Health Insurance in Canada for International Students from Nepal

How Does Health Insurance for Students in Canada Work?

Your cover depends on your province and your college, because Canada has no single national health plan for international students.

Health Canada explains that eligible residents of a province or territory apply for public health insurance. Each province sets its own rules. So a student in British Columbia and a student in Ontario can have very different plans, even with the same study permit. This is part of your planning when you study in Canada from Nepal.

In practice, you will have one of 3 types of cover:

• A provincial plan: some provinces let eligible students join the public plan.
• A college or university plan: many schools add a plan to your fees, and it may be compulsory.
• Private insurance: you may need it to cover the days before your main plan starts.

Your study permit is not a health card. Without cover, you could have to pay the full cost of a hospital visit, so ask about this as soon as you have your offer.

Which Provinces Cover International Students?

British Columbia and Alberta may cover eligible students, while Ontario and Manitoba students usually rely on a school or private plan.

Rules can change, so confirm with your school’s international office and the provincial plan before you travel from Nepal.

What Is the Health Insurance Cost in Canada for International Students?

The cost depends on your province and school, and one official example is about CAD 1,320 a year in Manitoba.

The University of Manitoba lists CAD 1,320 a year for the provincial student plan, plus CAD 386.50 for the student union’s health and dental plan for undergraduates. Together that is about Rs 1.8 lakh a year. You can check today’s rate with our CAD to Rs forex converter.

No single official figure covers all of Canada. Many colleges add the cost to your fee bill, so read your statement line by line. Include health insurance when you work out your cost to study in Canada, and in your monthly plan from our cost of living in Canada guide.

What Does Student Health Insurance Cover?

Most main plans cover medically needed doctor visits, emergency care and hospital treatment, but dental, eye care and medicines are often limited.

For example, UHIP’s own page says it does not cover medical exams for immigration, so the medical examination for a Canada visa in Nepal is a separate cost. If you take regular medicine, bring your prescription and a letter from your doctor in Nepal. Ask your plan whether that medicine is covered in Canada.

Your campus may also offer free counselling. Moving far from home is hard, so please use it if you need it.

When Should Nepali Students Arrange Their Health Insurance?

Ask your school about it after you get your Letter of Acceptance, and make sure you are covered from the day you land.

Follow these 3 steps:

1. After your Letter of Acceptance: ask the international office for the plan’s name, cost, start and end dates, and any rules on opting out.
2. Before you book your flight: compare your arrival date with your plan’s start date, so you can see any gap.
3. After you arrive: apply for your provincial health card straight away if your province has one. Don’t assume your school will do it for you.

Keep copies of your passport, study permit, enrolment letter, insurance card and policy number. These also help when you prepare your Canada student visa requirements papers and when you first arrive.

Do You Need Temporary Insurance When You First Arrive?

You may, if you arrive before your plan starts or your province has a wait period.

UHIP gives a clear example. Its cover starts on your arrival date or the 10th of the month before your studies begin, whichever is later. So if you land on 5 August for a 1 September start, you must buy private insurance from 5 to 9 August.

British Columbia students may face a longer gap because of the wait period. Ask your school which short-term plan other students use. Search for “international health insurance” only after that, since a plan you find yourself may not meet your school’s rules. Read what it covers, and check that it starts on your travel date.

Can You Opt Out of Your College’s Health Plan?

Sometimes, but many schools only let you opt out of an extended plan when you can show similar cover.

Plans for basic care, such as Lambton’s, may be mandatory. Extended plans from a student union may allow opt-outs by a set date in the first weeks of term. Few Nepali students will have other cover that meets the rules, since private plans from Nepal rarely match. Check before you try to opt out, because a missed deadline can leave you paying for two plans.

When you compare colleges in Canada and universities in Canada, ask each one about this. If you are looking at more than one country, our guide to health insurance for study abroad compares the general picture.

What Should You Do When You Get Sick in Canada?

For everyday illness, go to your campus clinic or a walk-in clinic, and in an emergency, call 911 or go to a hospital.

• Everyday illness: your campus health centre or a walk-in clinic is usually the first stop.
• Emergencies: call 911 or go to the emergency room, and show your insurance card.
• Paying and claims: some providers bill your plan directly. Others ask you to pay first and claim later, so keep every receipt.

Learn how claims work before you get sick, and keep your policy number on your phone. Our guide to life as a Nepali student in Canada covers other first-week tasks. If a health bill worries you, a shift or two from our list of part-time jobs in Canada can help, but it won’t cover a large bill. That is why insurance matters.

Our counselors at our 5 branches in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara can help you plan this before you leave Nepal. To start, book a counselling session.