Studentcare

First Nations and Inuit students: To maximize your coverage, First Nations and Inuit students who are covered by Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) from Health Canada can sign up for Studentcare to receive additional health coverage. This additional coverage can be helpful for health, prescription, vision and dental care costs not covered by NIHB.

Undergraduate students

The University of Saskatchewan Students' Union (USSU) has partnered with the health and dental insurance provider Studentcare to offer undergraduate students health and dental insurance coverage.

This coverage also includes access to counselling services through Empower Me by Studentcare. Counselling is available by phone, video or e-counselling.

Some undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in the plan, while others, need to enrol. Undergraduate students registered full-time in each of the Fall and Winter Terms and who are USSU members are automatically covered. If you're automatically covered, the cost of the plan is part of your student fees. See if you're automatically covered by checking your tuition statement in each term or by visiting Studentcare (USSU).

Graduate students

The Graduate Students' Association (GSA) has partnered with the health and dental insurance provider  Studentcare to offer graduate students health and dental insurance coverage.

This coverage also includes access to counselling services through Empower Me by Studentcare. Counselling is available by phone, video or e-counselling.

Some graduate students are automatically enrolled in the plan, while others, need to enrol. Graduate students registered full-time in each of the Fall and Winter Terms and who are GSA members—including eligible international students—are automatically covered. If you're automatically covered, the cost of the plan is part of your student fees. See if you're automatically covered by checking your tuition statement in each term or by visiting Studentcare (GSA).

Accessing health care in Saskatchewan

Vaccines in Saskatchewan

Pharmacies in Saskatchewan provide vaccines only to those with a Saskatchewan health card. However, the Student Wellness Centre does not require a Saskatchewan health card to provide vaccines.

With a Canadian provincial/territorial health card

Anyone with a Canadian provincial or territorial health card, including international students, can receive some medical care free of charge while in Canada.

International students who are enrolled full-time at USask with a valid study permit may be eligible for Saskatchewan health coverage and should apply for a Saskatchewan health card as soon as they arrive. 

Students from another Canadian province/territory should retain the coverage with their home province or territory (meaning, your home, where you plan to move back to after attending USask, is not in Saskatchewan). For more information, contact the health registries department in your home province and visit eHealth Saskatchewan.

Learn about the Saskatchewan Health Card.

Some medical care is available free of charge for all Canadians, permanent residents and international students who have a provincial or territorial health card:

  • Appointments with a family doctor or specialist physician
  • Walk-in clinic health care
  • Emergency room treatment
  • Hospital treatment if your doctor recommends it
  • Maternity care
  • Investigations ordered by a physician

  • Prescription medication
  • Ambulance service (about $350)
  • Dental care provided by a dentist
  • Eye tests and glasses or lenses
  • Some vaccinations
  • Services like massage therapy, chiropractor or physical therapy
  • Cosmetic surgeries/procedures
  • Complementary health (traditional Chinese medicine, holistic natural path)
  • Medical appliances/devices
  • Please refer to your undergraduate or graduate student health and dental plan for information on additional coverage
      • If you are a new undergraduate student starting at USask in the spring or summer term, you are not eligible to enrol in Studentcare until the Fall term. However, if you have a Canadian provincial or territorial health card, you can sign up for health and dental insurance through a different provider for the spring and summer months.

Without a Canadian provincial/territorial health card

International students who are not eligible to receive a Saskatchewan health card must pay for medical care in Canada and should purchase health insurance before arriving in Canada.

International students not eligible for a Saskatchewan health card include those who:

  • are not a full-time student,
  • do not have a study permit, or
  • have an expired study permit.

If you do not have a Canadian provincial/territorial health card because you do not meet the eligibility requirements, you should purchase health insurance. 

You can purchase health insurance in your home country prior to leaving for Canada or can consider getting medical insurance through the Canadian medical insurance provider guard.me.   

About guard.me

guard.me offers medical insurance for international students living in Canada who do not have a Saskatchewan Health card. guard.me is a service made available by USask but is provided by a third party, guard.me. By using this service, you are providing your personal information to a third party and use of your personal information is governed by guard.me’s privacy policy. Before you pay for this service, carefully review guard.me policies including exclusions. USask makes no representations or warranties regarding the insurance or insurance provider and will not be liable for any losses arising therefrom.