Catholic University International Student Health Insurance Waiver Guide 2026-2027

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student heading to the Catholic University this fall, you have already been auto-enrolled in the Catholic University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) at a cost of $3,244/$5,120 dollars for the year. That is a lot of money. The good news is you do not have to pay it. You can waive the school plan and choose a VISIT® Insurance alternative that meets all of Catholic University's requirements and save as much as $2,218 dollars. Your waiver deadline is September 18, 2026. Here is what you need to know.

How Much Can You Save at Catholic University?

The Catholic University SHIP plan charges every undergraduate student the same rate: $3,244/$5,120 per year, regardless of your age or health needs. That is how school plans work — one price for everybody.

We do things differently. VISIT® plans use age-based pricing, which means younger students pay less. If you are between 17 and 24, your annual cost with VISIT® starts at $1,025 — a savings of as much as $2,218 compared to the Catholic University plan.

A lot of students just figure, well, the university plan is there, so we will just take it. But that is not necessarily cost effective. If you take five minutes to look at your options, you could put over three thousand dollars back in your pocket — with the same level of coverage.

Compare plans for Catholic University and see your savings →

Catholic University Waiver Requirements

Before you choose a plan, you need to know what Catholic University requires for your waiver to be approved. The school will check that your alternative plan meets these specific standards:

What Catholic University Requires:

• Provide coverage through the Academic Year

• Provide both emergency and non-emergency health care

• Cover ambulance transport within a 50 mile radius of The Catholic University of America - Washington,  DC campus

• Provide inpatient and outpatient mental health benefits

• Provide inpatient and outpatient medical care

• Be provided by a company licensed to do business in the US with (a) U.S. claims office, (b) a U.S. phone number. (c) plan literature available in English, and (d) benefits provided in accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) 

All VISIT® plans listed for Catholic University are designed to meet these requirements.

How to Submit Your Waiver — Step by Step

Step 1: Visit  www.visitinsurance.com/catholic-university and choose your plan. Enrollment takes about 3 minutes.

Step 2: As soon as you enroll, you will receive your digital insurance ID card and your Certification Form instantly.

Step 3: Log into the school's waiver portal https://international.catholic.edu/students/current/medical-requirements/insurance-waiver.html and upload your documents.

Step 4: Wait for the school to review and approve your waiver.

That is it. Four steps, and the hardest part — finding a plan that actually meets Catholic University's requirements — is already done for you.

If you have questions about your waiver at any point, email us at info@visitinsurance.com. We help students with this every single day. We have been doing this for almost 50 years.

Plan Comparison: Catholic University SHIP vs. VISIT® Plans

Here is how the Catholic University school plan compares to three of our most popular options for Catholic University students. All three meet UC Catholic University's waiver requirements.

		SAVE up to $ 2,218	SAVE up to $ 1,825	SAVE up to $ 1,248
COVERAGE	Catholic University SHIP	ROYAL 500	ROYAL 100	ROYAL PLUS
Price	FALL 2026	FALL 2026	FALL 2026	FALL 2026
Age 17-24	Basic: $3,244 Premium: $5,120	$1,025.65	$1,419	$1,996
Age 25-29	Basic: $3,244 Premium: $5,120	$1,496.50	$1,923	$2,861
Age 30-35	Basic: $3,244 Premium: $5,120	$2,507.56	$3,376	$7,270
Medical Maximum	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Deductible	$7,000	$500	$100	$0
Coinsurance	80%	80%	80%	100%
Student Health Copay	$0	$0	$0	$0
Urgent Care Copay	80% coinsurance, deductible applies	$50	$50	$50
ER Deductible	80% coinsurance, deductible applies	20% of Allowable Charges $300 Copayment (waived if admitted)	20% of Allowable Charges $250 Copayment (waived if	100% of Allowable Charges $300 Copayment (waived if admitted)
Prescription copay	$500 deductible/20% coinsurance	$10/$20/$40	$10/$20/$40	$10/$20/$40
Maximum Out-of-Pocket	$8,700	$8,000	$6,000	$6,000
Pre-existing conditions	No waiting period	No waiting period	No waiting period	No waiting period
Mental Health	80% coinsurance, deductible applies	80%Outpatient: $30 copay	80% Outpatient: $30 copay	100% Outpatient: $25 copay
Preventive Care	100% In-Network	100% In-Network	100% In-Network	100% In-Network
Maternity	80% coinsurance, deductible applies	Deductible + 80% Coinsurance	Deductible + 80% Coinsurance	Deductible + 100% Coinsurance
Repatriation		$25,000	$25,000	$25,000
Medical Evacuation		$100,000	$100,000	$100,000
PPO Network	Aetna	UHC	UHC	UHC
Review Coverage		ROYAL 500	ROYAL 100	ROYAL Plus
ENROLL		Enroll-ROYAL 500	Enroll-ROYAL 100	Enroll-ROYAL PLUS

Enroll in a VISIT® plan for Catholic University now → — lock in your rate before September 18, 2026.

Be sure your coverage dates are August 14, 2026 – August 13, 2027

Why Students Choose VISIT® Insurance

We are not the school plan — and here is why that matters:

•        Almost 50 years of experience (since 1979)

•        Super broker with multiple plans from multiple carriers

•        Age-based pricing (younger students pay less)

•        Money-back guarantee (full refund if waiver is denied within 14 days)

•        3-minute enrollment with instant documents

We are not just trying to sell you whatever the most expensive plan is or whatever the cheapest plan is. We are trying to take the time to match the need and the budget at the same time. That is what makes us different.

Do Not Miss the September 18 Deadline

The waiver portal is open now. You can enroll in a VISIT® plan and submit your waiver documents today. It takes less than 10 minutes total — 3 minutes to enroll, and a few minutes to upload your documents to the school portal.

Do not wait until September 17. Do it now while you are thinking about it.

Enroll now at  www.visitinsurance.com/catholic-university University → Get your waiver documents instantly.

Questions? We Are Here.

Email: info@visitinsurance.com Phone: 703-660-9062

We want you to feel relieved that you have the right insurance — not wondering if maybe you got the wrong thing. That is why we take the time to match every student with the right plan. Not just the cheapest one. The right one.

Money-Back Guarantee

If the school denies your waiver, you may request a full refund within 14 days of the denial date, provided the plan has not been used. Email your denial notice to info@visitinsurance.com and we will process your refund. No risk, no hassle.

VISIT® Insurance has been helping international students find the right health insurance since 1979. We are a licensed insurance broker based in Mount Vernon, Virginia, and we serve students at over 700 universities across the United States.

Disclaimer: Benefits and premiums are subject to change. Please review policy documents for complete coverage details and the school's current waiver requirements.