Health Services

Yale Health operates a multispecialty group practice on campus through its state-of-the-art medical center, Yale Health Center, located at 55 Lock Street. Yale Health Center offers a wide variety of on-site health care services including primary care, specialty care, acute care, mental health and counseling, radiology, blood draw, pharmacy, eye care, infusion and medication administration center, and a seventeen-bed inpatient care unit. Nearly all care is provided by Yale Health staff; when a student’s condition requires more specialized care or hospitalization, they may be referred to an extensive network of specialists drawn largely from Yale Medicine and Yale New Haven Hospital. With Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage, emergency care is covered anywhere in the world. Yale Health’s services are detailed in A Student’s Guide to Yale Health, available through the Yale Health Member Services Department, 203.432.0246, or online at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/resource/student-guide-yale-health. Students also have a dedicated student health care navigator available to support all students in navigating their health insurance and health care; they can be reached at yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu.

Eligibility for Services

The university provides eligible degree-candidate students enrolled at least half-time with primary care services at the Yale Health Center through Yale Health Basic Student Health Services. These services are free and automatically provided; no enrollment or forms are required. For new students and newly eligible students, basic services are available on the date the student is required to be on campus for orientation and continue through July 31, providing they remain eligible. Basic Student Health Services includes visits to student health and varsity athletic medicine, gynecology, acute care, mental health and counseling, blood draw, nutrition, and inpatient care. For returning students, access to Basic Student Health Services begins August 1 and ends July 31, providing they remain eligible. Please note that this is not an insurance plan. For full details, see Yale Health Basic Student Health Services at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/topic/health-care-overview-students-yale-health.

Students on leave of absence, on extended study and paying less than half tuition, or enrolled per course per credit, and students enrolled in the Executive M.P.H. (EMPH) program (see below), are not eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services but may enroll in Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage. Students enrolled in the Division of Special Registration as nondegree special students or visiting scholars are not eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services but may enroll in the Yale Health Billed Associates Plan and pay a monthly fee. Associates must register for at least one term within the first thirty days of affiliation with the university.

Students not eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services may also use the services on a fee-for-service basis. Students who wish to be seen on a fee-for-service basis must register with the Member Services Department. Enrollment applications for the Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage, Billed Associates Plan, or Fee-for-Service Program are available from the Member Services Department.

Students eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services are required by the university to maintain active health insurance.  Most students meet this requirement for hospitalization and insurance coverage by subscribing to Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage, which provides coverage for primary care, specialty care, hospitalization, emergency care, prescription medications, and more. If you are an eligible degree-candidate student enrolled half-time or more, you are automatically enrolled in and billed for this coverage each year. Full-year coverage dates are identical to those for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services. However, Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage may also be purchased for either the fall term only or spring term only. All students who remained enrolled in and do not waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage (https://yalehealth.yale.edu/student-coverage) can use specialty and ancillary services at Yale Health Center. With prior authorization, Yale Health will cover the cost of specialty and ancillary services for these students, minus any applicable copayments. Students with an alternate insurance plan who waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage should seek specialty services, including diagnostic imaging and prescriptions, from a non-Yale Health provider who accepts their alternate insurance.

Health Coverage Enrollment

A student’s status as an eligible Yale University undergraduate, graduate, or professional student automatically makes them eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services. If they are eligible for Yale Health Basic Student Health Services, the university requires them to obtain adequate insurance coverage as defined by the waiver requirements listed below. A student may purchase adequate coverage through Yale Health or through another insurer. Students may remain enrolled in Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage or waive the plan if they have other adequate coverage, such as through a spouse or parent. The waiver must be renewed annually, and the student must confirm receipt of the waiver by the university’s deadlines noted below.

Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage

For a detailed explanation of this comprehensive insurance plan, which includes coverage for prescriptions, see A Student’s Guide to Yale Health, available at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/resource/student-guide-yale-health.

Students are automatically enrolled and charged a fee each term on their Student Financial Services bill for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Continuing students who remain eligible during the plan year and are enrolled during both the fall and spring terms are billed each term and are covered from August 1 through July 31. For students entering Yale for the first time, readmitted students, and students returning from a leave of absence who have not been covered during their leave, Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage begins on the day the dormitories officially open or when orientation requires students to be on campus. A continuing student who is enrolled for the fall term only is covered for services from August 1 through January 31; a continuing student enrolled for the spring term only is covered for services from February 1 through July 31.

Waiving Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage Students can waive Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage by completing an online waiver form that demonstrates proof of adequate alternate coverage. Students are responsible for reporting any changes in alternate insurance coverage to the Member Services Department within thirty days. Students are encouraged to review their present coverage and compare its benefits to those available under Yale Health, including deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. The waiver form must be filed annually and received by September 15 for the full year or fall term or by January 31 for the spring term only. To be eligible for a waiver, an alternate plan must meet specific requirements. For information on waiving coverage, please visit https://yalehealth.yale.edu/topic/waiving-yale-health-hospitalization-specialty-care-coverage.

Yale Health Student Dependent Plans

A student may enroll the student’s lawfully married spouse or civil union partner and/or legally dependent child(ren) under the age of twenty-six, or over the age of twenty-six if legally disabled, in Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Enrolled dependents are covered as outlined in the Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage section. Coverage is not automatic, and enrollment is by application. Applications are available from the Member Services Department or can be found at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms-and-guidelines and must be renewed annually. Applications must be received by September 15 for full-year or fall-term coverage, or by January 31 for spring-term coverage only.

Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage

Students on leave of absence, on extended study, or enrolled per course per credit; students paying less than half tuition; students enrolled in the EMBA or Broad Center M.M.S. programs; students enrolled in the M.S.N. Nursing Online program; and students enrolled in the EMPH program may enroll in Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage, which includes services described in Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Students should use the Student Affiliate & Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage form available from the Member Services Department or at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms-and-guidelines. It must be received by September 15 for full-year or fall-term coverage, or by January 31 for spring-term coverage only. Students on a leave of absence must enroll by these deadlines or within thirty days of notifying the registrar of their leave of absence.

Eligibility Changes

Withdrawal Withdrawing from the university directly impacts a student’s Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. The timing of the student’s withdrawal can affect whether they receive a refund for their health coverage or are billed for health services they used. Note: Tuition and Yale Health coverage fees are billed separately and considered separately in the withdrawal policies. Students should contact Yale Health Member Services (203.432.0246; member.services@yale.edu).

For students who withdraw on or before the fifteenth day of classes: 

  • They will receive a full refund for the Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage fee if they did not waive coverage; if they waived coverage, they would not get a refund since they were not billed for coverage.
  • Their Yale Health membership will end retroactively to the start of the insurance term (fall or spring) in which they have withdrawn, as if they were never covered by Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage or had access to Basic Student Health Services.
  • They will not be eligible for any Yale Health coverage and will be unable to access services moving forward.
  • If they have already used health services, those services will be billed directly to the student by Yale Health.
  • They cannot enroll in Student Affiliate Coverage to extend their insurance.

For students who withdraw more than fifteen days after the first day of classes:

  • They will still have access to Yale Health services for thirty days after their withdrawal date.
  • During those thirty days, the student will have access to the same services they had before withdrawing.
  • If they waived coverage, then they will still have access to Yale Health Basic Student Health Services for thirty days.
  • If they do not waive coverage, they will remain insured by Yale Health with Hospitalization & Specialty Care with prescription benefits. 
  • However, fees for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage won’t be refunded nor prorated. Students are responsible for the semester charge on their student account, even if their tuition has been refunded. 
  • They cannot enroll in Student Affiliate Coverage to extend their insurance.

If a student is unsure about their options or how these policies apply to their situation, contact Yale Health Member Services (member.services@yale.edu) or the student health care navigator (yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu).

Leaves of Absence Taking a leave of absence (LOA) from the university directly impacts a student’s Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. The timing of a student’s LOA can determine whether they receive a refund for their health coverage received or are billed for health services they used. Students granted a leave of absence (non-medical or medical) can purchase Student Affiliate Coverage. Note: Tuition and Yale Health coverage fees are billed separately and considered separately in the LOA policies. Students should contact Yale Health Member Services (203.432.0246; member.services@yale.edu) or student heath care navigator (yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu) for guidance or questions about their specific situation.

If the registrar is notified of a student’s LOA on or before the first day of classes:

  • The student’s Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage will end retroactively to the start of the insurance term (fall or spring) in which they have taken a LOA, as if they were never covered by Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage or had access to Basic Student Health Services.
  • The student will get a full refund for the Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage fee if they did not waive coverage; if they waived coverage, they would not get a refund.
  • The student may be eligible for Student Affiliate Coverage. The deadline to enroll is September 15 for the fall or January 31 for the spring, or thirty days after the registrar is notified, whichever is later.
  • If the student waived coverage and does not enroll in Student Affiliate Coverage, they will not be eligible for any Yale Health services and coverage moving forward, and if they have already used health services, those services will be billed directly to them by Yale Health.

If the registrar is notified of a student’s LOA after the first day of classes:

  • If the student did not waive coverage, then their Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage ends on the day the registrar is notified of their LOA. If they have already used health services, Yale Health will not bill them directly. However, any fees for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage will not be refunded or prorated.
  • If the student waived coverage, then their access to Yale Health Basic Student Health Services ends on this date, and if they have already used health services before this date, those services will not be billed directly to them by Yale Health. 
  • The student may be eligible for Student Affiliate Coverage. The deadline to enroll is September 15 for the fall or January 31 for the spring, or thirty days to enroll after the registrar is notified, whichever is later.

To enroll in Student Affiliate Coverage (enrollment isn’t automatic), a student will need to complete and submit the Student Affiliate & Undergraduate Affiliate Coverage Enrollment Form available from the Member Services Department or at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms-and-guidelines.

  • Fees that have already been paid for Yale Hospitalization & Specialty Coverage will be applied to the cost of Student Affiliate Coverage. Payment is required up front and in full upon enrollment, unless the student has funding from their school’s financial aid office.
  • Regardless of what point in the semester the student enrolls, fees will not be prorated or refunded.

For more information, contact Yale Health Member Services (member.services@yale.edu) or the student health care navigator (yhstudentnavigator@yale.edu). 

Extended Study or Reduced Tuition Students who are granted extended study status or pay less than half tuition are not eligible for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. They may purchase Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage during the term(s) of extended study. This plan includes services described in both Yale Health Basic and Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Coverage is not automatic, and enrollment forms are available at the Member Services Department or can be found at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms-and-guidelines. Students must complete an enrollment application for the plan prior to September 15 for fall term and by January 31 for the spring term. Enrollment must be requested each term.

Per Course Per Credit Students who are enrolled per course per credit are not eligible for Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. They may purchase Yale Health Student Affiliate Coverage during the term(s) of per course per credit enrollment. This plan includes services described in Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care Coverage. Coverage is not automatic, and enrollment forms are available at the Member Services Department or can be found at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/forms-and-guidelines. Students must complete an enrollment application for the plan prior to September 15 for the full year or fall term or by January 31 for the spring term. Enrollment must be requested each term.

Required Immunizations

All new students are required to complete these requirements by August 1, 2026. Key information and a description of student health requirements may be found at https://yalehealth.yale.edu/new-student-health-requirements. This page may be periodically updated and should be considered the most up-to-date source of information. All requirements are to be completed through Health On Track (https://healthontrack.yale.edu/s/), Yale’s portal for tracking health requirements. Specific requirements are outlined below.

Required for All Students 

Requirement Description Alternate
MMR: measles, mumps, and rubella MMR vaccine for anyone born after 1/1/1957 without evidence of immunity. Two doses of MMR vaccine at least 28 days apart. Dose 1 on or after first birthday Laboratory documentation of immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella
Varicella Varicella vaccine: two doses (age 12–15 months and 4–6 years). Adolescent catch-up: 2 doses 4–8 weeks apart Laboratory evidence of immunity or health care provider documentation of disease
Meningitis quadrivalent ACWY* Menveo, Menactra, MenQuadfi and Nimenrix, Penbraya (single dose at or after age 16). Vaccine must be given within 5 years of matriculation ACWY polysaccharide vaccine is acceptable if conjugate vaccine unavailable
Tdap Single booster dose within the past 10 years
TB Screening questionnaire† Complete the questionnaire. If identified as high risk, TB screening test must be submitted. If result is positive, a chest X-ray and record of any treatment must be submitted

Additional Requirements for Health-Care-Profession Students

Requirement Description Alternate
Influenza Single dose of seasonal flu vaccine annually between August 1 and December 1
TB screening Quantiferon or T-spot blood test within past 6 months. Positive test requires documentation of asymptomatic status and chest X-ray result
Hepatitis B vaccine and titer Heplisav-B (2 doses), Energix B, Recombivax HB (3 doses). Completion of series and quantitative titer demonstrating immunity following vaccination Twinrix (Hep A and B) at appropriate intervals