Use the links below to quickly access the UHIP information available on this page.

UHIP is a mandatory health insurance plan for international and exchange students, as well as their eligible dependants (spouse and children). You must have UHIP coverage if you’re not already covered by a Canadian provincial or territorial health plan, or by another insurance plan officially approved for an exemption from UHIP. 

UHIP, administered by the Cowan Insurance Group, helps ensure you can access essential medical services in Canada, including doctor appointments, hospital and emergency care, surgeries and diagnostic tests. 

Your UHIP contact at uOttawa is InfoService. To find out when to contact Cowan and when to contact InfoService, see the Who to contact about your UHIP coverage section.

Learn more about UHIP

Eligibility

UHIP typically covers international and exchange students, including non-degree students enrolled in language courses at the Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) at uOttawa and short-term visitors.

Note: Although UHIP is a health insurance plan for students studying in Ontario, regular UHIP coverage includes the Gatineau region. If you live in Gatineau while studying at uOttawa, you and your dependants are eligible for UHIP coverage.

See the full, up to date UHIP eligibility criteria.

UHIP coverage dates

UHIP coverage follows the University of Ottawa academic year (September 1 to August 31). UHIP coverage and fees will be added to your student account for the full year, two terms, or one term, depending on when you enrol in your courses or register for your thesis.

• Fall term: September 1 to December 31
• Winter term: January 1 to April 30
• Spring–Summer term: May 1 to August 31

UHIP fees

Your yearly UHIP fees are based on the term in which you enrol in courses or for your thesis. 

If UHIP fees do not appear on your statement of account by the time you start your studies, email the UHIP team at InfoService  ([email protected]) to have them added.

You can pay the fees using any of the accepted methods of payment at the University of Ottawa.

Note: Your UHIP coverage begins as soon as you become eligible, even if you haven’t yet paid your UHIP fees.

2026-2027 UHIP premiums

Rates for September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027

Note: These prices are in Canadian dollars and include 8% tax.

UHIP fee refunds

You might be eligible for a refund if:

• You withdraw from uOttawa.
• You finish your academic program early and return to your home country.
• You’re covered by a provincial or territorial health insurance plan, such as the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

If you plan to submit a refund request, please note:

• Refunds are only available for complete calendar months beginning the first day of the month after you submit your refund request.
• Refunds are not available for scheduled breaks between terms.
• The deadline to request a refund is February 28, unless your request is because you have new provincial or territorial health plan coverage.

If you are starting your program in September, your UHIP provider, Cowan Group, will send you an email to your uOttawa email account, in mid-August or early September, with instructions on how to register for their portal and then access your UHIP card.

If you are starting your program in January, you should receive the email from Cowan Group mid-December or early January.

As part of the registration process for the Cowan portal, when you are asked for your “certificate or student number,”  add “UO” at the beginning of your student number. Alternatively, you can enter your UHIP certificate number.

When you receive your UHIP card, download or print it and keep it with you at all times. This makes it easy to present your information if you require medical attention.

Preferred Provider Networks are clinics that bill Cowan directly, so you don’t need to pay upfront. Cowan Insurance Group offers a list of health-care providers in its Preferred Provider Network who will accept your insurance coverage as payment. This means they will bill the insurance provider directly. This network includes the uOttawa Student Health and Wellness Centre, which serves students but not their dependants.

The Preferred Provider Network also features providers in the Gatineau (Quebec) area.

Note:  Although Appletree medical clinics bill Cowan directly,  they charge a separate administrative fee (currently $20) to anyone without OHIP coverage. This fee is not reimbursed by Cowan.

Learn more about finding health-care services

While UHIP covers many essential medical services, it does not include everything. Your supplemental health and dental insurance offers additional coverage that UHIP does not. This includes services such as:

• prescription medication 
• dental care 
• optometry (eye exams, glasses, contact lenses)
• paramedical services (physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic care etc.)
• mental health services, beyond what UHIP covers

Supplemental health and dental insurance is different from UHIP.

At uOttawa, this additional insurance is managed by your student union:

Note for exchange students: Health and dental insurance is not mandatory for incoming exchange students. You can choose to opt in by contacting your student union.

For more information, contact your student union directly.

Review the differences between UHIP and supplemental health and dental insurance.

Depending on your situation, you might need assistance either from Cowan Insurance Group (the UHIP insurance provider) or from the uOttawa UHIP team (who manages your enrolment and personal information).