As an international student, you must have basic and extended medical insurance while you are in Canada. Exchange and visiting students must also have medical insurance.
Having the right medical coverage is important. It means you can get the care you need without worrying about extra expenses or bills.
You will need two main types of health insurance:
1) Basic insurance, these are mandatory policies, which cover most medically required services:
- British Columbia Medical Services Plan (MSP), for your basic medical expenses during the entire duration of your studies in Canada. There is a 90-day waiting period for the MSP policy to be active.
- GuardMe, for your first 90 days of your first semester in Canada to cover the MSP waiting period.
2) Extended health insurance, which covers some fees and services which are not covered by basic insurance:
- Student Union Society (SUS) Extended Health and Dental Plan for the duration of your studies at UFV. It partially covers expenses like vision care, dental and prescriptions.
Basic Insurance
B.C. Medical Services Plan (MSP)
The Government of British Columbia (B.C.) health plan is called the Medical Services Plan (MSP). It is a legally required insurance plan which pays for basic medical health services, such as: doctor visits, medical tests, hospital services, and treatments.
The cost for MSP is $75 per month, billed to you directly, and paid through Revenue Services of B.C.
As an international student arriving in B.C., it's important you know that MSP coverage has a 90-day waiting period from your arrival date.
Here’s what you need to do:
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Apply as soon as you arrive: Don’t wait until the end of the 90-day waiting period to apply for MSP. It's best to apply immediately after you arrive in B.C. This allows enough time for your application to be processed before your coverage starts.
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Why apply early?: The sooner you apply, the sooner your MSP coverage can begin once the waiting period is over. If you wait too long to apply, you might experience additional insurance costs.
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Step-by-step Guide: You can find easy instructions on how to apply for MSP on your iCent app.
GuardMe
UFV International automatically enrolls students in GuardMe, which provides temporary health coverage for 90 days until your MSP policy becomes active. If you already have a valid MSP, you can opt out during the period specified below by visiting the GuardMe website.
The cost for GuardMe is $155 for 90 days of your first term at UFV, and it is charged directly to your student account.
Basic Medical Insurance Important Dates
| First Term at UFV | Mandatory Basic GuardMe Insurance Coverage (First 90 days) |
Opt-Out period[1] | MSP Enrolment Confirmation Dates[2] |
Automatic GuardMe Coverage Renewal (Past 90 days)[3] |
|
Summer 2025 |
May 1 - Jul 31, 2025 |
May 1-21, 2025 |
Jul 1-30, 2025 |
Aug 1 - Oct 31, 2025 |
|
Fall 2025 |
Sep 1 - Nov 30, 2025 |
Sep 1-21, 2025 |
Nov 1-30, 2025 |
Dec 1, 2025 - |
|
Winter 2026 |
Jan 1 - Mar 31, 2026 |
Jan 1-21, 2026 |
March 1-30, 2025 |
Apr 1 - Jun 30, 2026 |
[1] Opt-Out Period: You can opt out of GuardMe if you already have valid MSP coverage. Here’s how:
- Submit an opt-out request on the GuardMe website.
- Ensure you have not claimed any medical expenses under GuardMe Policy.
- The approval and refund process takes approximately 5 to 6 weeks. Once the refund has been approved, students can log in to the myUFV portal and navigate to the Student Billing and Account section to view the refund amount.
[2] MSP Enrolment Confirmation Dates
You MUST provide proof of your valid MSP (Medical Services Plan) coverage to UFV during the designated MSP Confirmation Dates listed in the table above. This proof can be submitted either in person at UFV International or electronically through your iCent app.
Only an official MSP Account Confirmation letter (including name, coverage effective date, coverage end date, and MSP enrolment status) or a B.C. Services Card will be accepted as proof of mandatory government coverage.
[3] Automatic GuardMe Coverage Renewal (Past 90 days)
UFV must ensure you have sufficient health care insurance coverage for the duration of your stay. The Automatic GuardMe Coverage Renewal will only be applicable if you did not provide proof of MSP to UFV during the MSP Enrolment Confirmation dates.
The cost for the Automatic Coverage Renewal is $155 for 90 days, and it will be charged directly to your student account. This is a non-refundable charge.
Early Arrival Insurance Option
If you arrive in Canada before your first term starts, you can apply for additional medical insurance coverage. This early arrival option is a one-time purchase only and cannot be bought after your program start date.
Your family members who travel with you are not included in your policy. You can purchase insurance for them directly through GuardMe.
Extended Health Insurance
Student Union Society (SUS) Extended Health & Dental Plan — StudentCare
The SUS Extended Health and Dental Plan is meant to cover additional health benefits that the MSP does not provide.
Full-time students enrolled in the fall and winter semesters are automatically included in the SUS Health and Dental Plan, known as StudentCare. Students who begin their studies at UFV in the summer semester will be automatically enrolled for this plan during the following fall semester.
You can opt out of StudentCare if you already have an equivalent health and dental insurance through another provider. For more information on how to opt-out of StudentCare, please visit the SUS Change of Coverage page.
Note: Exchange and visiting students who study at UFV for more than one semester are eligible for this plan.
Exchange and visiting students
If you are an exchange student who is studying for:
* less than six months in B.C. (usually for 1 semester):
- You are automatically enrolled in GuardMe for four months.
- The cost of coverage is $225, charged to your student account.
- You are NOT required to apply for Medical Services Plan (MSP).
Note: If you plan to extend your studies beyond 4 months, connect with studyabroad@ufv.ca ahead of time.
* more than six months in B.C. (usually 2 semesters):
- You are automatically enrolled in GuardMe for your first three months.
- The cost of coverage is $155, charged to your student account.
- You must apply within 10 days of arriving in B.C. for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) for the remainder of your studies at UFV.
Information about MSP can be found here.
Opt-out: If you are able to provide proof of equivalent medical insurance, please refer to the nomination acceptance email from studyabroad@ufv.ca for further instructions.
How to pay: the cost of GuardMe coverage will be charged to your UFV student account and is due two weeks from the start of term.
To review your UFV account balance:
- Log into myUFV
- Under 'Student Billing & Account' select 'View your account summary'
- Select the appropriate term
Payment methods available at UFV can be found here, or pay in-person at the Office of the Registrar.
Accompanying family members are also strongly recommended to have basic and extended health insurance while residing in Canada. You can Add Dependents once you have received your GuardMe certificate or policy number.