SFU Graduate Student Handbook

Primary and Secondary Insurance

SFU requires all students to have medical insurance for the entire duration of their studies. Health services in Canada can be very expensive if you do not have complete medical insurance coverage.

Primary Insurance

Initial Medical Insurance for International Graduate Students

If you are a new international student enrolled in a graduate program at SFU, you will be automatically enrolled in a mandatory 4 month primary medical insurance plan for your first term through guard.me@SFU. Great Northern Way Campus students are also covered by the plan. Please see Medical Insurance for the most up-to-date details on medical coverage.

BC Medical Services Plan

All students staying in BC for six months or longer are required to enrol in the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) with the exception of students from other Canadian provinces, who may be able to remain on their home provincial plan.

New international graduate students are covered by the guard.me@SFU plan initially (see above), and are expected to apply for the BC MSP (MSP health fee: $75/month) when they arrive in British Columbia. Once you have valid MSP coverage, you may optout of Guard.me.

Note: If you hold a study permit and you will be a sessional instructor, TA or tutor marker, you may be eligible to enroll in a group plan through SFU to have your MSP benefits covered for you while you are employed in that position with SFU.

Secondary Insurance

SFU Graduate Student Society's Benefit Plan

If you enrol in a graduate program at SFU in September or January, you will be automatically enrolled in the SFU Graduate Student Society’s Benefit plan. The fees will be assessed on your student account.

If you begin your academic year in May, you will not be automatically covered but you will have the option to enroll yourself during the opt-in period.

The plan gives you the option to enroll your family (spouse and/or dependants) by completing an enrollment process and by paying an additional fee, over and above your individual fee as a plan member. For further information:

• Graduate Student Society
• Graduate GSS Benefit Plan