Each academic year all students are enrolled in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) automatically. If you are currently insured with a qualifying health plan and do not wish to keep UC SHIP as secondary coverage, you may submit a waiver request. Before you submit a waiver request please be sure your insurance plan meets the Waiver Criteria established by the University of California. The distance requirement is 50 miles from the student’s residence while in Santa Barbara.


GAP coverage ensures that registered students with APPROVED waivers have access to in-house medical care at UCSB Student Health at a full or substantial discount for most services.

If the insurance plan for an APPROVED waiver has a provider network limited to facilities outside of the Goleta/Santa Barbara area, (yet still within the 50 miles) such as Ventura, we strongly recommend students sign up for the Gaucho Access Plan (GAP).


To waive (opt-out) of UC SHIP coverage, the student must upload evidence of comparable health coverage into our secure waiver portal AND receive confirmation that their waiver was accepted. Email confirmation that the waiver was approved will be sent to the student's UCSB email account.

UC SHIP INSURANCE GRANT

Depending on your financial need, you may be eligible to have your UC SHIP premium fully or partially covered by a UC Health Insurance Grant from the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. Please note that your financial aid award will change if you waive out of UC SHIP.  

For more details

Important Notice:

A new waiver form MUST be submitted every academic year.

Note:

  • Approved waiver(s) will remain in effect for the remainder of the current academic year (unless the student withdraws or cancels their enrollment).
  • If you experience a loss of coverage and need to cancel your waiver, you must reach out to the insurance office at UCSB Student Health.
  • If you submit an Insurance Waiver Form during the late waiver period, a $50.00 fee will be charged to your BARC account. Please see the waiver dates and deadlines below.

Submit Insurance Waiver Form Online 

To check the status of your waiver, log into the Student Health "MyHealth Portal"

  • Once you RECEIVE your APPROVED WAIVER email and your waiver is fully processed and updated, you will then be credited the full UC SHIP fee to your student account. 
  • It can take up to 15 business days for your waiver credit to post to your BARC account and update your status in our system. 

UC SHIP WAIVER PERIOD:      UPCOMING FALL 2023

 

Quarter

Waiver Period (Opens)

Waiver Period (Closed)

 
Fall 2023 07/31/2023 10/02/2023   
Winter 2024 11/01/2023 01/02/2024   
Spring 2024 02/01/2024 04/01/2024   

If you miss the deadlines above, contact the Insurance Department to submit a late waiver. You will be charged $50.00 to submit an AHP waiver form during the late waiver period. We can't accept late waivers after the following dates for Academic Year 2023-2024:

  • Fall: 10/16/23
  • Winter: 01/15/24
  • Spring: 4/15/24

For Waived Students

The UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) fee is removed from your BARC account within 15 business days of your waiver being approved. If your UC SHIP Health Fee is not removed from your BARC account after 15 business days please contact the Insurance Office. Thank you for your patience!

Please Note: The Insurance Office performs routine semi-annual verification of insurance plans for students who were granted a waiver from the mandatory UCSB student health insurance program. Many insurance plans change every January, and those students who fail the verification process will be notified in a series of emails and/or text communications asking for proof of current insurance coverage. If a student does not provide their updated proof of insurance coverage for verification, they will be charged the quarterly premium for enrollment in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) on their next billing statement (BARC) and the student will be enrolled in UC SHIP.


For more information

If you would like further information to help you decide if you should waive UC SHIP or stay enrolled, please contact the UCSB Student Health Insurance Office by email at shswaivers@sa.ucsb.edu.