Since September 1989, Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c.15A, § 18) has required every on-the-ground full-time and part-time student enrolled in a certificate, diploma, or degree-granting program in a Massachusetts institution of higher learning to participate in a student health plan or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage. Because the Northeastern main campus is located in Massachusetts, all satellite campuses are subject to this law. Students enrolled in fully remote programs are not subject to this mandate and are therefore not eligible for NUSHP. The Massachusetts law can be reviewed here.
Northeastern has chosen to provide students with the option to waive the health plan if they already have comparable coverage.
What does that mean?
The health fee is assessed each term on a student’s account based on the eligibility definitions unless the student has previously waived the health plan fee in the current academic year. Regardless of when a student gets enrolled in NUSHP, the end date of their insurance is August 31.
Who is eligible?
Students who have full-time student status and are enrolled in any number of credits of a full-time curriculum. All undergraduate students are considered full-time students and will always be enrolled.
Students who have part-time student status and are enrolled in at least 75 percent of the credits of the full-time curriculum. The minimum credits needed to determine eligibility are:
- CPS undergraduate students: 9 credits
- CPS graduate students: 6 credits
- Graduate students: 6 credits
Undergraduate students on co-op or studying abroad, CPS graduate students on co-op, and graduate students on co-op are considered active students and will be enrolled in and billed for NUSHP each year.
Students enrolled in online programs or taking fully online courses are not eligible for NUSHP. Hybrid classes are considered on-the-ground classes, even if the student does not plan to attend in person.
Students in Global Scholars and NU.in are not eligible until they are fully matriculated.
Participants in NUImmerse are automatically enrolled in NUSHP, but due to timing students may need to send in a Petition to Enroll form.
Exchange students are eligible upon request by completing a Petition to Enroll form.
International students are eligible depending on the eligibility requirements listed above. If an international student is not eligible, they will not be enrolled. Being an international student does not change eligibility.