Mandatory Fees

Insurance

University of Alberta Health Insurance Plan (UAHIP)
All students attending the University of Alberta for less than 12 months who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents and who therefore do not have Alberta Health Care Insurance are required to participate in the University of Alberta Health Insurance Program (UAHIP) and to pay the required premiums to the University of Alberta for this health insurance. A waiver cannot be given for any other health insurance.

Upon confirmation of registration at the University of Alberta, students will automatically be enrolled in UAHIP. A claim form must be completed at each visit by the patient and given to the physician for completion. The total premium for the semester must be paid upon arrival.

This plan is administered by the International Student and Visitor Services (ISVS), which can be reached via the Student Service portal. For more information on health insurance, please visit the Health Insurance website.

In the meantime, please note the following potential UAHIP limitations so that you can ensure that you have appropriate health insurance coverage prior to arriving in Alberta:

  1. Prescription medication has a certain maximum coverage per calendar year. In the past, it has only been covered up to $500.
  2. Regular dental care services (e.g., checkups, cleanings, fillings, x-rays), eyeglasses, and frames or contact lenses are NOT covered. In addition, we recommend that you are up to date with any immunizations/vaccinations that you may need prior to your arrival as some are not covered by the plan.
  3. It will not provide you with coverage while you are in transit on your way to and from your exchange at UAlberta. The purchase of traveller's health insurance is recommended.
  4. UAHIP might not provide you with sufficient coverage for any existing medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, cancer, etc.) that you might have.
  5. It might not cover all of your medical needs for travel outside of Alberta during your exchange.

As soon as possible after your arrival at UAlberta, we encourage you to set up a Canadian bank account. Any reimbursements for UAHIP claims will need to be deposited electronically into a Canadian bank account.

Supplementary Insurance

Due to the limitations above, you are encouraged to acquire supplementary coverage for your exchange before you leave home, as options for purchase in Canada will be limited.

 

U-Pass

The Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass) will give students unlimited access to regular Edmonton, St. Albert, and Strathcona County Transit services for Fall (September - December) and Winter (January - April) academic terms. The U-Pass is a partnership between the University, the Students' Union, the Graduate Students' Association and the three participating municipalities. All students registered at the University of Alberta Edmonton Campuses are automatically enrolled in the U-Pass system. Fees are assessed and collected from exchange students by the International Centre upon arrival. Your University of Alberta Student Identification Card (ONEcard) with a U-Pass validation sticker is used as your transit pass. For more information, please visit the U-Pass Homepage.