International student health benefits
While at NSCC, international students are automatically enrolled in three student health insurance benefit plans:
- Emergency health insurance (EHI) – EHI covers emergency medical treatments, including unexpected hospitalization.
- Health and dental – This covers preventative health and dental benefits, such as prescription and vision coverage, immunizations and dental treatments.
- Virtual health care – This provides unlimited online access to healthcare practitioners to support your general health and wellness.
Your NSCC plans cover you for 12 months, beginning September 1 (if your academic program starts in the fall term) or January 1 (if your program starts in the winter term).
If you arrive in Canada before your NSCC insurance coverage begins, you must purchase private insurance. This private insurance needs to cover you until your NSCC plans start. You may purchase this private coverage through the same insurance company that provides NSCC’s EHI plan. To do so, contact our Student Benefits Plan office at least two weeks before your arrival in Canada.
Learn more about your benefits
Nova Scotia Medical Services Insurance
Nova Scotia Medical Services Insurance (MSI) is the provincial plan of insured medical services. It is designed to pay for the cost of a wide range of medically necessary physicians' services, as well as certain dental and optometric services for residents of Nova Scotia. Without insurance, medical care in Canada is extremely expensive. Find information on provincial MSI eligibility.
Add dependents to your plans
If you’re bringing a spouse and/or child to Canada, it’s very important your dependents have some form of emergency health coverage until they, too, qualify for care through the province.
If you want to add your family to your NSCC EHI and health and dental plans, you need to submit the Family Add On form within 30 days of starting your program. The cost of the coverage varies, depending on the number of dependents you have.
If your spouse has an open work permit while you study, they can apply for MSI coverage. Your spouse’s coverage will extend to you and your dependent children. For information, view MSI Moving and Travel.
Note: If your academic program starts in the fall term, NSCC plans cover both you and your dependents from September 1. If your program starts in the winter term, coverage starts January 1.
Virtual Health Care
We offer full-time and part-time international students access to a virtual health care service, called myvirtualdoctor, for a 12-month period. As part of our myvirtualdoctor service, you will receive:
- 24/7 access to medical professionals (i.e., licensed doctors and nurses) via chat, video, or phone.
- Hundreds of health care practitioners trained in virtual care
- Service available in many different languages
- Unlimited usage of benefit over 12 months
- Referrals and requisitions with specialists and labs
- Free delivery of prescriptions to a nearby local pharmacy, or your door
- Free dependent coverage - dependents under the age of 16 can access through the student’s account; dependents over the age of 16 will be issued their own account.
- Care navigation supporting students to the right resources (on campus or in community)
You can review more details on the service at mystudentplan.ca
Please note: Given the current challenges in accessing health care in the province and the potential costs that could be incurred by international students needing to see health care professionals for non-emergency treatment, NSCC does not recommend international students opt out of this coverage.
Have questions?
Student Benefits Plan Office
or 1-866-491-1624