Understanding your Insurance Benefits

To understand your unique insurance benefits at Penn State, you must first identify yourself as one of the following:

Undergraduate Student

Undergraduate students can purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) for Penn State.  Medical benefits are the same for all students.

International Sponsored Student

Verify if your insurance will be paid for by your Sponsor or if your Sponsor is purchasing the SHIP for Penn State for you.

Graduate Assistant

This is most commonly referred to as a teaching and research assistantship.  A graduate assistant will receive a monthly stipend, tuition remission, and a subsidy for medical insurance.

Graduate Fellow

A graduate fellow is a graduate student who has received a fellowship award for which they receive a monthly stipend check from Penn State, and for whom a tuition grant-in-aid is provided.

Graduate Trainee

Training grants are from agencies outside the University and are intended to support specific student learning experiences in core curricular area and research methods.  Training grants provide funding for a stipend, tuition grant-in-aid, and often include a subsidy for medical insurance.

Graduate Student without assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship

Graduate students without an assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship can also purchase the SHIP for Penn State.  Medical benefits are the same for all students. 

International Student-Athlete

Verify with Athletics if the SHIP for Penn State will be paid for by Athletics for you.