Guide to Health Insurance for Virginia Tech International Students

If you're attending Virginia Tech as an international student, health insurance isn’t just a suggestion and it’s a university-enforced requirement. All international students are automatically enrolled in the university’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless they successfully apply for a waiver with qualifying coverage from another provider.

However, if you already have a health insurance plan that meets or exceeds the university’s standards, you can submit a waiver request to opt out of SHIP. If your plan is approved, Virginia Tech will remove the insurance fee from your tuition charges. But if your waiver is denied or submitted late, you'll remain enrolled in SHIP and be responsible for paying the full premium.

What Is the Virginia Tech Health Insurance Waiver?

All F-1 and J-1 students at Virginia Tech are automatically signed up for the university-sponsored student insurance each academic year. For 2024–2025, the plan costs approximately $3,818 annually and is billed directly to your student account.

However, if you already have a health insurance plan that meets or exceeds the university’s standards, you can submit a waiver request to opt out of SHIP. If your plan is approved, Virginia Tech will remove the insurance fee from your tuition charges. But if your waiver is denied or submitted late, you'll remain enrolled in SHIP and be responsible for paying the full premium.

What Are Virginia Tech’s Waiver Criteria?

To qualify for a waiver, your outside health insurance must provide benefits such as:

• $500 deductible or less
• Access to care providers within 50 miles of Blacksburg campus
• No annual or lifetime benefits maximums
• Maternity related expenses
• Pre-existing condition coverage
• $50,000 coverage for medical evacuation
• $25,000 for repatriation

Finding a plan that meets all these requirements can be difficult, but ISO Student Health Insurance offers several plans built to match Virginia Tech’s standards and are commonly used by international students.

Step-by-Step: How to Waive the Virginia Tech Insurance Plan

Follow these steps if you’re planning to use your own insurance instead of SHIP:

Step 1: Purchase an Eligible Health Plan

Enroll in a plan that meets all of Virginia Tech’s waiver criteria. Your school requires proof of coverage so you cannot submit your waiver prior to purchasing.

Step 2: Access the Waiver Portal

Log into the online waiver system via Virginia Tech’s student health insurance webpage.

Step 3: Submit Required Documentation

Upload your insurance documents, including coverage details and policy dates.

Step 4: Wait for Approval

Your waiver will be reviewed. If accepted, the insurance fee will be removed from your account.

Virginia Tech’s Waiver Deadline for Fall 2025

The deadline to submit your waiver for Fall 2025 is August 31, 2025. To qualify, your coverage must begin no later than August 1, 2025 or the first day of the class, and last for the entire academic year.

Virginia Tech is very strict with the waiver deadline – so missing this deadline means you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Virginia Tech plan and required to pay the full amount.

Should You Stay on SHIP or Choose Private Insurance?

Here's a side-by-side overview to help compare your options:

Feature	Virginia Tech SHIP	Private Insurance (like ISO)
Qualifies for VT waiver	Yes	Yes
Doctors available in Blacksburg	Yes	Yes
Access to on-campus health services	Yes	Yes
Mental health & prescriptions	Covered	Covered
Covers pre-existing conditions	Covered	Covered
Multilingual customer service	No	Yes
Flexible plan options	No	Yes
Cost	~$3,800/year	As low as $1,084/year

Though many students enroll with the school plan, a lot of international students choose to waive out and save over $2,700/year.

Why Virginia Tech Students Choose ISO

1. Easy Waiver Approval

ISO plans are designed to meet Virginia Tech’s waiver standards. After enrollment, ISO sends you a pre-filled waiver form to streamline submission.

2. Fast and Easy Sign-Up

The enrollment process is 100% online and takes less than 5 minutes. Your insurance card and documents are sent instantly.

3. Significant Cost Savings

SHIP costs over $3,800 annually. ISO plans start as low as $89/month, helping students save over $2,700 without sacrificing benefits.

4. Student-Friendly Benefits

ISO covers office visits, emergency care, urgent care, prescriptions, labs, and mental health - with low deductibles and broad network access.

5. Large Provider Network

With ISO’s Aetna PPO network, you’ll have access to top local providers in Blacksburg, including LewisGale Hospital, Carilion Clinic, and the Schiffert Health Center.

6. Internationally Trained Support Team

ISO’s team is made up of multilingual advisors — many of whom are former international students — offering assistance via phone, email, WhatsApp, and more.

Get Covered in Minutes

ISO makes it simple to get the coverage you need — and the waiver approval you want. Learn more and enroll at: https://www.isoa.org/schools/virginia-tech