Dental Insurance Plan through Delta Dental of Rhode Island.

Automatic Enrollment

As part of the five-year support guarantee, doctoral and MFA students receive dental insurance coverage, including a dependent subsidy, and are automatically enrolled in the dental insurance plan. 

If you are a doctoral or MFA student and do not want to be automatically enrolled, please email graduate_school@brown.edu.

Learn About the dependent subsidy

Self Enrollment

For students not automatically enrolled in the Student Dental Insurance Plan, view rates and benefits of the plan, and enroll online through the Delta Dental website.

Dental Insurance Plan Details

  • Academic-year coverage is effective from August 15, 2022 to August 14, 2023.
  • The annual premium for the 2022-2023 academic year is $261.36. 
  • The deadline for students to enroll themselves in 2022-2023 annual coverage is September 30, 2022.
  • The deadline to enroll dependents for 2022-2023 annual coverage is September 15, 2022.
  • For students who matriculate in January 2023, spring-only coverage is available from January 15 - August 14, 2023. The Delta Dental website enrollment portal will open from December 1, 2022 through February 15, 2023. Spring matriculants may enroll themselves and dependents. 

Dependents Dental Insurance Coverage

Dependents of graduate students may be enrolled in Delta Dental coverage at an additional cost. Eligible dependents include a legal spouse or domestic partner, children up to the age of 26, or a child born while the graduate student is covered by the Delta Dental plan. A spouse or partner is generally expected to be living with the covered student in order to be eligible for coverage. Doctoral and MFA students who receive dental coverage through their financial support packages from the University receive a 75% subsidy on the annual premium cost of enrolling dependents. 

Enroll a Dependent

To enroll a dependent, complete the appropriate enrollment form and email it to studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu before September 15, 2022. If paying by check, you will also need to mail a check to the address provided in the form.

Forms

Doctoral and MFA students who receive dental coverage through their financial support package: Dental Dependent Enrollment 22-23 -Subsidy, Form 6416

All other students (those not receiving a University subsidy): Dental Dependent Enrollment 22-23 -No Subsidy, Form 8625