York University health insurance: what UHIP and the YFS plan cover, and when you need a physician’s statement

The short version. International students at York University are automatically enrolled in the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), which costs $948 CAD for the 2026–27 policy year. On top of that you pay into an extended plan run by your student union — and at York there are three different ones, depending on whether you are an undergraduate, a graduate student, or a graduate student who works as a teaching assistant. For undergraduates the plan is the YFS Health & Dental Plan, and the 2026–27 fee is $349.36 for full-time students but $693.24 for part-time students — part-timers pay nearly double.

Deferred standing and the Attending Physician’s Statement

York’s mechanism for a missed final exam or a late assignment is deferred standing. It is a formal arrangement with your course director, not an automatic entitlement, and York is clear that it requires supporting documentation where applicable.

The deadline is the part students miss most often. You must submit the form no later than one week after the missed examination or the last day of classes. Miss that, and your route narrows to an academic petition, which York warns “may not be successful.”

The five steps, as York sets them out

1. Download and complete the Final Exam/Assignment Deferred Standing Agreement.
2. Gather supporting documentation. Health issues will require an Attending Physician’s Statement.
3. Contact your instructor to review the form and approve the deferred standing. If the instructor does not approve it, you may submit an academic petition instead — though petitions may not succeed.
4. Submit the signed, approved form to the academic department that offers the course. Keep a copy for yourself.
5. Complete the work or write the exam on the agreed timeline.

Two things are worth understanding before you pay for documentation. First, procedures vary by department, and York says most instructors publish theirs in the course outline. Read that first — it may tell you exactly what is and is not needed. Second, deferred standing is agreed with the course director, so a conversation often comes before any paperwork.

Three extended plans — which one is yours

In Canada your total health coverage is made of two layers: a basic plan and an extended (or supplementary) plan. For an international student at York, UHIP is the basic layer. The extended layer is run by your student union — and York is unusual in having three, split in a way that catches people out.

Source: York International, verified August 2026.

That third row is the one to check carefully. If you are a graduate student who teaches, your health benefits come from a labour union rather than a students’ association, and the claims process, the plan year and the contact people are all different. Sending a claim to YUGSA when you are covered by CUPE 3903 is a common and avoidable delay.

All three extended plans exist to cover what UHIP does not: prescription medications, dental and vision care, vaccines and paramedical services.

What it costs in 2026–27

UHIP is a not-for-profit plan created by Ontario’s universities, underwritten by Manulife and administered by Cowan Insurance Group. York publishes the current rate on its own UHIP page.

Sources: York International (UHIP) and York Federation of Students (YFS fees), both for 2026–27, verified 25 August 2026. UHIP is $79 per month per person. YFS fees are one-time charges for the benefit year, not monthly rates. Graduate students pay YUGSA or CUPE 3903 rates instead.

Where the UHIP fee comes from and who to ask

The premium is charged to your student account. York International handles enrolment, refunds, premium questions, coverage letters and adding dependants. Cowan handles coverage questions, claims and your coverage card.

Opting out, the blackout, and the credit-count trap

Three things about the YFS plan cost students money every year.

1. UHIP does not let you opt out

YFS states it directly: to opt out you need alternate health and dental insurance comparable to what YFS offers, and “OHIP and UHIP are not considered alternative coverage.” If UHIP is your only other plan, an opt-out request will be denied. International students at York generally pay both.

Source: York Federation of Students, verified 25 August 2026. The same windows apply to opting in.

2. The blackout period

YFS operates a blackout period covering roughly the first month and a half of the plan, during which you cannot access benefits. Services you receive during it are not lost — you can submit them for reimbursement once the blackout ends, which happens shortly after York confirms your enrolment. But if you arrive in September expecting to fill a prescription on the plan immediately, budget for paying up front and claiming later.

3. You might not be enrolled at all

This is the trap that catches part-time and late-registering students. YFS notes that students enrolled in fewer than 15 credits, or who enrol late, may not be automatically charged for the plan — and if you are not charged, you are not covered. If you want the coverage and see no charge on your student account statement, you must complete the opt-in form before the same deadline above.

Dependants can be added — spouse, common-law partner, and children who are biological or adopted, under 24 and in full-time education — for an additional fee, with documentation required the first time. Note that all dependants become inactive each 1 September, so this is an annual re-enrolment, not a set-and-forget.

Student health across three campuses

York’s Student Counselling, Health & Well-being (SCHW) service operates on Keele, Glendon and Markham.

Hours, as published by York: Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the period 16 May to 30 August. York also notes that from 4 May to 7 September the Keele office closes daily between noon and 1:00 p.m. Hours change between term and summer, so confirm before travelling to campus.

After hours near each campus

SCHW is closed at weekends and from mid-afternoon on Fridays. York publishes its own list of nearby 24-hour hospital emergency departments, one per campus:

Source: York University Student Counselling, Health & Well-being, verified 25 August 2026. The Sunnybrook address and number were confirmed against Sunnybrook’s own website. The Wilson Avenue address and number for Humber River were confirmed against the hospital’s own website, which lists a different postal code from York’s page and indicates the hospital has been operating under a revised name — check the hospital’s own site before travelling.

Free options available around the clock:

• Health811 — call 811 for free registered-nurse advice, 24 hours a day
• GuardMe Student Support Program — 1-844-451-9700, free for York international and exchange students
• Good2Talk — 1-866-925-5454, free counselling for post-secondary students in Ontario, 24/7
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline — call or text 988, 24/7

Claiming your money back

Whether you pay up front depends on whether the clinic is in Cowan’s Preferred Provider Network. Inside it, the clinic bills Cowan directly at UHIP rates. Outside it, you pay and claim back — and providers outside the network may charge more than UHIP pays, with the difference falling to you. York publishes a “Closest UHIP Preferred Providers to Campus” tool on its UHIP page, which is worth using before you book.

Points that save York students time:

• Know which insurer you are claiming from. Doctor and hospital visits and lab work go to Cowan under UHIP. Prescriptions, dental, vision and paramedical go to YFS, YUGSA or CUPE 3903. Sending a claim to the wrong one is the most common cause of delay.
• Keep itemised receipts. A card terminal slip is not enough; the claim needs the service detail.
• Opt-out refunds take two to three weeks. YFS notes that a confirmation code does not guarantee a refund — it only confirms your application was submitted for review. If nothing arrives after three weeks, your application was probably declined, and it is your responsibility to sort it out before the deadline.
• A doctor’s note will not be reimbursed by anyone. York says so itself. Keep the receipt for your records, not for a claim.

Frequently asked questions

Does UHIP cover a doctor’s note at York University?

No. York states on its own UHIP page that some coverage exceptions apply and that allergy tests and doctor’s notes are out-of-pocket costs. UHIP covers doctor and hospital visits and laboratory and diagnostic testing. Documentation is an uninsured service in Ontario, so the YFS, YUGSA and CUPE 3903 extended plans do not cover it either.

How much is UHIP at York for 2026–27?

$948 CAD for the policy year from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, which York describes as $79 per month per person. It is charged to your student account. York International handles enrolment, refunds and premium questions at [email protected].

Why do part-time students pay more for the YFS plan?

The 2026–27 YFS fee is $349.36 for a full-time undergraduate taking 15 credits or more across fall and winter, or 9 credits or more in the winter term alone, and $693.24 for a part-time undergraduate taking 14 credits or fewer. Both are one-time charges for the benefit year rather than monthly rates. Because the threshold is set by credit count, dropping below it can increase what you pay for the same coverage.

Can I opt out of the YFS Health and Dental Plan if I have UHIP?

No. YFS states that OHIP and UHIP are not considered alternative coverage. Opting out requires comparable alternate health and dental insurance, otherwise the request is denied. The Fall 2026 window runs from 1 September to 16 October 2026, and the Winter 2027 window, for students who begin in winter, runs from 1 January to 5 February 2027. There is no summer opt-out period.

Which York student union runs my health plan?

Undergraduates, including Juris Doctor students, are covered by the York Federation of Students. Graduate students who are not teaching assistants are covered by the York University Graduate Students’ Association. Graduate students who are teaching assistants are covered by CUPE Local 3903, because that coverage comes through their employment rather than their student status.

When does York require an Attending Physician’s Statement?

When you apply for deferred standing on a final exam or assignment for health reasons. York’s process is to complete the Final Exam/Assignment Deferred Standing Agreement, gather supporting documentation — health issues will require an Attending Physician’s Statement — get your instructor’s approval, and submit the signed form to the academic department offering the course. The deadline is no later than one week after the missed examination or the last day of classes. Procedures vary by department and are usually set out in the course outline.

Where can I get care near York after hours?

Student Counselling, Health & Well-being is closed at weekends. York publishes a list of nearby 24-hour emergency departments: Humber River Hospital at 1235 Wilson Avenue for Keele, Sunnybrook Hospital at 2075 Bayview Avenue for Glendon, and Markham Stouffville Hospital at 381 Church Street for Markham. An emergency department is for emergencies, not documentation. Health811 gives free nurse advice on 811 around the clock, and York international students have the GuardMe Student Support Program on 1-844-451-9700. A telemedicine consultation is generally the fastest route outside clinic hours.

All figures, policy thresholds, addresses and hours on this page were verified on 25 August 2026 against the sources listed below. UHIP premiums reset each 1 September, student union plan fees and deadlines change between years, and university policies are revised — verify before relying on any detail here. General information only, not insurance, academic or medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.