Graduate Studies - GA Health Insurance

WKU offers subsidized health insurance to all full-time (20 hrs per week) graduate assistants.  Details of the plan are available from wku.myahpcare.com.  Health insurance is offered to all students, both undergraduate and graduate and is offered from Academic Health Plans.  Graduate Studies offers substantially subsidized health insurance to all students holding full-time graduate assistantships.

Highlights:

• All graduate students, including international students, holding full-time graduate assistantships are eligible for the health insurance benefit.
  • All international students are required to enroll in the WKU student health insurance plan. International students are automatically enrolled in the student health insurance plan upon enrollment into courses every fall and spring term.
  • International student GAs receive the benefit of receiving the scholarship to help offset some of the costs.
• Full-time graduate assistants are those students holding graduate assistantships designated to work 20 hrs per week.
• Eligible graduate students MUST enroll EACH SEMESTER to receive the health insurance benefit. For example, assistants enrolling for the Fall must enroll again for the Spring.
• Once an eligible graduate assistant has registered for the insurance benefit they may not at a later date decide to opt-out for the semester for which they have registered.
• Participation in this plan is optional, eligible graduate assistants are NOT required to purchase the insurance.
• The value of the benefit can only be applied to the WKU health insurance package with Academic Health Plans.
• Graduate assistants electing not to purchase the WKU insurance may not receive the balance in cash or have the balance applied to other WKU charges.
• The student portion of the insurance fee must be paid before the coverage is activated.
• All eligible graduate assistants will receive an email at the beginning of each semester of eligibility.
• For questions regarding your Graduate Assistantship, health insurance eligibility, and how to sign up for the insurance, contact Graduate Studies at 270-745-2446. For additional details of the coverage, please visit wku.myahpcare.com or contact Donna Gregory (domestic students) or Toni Dye (international students).

To register for the plan:

1. The student must apply for a graduate assistantship and be approved by the sponsoring department at the full-time (20 hr/wk) level.
2. The department will send an assistantship award letter to the student and Graduate Studies.
3. Graduate Studies will send the student an email indicating eligibility for the program. Graduate assistants not eligible for the program will not be notified.
4. The student MUST indicate their desire to participate on TopNet.  To do so, log in to TopNet, select the Student Services tab, then the Graduate Assistant Health Insurance item.  Follow the instructions on the page to opt in.
5. A Health Insurance Premium charge will then appear on the student's WKU Account.  Within a week, a GA Health Scholarship will post to the account to cover a portion of that fee.  The remaining balance is the student's portion to pay and is payable to the Office of Student Billings and Account Services.
6. Academic Health Plans will be notified and the coverage will begin the first day of the next month.
7. The student should NOT complete the insurance application form available on the wku.myahpcare.com site.

Deadlines

Deadlines to opt in and pay the fee are September 18, 2024 for the Fall 2024 semester, and February 15, 2025 for the Spring 2025 semester.  The student must opt in before these dates.