University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP)

To make sure all UC Law SF students receive the medical care they need to stay healthy and well, UC Law SF requires all enrolled students to have health insurance coverage. Students are automatically enrolled in and billed for the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) as part of your tuition fees. The annual cost is divided into two payments, one for the fall semester and one for the spring/summer semesters.

UC SHIP offers medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, mental health, and substance use disorder benefits for UC students and their eligible dependents. In addition to receiving specialty care at low student rates at UC’s five nationally ranked medical centers, UC SHIP features year-round, worldwide coverage using the Anthem PPO network, Anthem Blue View Vision plan, and Delta Dental PPO plan.

As a UC SHIP member, to access specialty care, you must obtain a referral from Carbon Health by visiting a primary care provider. If a referral is not obtained in advance, the claim will be denied.

2025-2026 UC SHIP Cost

  • UC SHIP Annual insurance premium for the academic year 2025–2026, which includes Summer 2026 is a total of $6833.78
  • UC SHIP Fall 2025 insurance premium is $2,847.40
  • UC SHIP Spring/Summer 2026 insurance premium is $3,986.38.

UC SHIP Rate for Plan Year 2025-2026

2025-2026 UC SHIP Dates of Coverage

Fall 2025 Dates

  • August 4, 2025 – LEOP students
  • August 4, 2025– LLM students
  • August 5, 2025 – MSL & CSL students
  • August 11, 2025 – 1L’s, Transfer students
  • August 18, 2025 – Return 2L’s 3L’s and MSL students
  • August 14, 2025 – Foreign Exchange
  • January 4, 2026 – End of coverage date for all students

Spring/Summer 2025 Dates

  • January 5, 2026 – New Foreign Exchange and Transfer students
  • January 5, 2026 – All returning students
  • August 16, 2026 – End of coverage date for all students

Eligibility to Enroll in UC SHIP

Qualifying Events

All registered students with a qualifying event:

  • Marriage/Divorce
  • Loss of prior coverage
  • Newborns
  • Turning 26 etc

Contact Student Health Services at 415-565-4612 for coverage enrollment assistance.

For all dependents with a qualifying event, click here to access the form. Forms must be submitted within 31 days of your qualifying event date.

Note: UC Law SF is legally required to ensure that all students are enrolled in healthcare and have no gaps in coverage. Additionally, Qualifying Life Events payments are not eligible for pro-ration amounts. The amount for the semester that the event takes place will be due in full.

Graduating students

Graduating Students who are currently enrolled in UC SHIP and graduated Spring 2025 may enroll in the Voluntary Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (Voluntary UC SHIP) for one semester after graduating. Coverage is elected by term.

For more information around next steps and pricing, please reach out to healthserviceshelp@uclawsf.edu.

Beginning Fall 2025, Voluntary Health Insurance Coverage will no longer be offered by the university. We encourage students to explore other options such as Covered California and Medi-Cal however, we do not endorse a particular plan.

Visiting Students

Visiting students participating in UC Law SF programs but enrolled at another college or university are not eligible for coverage under the UC SHIP.

Waiving UC SHIP

A student with proof of comparable health insurance may request a waiver from UC SHIP if they can demonstrate proof of comparable health insurance that meets the University of California minimum criteria. Students seeking such a waiver must initiate the request and submit all documentation (including a copy of their insurance policy and ID card) through the fully automated website of our waiver administrator, Academic Health Plans (AHP).  Current students can log on to AHP by using their UC Law SF email address and password and perform the following functions:

  • Enroll themselves or their dependents into UC SHIP.
  • Check the status of their enrollment.
  • Check the status of their waiver submission.

Students may waive for one semester or for the full academic year. Students requesting a waiver during the 2025-2026 academic year must do so during the following periods:

  • The Fall 2025 waiver period is from 6/20/25 to 8/20/25.
  • The Spring 2026 waiver period is from 12/01/25 to 01/05/26.

Fall waivers are valid for an entire academic year. Students who have successfully waived out of UC SHIP in the past must resubmit a waiver request every fall semester.

International students requesting a waiver must include information about a U.S. affiliate insurance office that will process and pay claims in U.S. dollars.

If you have successfully waived out of UC SHIP, please note the following:

  • Most insurance plans require you to visit their in-network providers, which may be located outside if the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • You are still entitled to access Carbon Health’s services; however, your Medi-Cal or private insurance plan controls your designated primary care benefits and access to specialty services, not Carbon Health.

Students who have questions or encounter a problem while requesting a waiver can contact AHP at UCSHIP@AHPservice.com or their customer service line at 1-855-428-0726. Students can also contact Student Health Services at healthserviceshelp@uclawsf.edu.