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Student Resources

Health Insurance Premium Support Program

General Program Information

Beginning in Fall 2026, the University of Houston will provide health insurance premium support to eligible graduate assistants. The program is intended to help offset the cost of student health insurance and support graduate student well-being and academic success.
Rather than paying insurance premiums directly to providers, the university will provide eligible students with direct salary payments during the academic year to help cover health insurance expenses.
Eligible graduate assistants will receive two one-time salary payments each academic year:
  • Fall Semester: November
  • Spring Semester: March
Payments will be processed through university payroll as salary supplements and are not applied directly to your student account or insurance charges. Because the premium support is provided as a salary payment, it is subject to applicable payroll taxes and withholdings. The net amount received may therefore be less than the gross payment amount listed.
No. Payment amounts will be reviewed annually and may change based on:
  • Student health insurance premium costs
  • Available university funding
  • Program requirements and university policy

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Employment Position: Hold an eligible graduate assistant appointment as a:
    • Research Assistant (RA)
    • Research Assistant, Tuition Exempt (RA-TE)
    • Instructional Assistant (IA)
    • Teaching Assistant (TA)
    • Teaching Fellow (TF)
  2. Employment FTE: Maintain an appointment threshold of at least 0.50 FTE (20 hours per week).
  3. Appointment Deadlines: Be officially appointed on or before:
    • October 1 for Fall premium support
    • February 1 for Spring/Summer premium support
  4. Enrollment: Be enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program (minimum 9 semester credit hours [SCH] in Fall and Spring).

You are not eligible for this program if:

  • You are enrolled in one of the following professional degree programs: JD, MD, OD, or PharmD.
  • You are enrolled in the Employees Retirement System (ERS) health plan.
Yes. Both master's and doctoral students qualify, provided they meet all position, appointment, and enrollment requirements.
Yes. International students qualify if they meet all standard appointment, enrollment, and program eligibility criteria.
Yes. As long as your combined eligible graduate assistantship appointments (e.g., an RA and a TA) equal at least 0.50 FTE (20 hours/week) by the eligibility deadline and all positions are qualifying job titles, you satisfy the employment threshold.
Graduate assistants must hold an eligible appointment of at least 0.50 FTE by the applicable eligibility deadline (October 1 or February 1). Students who do not meet the 0.50 FTE requirement at the time eligibility is verified will not qualify for that semester's payment.

Students must maintain full-time enrollment (at least 9 SCH during Fall and Spring) to qualify. An exception to the minimum enrollment requirement is permitted during a student's graduating semester, provided that an official Application for Graduation has been submitted and approved by the university.

Students who are enrolled in fewer than 9 SCH for other approved academic reasons may also be considered for an exception. Such requests must be supported by an approved graduate petition and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate School. Approval of an exception is not guaranteed and will depend on the student's individual circumstances and supporting documentation.

Payments & Financial Details

Estimated 2026–2027 Salary Payments

Student Status

Fall 2026 (November)

Spring 2027 (March)

Total Academic Year

New Students

$1,405.01

$2,232.11

$3,637.12

Continuing Students

$1,121.39

$2,232.11

$3,353.50

*Payment amounts are reviewed annually and may be adjusted based on insurance costs and available funding.

The Fall payment for new students reflects the higher initial cost associated with starting annual health insurance coverage. Continuing students receive a lower Fall payment because portions of their coverage cycle were supported during the preceding academic year.
No. The payment amount is fixed based strictly on your student status (New vs. Continuing) to offset individual student coverage. No additional stipend funds are provided for dependents.
The program is designed as a support stipend to help offset health insurance costs rather than a guaranteed 100% full-cost waiver. If your chosen plan or SHIP premium exceeds the support payment, you are responsible for paying the remaining balance.

Administrative Audits & Application

No. Eligibility is determined automatically via semester audits of employment (0.50 FTE in an eligible appointment by the deadline) and enrollment (9+ SCH). You should check with your hiring department to ensure your employment appointment is active and correctly coded before the deadline.

Yes. Eligibility is verified every semester on the designated audit dates:

  • Fall Payment Audit: October 1
  • Spring Payment Audit: February 1

You must continue to meet all program criteria at each review date to receive that semester's disbursement.

Health Insurance Options & SHIP Enrollment

No. The payment is disbursed directly to you as a salary supplement. You are free to apply these funds toward the UH Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) or toward any external, alternate private health insurance policy that best fits your needs.

No. Receiving the premium support payment does not automatically enroll you in any health plan.

  • Domestic Graduate Assistants: You must actively enroll in SHIP via uh.myahpcare.com during open enrollment or secure independent private coverage.
  • International Graduate Assistants (F-1/J-1): SHIP coverage is mandatory and automatically billed to your student account. Receiving this stipend helps offset that fee, but you must still complete enrollment activation or submit an approved waiver if you hold alternate qualifying coverage.

Enrollment steps depend on your student classification:

  • Official Portal: Access the UH Academic HealthPlans (AHP) portal at uh.myahpcare.com.
  • Domestic Students: Select Enroll/Cost to view open enrollment dates and complete voluntary enrollment during open registration periods.
  • International Students (F-1 / J-1): Visit uh.myahpcare.com/waiver to activate your coverage early or submit an alternate insurance waiver before the term deadline.
  • UH Health Center: Visit uh.edu/healthcenter for full details on coverage dates, waiver requirements, and administrative contact details.

Current Student Health Insurance Plan premium rates and coverage details are available via the Academic HealthPlans (AHP) Rate Guide.

Contacts & Support

For specific questions regarding the program, reach out to the appropriate office below:

  • Eligibility & Graduate Policies: Contact the Graduate School (gradschool@uh.edu) or your academic department's graduate coordinator.
  • Appointment & FTE Status: Contact your hiring department's business administrator or Human Resources.
  • Payroll: for questions about payroll, contact the Payroll and Tax Office. 
  • Insurance Policies, Waivers, & Coverage: Contact Student Health Insurance representatives at the UH Health Center or Academic HealthPlans (AHP).