GSSP Benefits
Graduate Students who meet the eligibility criteria will receive the standard tuition award for a defined number of semesters and Graduate Student Health Insurance at no cost to the student. Premium tuition and Student fees are not covered by GSSP. Tuition Support is provided for Fall and Spring semesters only. Summer Tuition is not covered by GSSP.
Tuition Benefits
GSSP Tuition Benefits include:
| Instate Tuition – All GSSP eligible students will receive instate tuition support |
| Tuition Remission – Tuition Remission is the difference between Out of State Tuition and Instate Tuition. |
| – International Students: Tuition Remission is covered for the entire duration of GSSP eligibility |
| – Domestic Out of State Students: Tuition Remission is provided for two semesters (one academic year); after the two semesters, the student must obtain instate residency. Domestic out of state students must begin completing residentiary acts immediately upon relocating to North Carolina. For residency information please see Graduate School Residency website. |
| Students can verify their GSSP status and if GSSP benefits are applied to their account in MyPack portal after initial billing for the semester. Learn how to check your GSSP status here. |
Duration of Tuition Benefits
Students are eligible for GSSP tuition benefits for a limited number of semesters. Every semester in which a student is enrolled counts towards the total number of allowed semesters, even if the student does not participate in the GSSP.
| Degree | # of Semesters |
|---|---|
| Master’s | 4 |
| Doctoral with Previous Related Master’s | 8 |
| Doctoral without Previous Related Master’s | 10 |
GSSP Requirements At-A-Glance (Semesters of Benefits Eligibility)
Graduate Student Health Insurance
All on-campus students are required to have health insurance. GSSP eligible students are automatically enrolled in the Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHI) Plan each semester. As opposed to the tuition award, the GSHI benefit is not restricted to a limited number of semesters. A student will be enrolled in the GSHI plan as long as they meet the GSSP eligibility criteria. The GSHI premium for the student is fully covered by the university; Students have the option to enroll their dependents in the GSHI plan at their own expense.
The Graduate School has contracted with Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide the health insurance benefits to GSSP eligible students. This plan is separate from the mandatory Student Health Insurance plan (SHIP) available to all on-campus students. Students enrolled in the GSHI Plan are waived out of the Student Health Insurance Plan by the Graduate School, and will receive confirmation of the waiver from BCBS.
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Students who have alternate health insurance and do not wish to participate in GSHI Plan must waive out of both the GSHI plan and the Mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan. For further details, refer to Health Insurance Waiver section below
| GSHI Information |
|---|
| GSHI coverage starts on the following dates each semester: Fall 20xx: August 1st – December 31st Spring 20xx: January 1st – July 31st |
| Eligibility for the GSHI Plan can be established only at the beginning of the Fall or Spring semesters (summer coverage is included in the Spring semester coverage period). Once students are eligible for coverage on the GSHI Plan they will retain their coverage until the end of the eligible semester, unless the student requests earlier termination. See GSHI Waiver information below. |
| Student Blue (BCBS of NC) is the health insurance provider for the NC State Graduate Student Support Plan. Please contact them directly at 1-800-579-8022 regarding your health insurance benefits, dependent enrollment, and any other questions related to your health insurance policy. |
| GSHI Student Action Items |
|---|
| Update Your Mailing Address: Students should update their mailing address in MyPack Portal and with Student Blue (1-800-579-8022). Your mailing address in MyPack Portal is transmitted to Student Blue for your enrollment in the GSHI plan at the beginning of each spring and fall semester. International students must have a US address on file for enrollment in the GSHI plan. |
| Register for Blue Connect: Students need to register for Blue Connect once they have received their health insurance information from Student Blue (Subscriber & Group numbers). Student Blue Member Services allows participants to manage their policy online, including reviewing claims and printing a temporary card. |
| Register for Student Blue Portal: After initial enrollment, students can access the Student Blue Portal to enroll dependents, update addresses and view the subscriber number of their plan. To log on, use your university email account and date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY). Learn more about Student Blue Dashboard. |
| If you need to retrieve your policy information (subscriber, group, pharmacy bin numbers) because you did not receive your health insurance cards or they were lost or stolen, or if you need to change your name, please contact Student Blue customer service at 1-800-579-8022. In case of an emergency, the Graduate School can print a temporary card or order new cards for the student. |
| Loss of GSHI Coverage |
|---|
| The GSHI plan does not provide COBRA coverage for students losing coverage on the GSHI Plan: – Students who lose coverage through the GSHI Plan and remain enrolled at North Carolina State University can contact Campus Health (919-515-2563) to participate in the Student Health Insurance Plan. – Students who lose coverage through the NC State GSHI Plan and do not plan to continue enrollment at the North Carolina State University (e.g., graduation) can shop for health insurance coverage at www.healthcare.gov (within 60 days of coverage loss) or explore coverage through their employer’s available options, as soon as possible. |
Health Insurance Waiver
Students who have alternate health insurance and do not wish to participate in the GSHI plan must take both of the following actions:
Waive Coverage from the GSHI Plan:
- Students should submit the Request Form to Decline Health Insurance Coverage on NC State RA-TA Plan. Students must have alternate coverage before waiving out of the GSHI Plan given health insurance coverage is mandatory for all on-campus students.
- Please remember to include your name, student ID number, effective date of waiver, and briefly document the reason for declining coverage. The waiver will be effective from the first day of the next month.
- If you are an international student, you are required to maintain health insurance throughout the duration of the I-20/DS-2019 — please do not complete this form unless you have alternative adequate health insurance coverage. Please see the Office of International Services for more information.
Waive Coverage from the Mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan:
- Students will also need to waive coverage from the Mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan (Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) if you have health insurance coverage outside of the university student health insurance plans. Please note that the students must show proof of alternate coverage to waive out of the Student Health Insurance Plan.
**Please be aware that there is another Student Blue (BCBS of NC) administered plan on campus, the University Mandatory Plan (Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)). This health insurance plan option is for students ineligible for the Graduate Student Support Plan, but meet the eligibility requirements outlined on the Student Health Center website. The SHIP plan is similar in health insurance coverage to the GSHI plan, however, the student is responsible for payment and enrollment into this plan. Students enrolled in the GSHI plan do not have to waive out of the mandatory plan; qualifying students are automatically waived from the University Mandatory Plan.
Cancel Previous Waiver from GSHI Plan:
GSSP eligible students can cancel a previous waiver from GSHI plan by submitting the coverage modification request provided in the Request Form to Decline Health Insurance Coverage on NC State RA-TA Plan.
For general questions related to the Graduate Student Support Plan, please contact the NC State Graduate School at gradschool-gssp@ncsu.edu.