Lowering Your Insurance Cost As a West Virginia University International Student

If you're planning to study at West Virginia University, one requirement you’ll need to handle early is health insurance. WVU requires all international students to have qualifying coverage, either through the university plan or by submitting a waiver.

For many students, waiving the university plan is a straightforward way to reduce costs while still meeting all requirements.

WVU Health Insurance Requirement

West Virginia University automatically enrolls eligible students in its Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless a waiver is approved. To avoid being charged, you’ll need to submit proof of comparable coverage before the deadline.

You can review full details on the WVU Student Insurance page.

Students have two options:

• Stay enrolled in the WVU SHIP and pay the full annual premium
• Submit a waiver through the WVU waiver criteria page

WVU Waiver Criteria (What Your Plan Needs)

West Virginia University outlines specific requirements that alternative plans must meet in order to be approved.

Based on the official waiver criteria, your plan must include:

• Coverage provided by a U.S.-based insurance company
• Benefits for inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and mental health services
• Coverage that is accessible within the Morgantown, West Virginia area
• Continuous coverage for the entire academic term
• Medical evacuation and repatriation benefits

WVU reviews each waiver submission to ensure the plan provides comparable coverage to the university plan.

How to Waive WVU SHIP Using an ISO Plan

ISO plans are designed to meet waiver standards at schools like WVU and simplify the approval process.

You can explore plan options on the ISO website.

A key advantage for WVU students: ISO provides waiver support and a completed waiver form immediately after enrollment, which is emailed to you and ready to upload.

1. Visit the ISO enrollment page and choose your plan. Set your coverage start date based on your term.
2. Enroll online in minutes. Your ID card and waiver-ready documents are delivered instantly.
3. Log into your WVU student portal and navigate to the insurance waiver section.
4. Upload your ISO documents and submit your waiver for approval.

Once approved, the university insurance charge will be removed from your account.

WVU SHIP vs. ISO Plans: Side-by-Side

Feature	WVU SHIP	ISO Share	ISO Care	ISO Care Elite
Annual Cost (Student)	~$2,800	$969	$1,089	$1,629
Deductible	Varies	$1,250	$500	$40
Coinsurance (In-Network)	Varies	80%	80%	90%
Annual Maximum	Varies	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Medical Evacuation	Included	Included	Included	Included
Repatriation	Included	Included	Included	Included
WVU Waiver Eligible	N/A	Yes	Yes	Yes
Savings	$0	~$1,831	~$1,711	~$1,171

Access to Care in Morgantown, West Virginia

ISO plans use the Aetna PPO network, giving students access to providers in the Morgantown area, including WVU Medicine.

Students may also use services at the WVU Student Health Center, depending on their coverage.

How International Students Can Save on WVU Health Insurance

For international students balancing tuition and living expenses, health insurance is one of the largest variable costs.

ISO plans are designed specifically for international students and offer a more affordable alternative to most university-sponsored plans.

Additional benefits include:

• Fast online enrollment
• Instant waiver-ready documents
• Pre-filled waiver form emailed immediately after signup
• Multilingual customer support
• U.S.-based claims processing

Next Steps to Waive WVU Health Insurance

WVU requires all students to have compliant health insurance, but you have flexibility in how you meet that requirement.

By choosing a plan that aligns with WVU’s waiver criteria, many students are able to significantly reduce their costs while still maintaining strong coverage.

Once your waiver is approved, you can focus on settling into life in Morgantown and starting your academic journey.

Ready to Waive the WVU SHIP?

Compare plans and enroll on the ISO website. Enrollment takes just a few minutes, and your waiver documents are ready immediately after signup.