GSA Health & Dental Plan

Full-time graduate students registered in the Fall term are automatically enrolled in the GSA Health & Dental Plan. The Plan fee appears on your Carleton student account as “Accident/Drug/Dental Insurance.”

For the 2026-2027 plan year, the single-student fee is $479.52, and coverage runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.

Check your Carleton student account for an “Accident/Drug/Dental Insurance” charge of $479.52.

If you recently changed your registration status, also check your student account to confirm whether the charge has been assessed.

No. Part-time students are not automatically charged for the GSA Health & Dental Plan. Eligible part-time students who want coverage must opt in during the applicable opt-in period.

No. Co-op students are not automatically charged for the GSA Health & Dental Plan. Eligible co-op students who want coverage must opt in during the applicable opt-in period.

If you are not registered as an eligible student in the Fall term, you are not eligible to enrol in the Fall Plan through the GSA.

If you are registered as a full-time graduate student in Fall 2026 and subsequently take an approved leave of absence in the Winter term, your existing coverage remains in effect until August 31, 2027.

If you were enrolled as an eligible full-time student in Fall 2026, your coverage continues for the full plan year, until August 31, 2027.

The Fall 2026 opt-out period is September 1 to October 10, 2026. Opt-out requests must be submitted during this period.

Yes. You must submit a new opt-out request each plan year, even if you opted out previously.

You must have eligible alternative health and dental coverage and provide the required proof of coverage through the Student Benefits Portal.

The insurance administrator determines whether your alternative coverage meets the requirements for an opt-out.

No. OHIP is provincial health insurance and does not constitute alternative extended health and dental coverage for the purpose of opting out of the GSA Plan.

If you have separate private health and dental insurance, you can submit proof of that coverage for assessment.

No. UHIP and the GSA Health & Dental Plan provide different types of coverage. UHIP cannot be used as alternative health and dental coverage to opt out of the GSA Plan.

No. The CDCP cannot be used as alternative coverage to opt out of the GSA Health & Dental Plan.

You may be eligible to opt out if your alternative coverage meets the Plan’s requirements. You will need to submit proof of your coverage during the opt-out period.

The insurance administrator makes the final determination regarding whether the alternative coverage qualifies.

No. You must complete the GSA Health & Dental Plan’s official opt-out process during the applicable opt-out period using the Student Benefits Portal.

An opt-out submitted through another student association, insurance plan or unrelated system does not constitute an opt-out from the GSA Plan.

Opt-out requests must be submitted by October 10, 2026. Students are responsible for completing the process within the applicable opt-out period.

A “Processed” status means your opt-out request was successfully submitted. It does not mean the request has received final approval.

No further action is required unless you are contacted about missing or inaccurate proof of alternative coverage.

Full-time Fall students are automatically charged for the Plan. Students who have eligible alternative coverage must complete the opt-out process during the applicable period.

Once approved opt-outs are processed, the information is forwarded to Carleton University so the applicable fee can be credited to the student’s account.

No. You remain responsible for paying your Carleton University fees according to the University’s applicable payment deadlines.

If your opt-out is approved, the Plan fee will subsequently be credited to your student account.

The Fall opt-out period closes on October 10. After the deadline, TELUS Health, the Third-Party Administrator, processes the opt-out requests and forwards them to GreenShield for review.

Once GreenShield approves the opt-outs, the GSA sends the approved information to Carleton University for student-account adjustments. Processing times vary at each stage, so refunds are not immediate.

Approved opt-out refunds are expected to be reflected on student accounts by the end of the Fall semester.

If the refund creates a credit balance on your student account, you can request a refund from Carleton University through its applicable student-account refund process.

Your GreenShield ID consists of the three-letter school code CAR, your Carleton student number and -00.

Example: CAR111222333-00

If you have confirmed that the GSA Plan fee has been charged to your student account, you may experience a temporary inactive period while GreenShield collects and updates your enrolment information.

Paper claims can still be submitted during this period and will be processed once your enrolment information is updated. You may also keep your receipts and submit eligible claims online after your GreenShield+ account becomes active.

If the GSA Plan fee has been charged to your student account but your coverage remains inactive beyond October, contact the GSA for assistance.

Use the Student Benefits Portal for eligible opt-in, dependant enrolment and opt-out activities.

Use GreenShield+ to submit claims, check claim status, view benefit balances, obtain your Member ID card and manage direct deposit after your enrolment becomes active.

No. The $479.52 fee covers the student only. Spouses and eligible dependent children must be added separately.

No. Dependant coverage does not automatically renew. You must opt in your eligible dependants again for each new plan year and pay the required premium.

The Fall dependant opt-in period is from September 1 to October 10, 2026.

If you add your eligible spouse and/or children during the Fall opt-in period, their coverage will be valid from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027, once their enrolment has been successfully completed and processed.

Dependant coverage does not renew automatically. You must enrol your dependants again for each new plan year.

For a full-time student whose own coverage has already been paid through their student account:

These are the 12-month Fall rates for a full-time student and are additional to the student’s own coverage.

These are the 12-month Fall rates and include the student’s own coverage.

Yes. Eligible graduate students who begin or register for their studies in Winter 2027 and were not covered through the Fall enrolment process may opt into the GSA Health & Dental Plan during the Winter enrolment period:

January 4 to February 7, 2027.

Winter coverage is for eight months.

No. Students who start in the Winter term are not automatically enrolled in the GSA Health & Dental Plan. If you do not want the Plan, you do not need to submit an opt-out request.

If you would like coverage and are eligible, you can choose to opt in during the Winter enrolment period.

Yes. If you are eligible to opt into the GSA Health & Dental Plan for Winter, you can also enrol your eligible spouse and/or children as dependants during the Winter enrolment period.

The applicable dependant premium must be paid in addition to completing the enrolment.

No. The opt-out period takes place in the Fall. If you were enrolled in Fall 2026 and did not opt out by the Fall deadline, you cannot opt out during the Winter term.

Your existing coverage continues until August 31, 2027.

Generally, no. An approved Fall opt-out applies to the plan year.

An exception may apply if you have a valid change in circumstances and have lost the alternative coverage you used to opt out, such as losing coverage through an employer, parent or spouse.

If your circumstances have changed, contact the GSA for next steps.

Generally, no. Exceptions may apply when there has been a qualifying change in circumstances, such as:

• the birth or adoption of a new child; or
• an eligible dependant who was outside Canada and has now returned.

Contact the GSA if your circumstances have changed so the appropriate process can be confirmed.

No. If you were enrolled through the Fall 2026 process, your coverage continues until August 31, 2027. You do not need to enrol again or pay another premium for the Winter term.

The Plan includes benefits for areas such as prescription drugs, health services, professional practitioners, vision, dental, travel, AD&D, and mental health programs and services.

Specific benefits are subject to the applicable Plan terms, maximums, co-payments, limitations and exclusions. For detailed and current information, consult the GreenShield Carleton GSA Student Centre.

Once your enrolment is active, register for GreenShield+. GreenShield’s online member services allow you to submit claims, access your benefit booklet, search for benefit providers and check drug eligibility.

Claims can also be submitted through the GreenShield+ mobile service after the inactive period ends. Some healthcare providers may offer direct billing to GreenShield.

Open the GreenShield Carleton GSA Student Centre.

No. Having another insurance plan does not mean you are required to opt out of the GSA Plan. You may choose to maintain both plans and, where permitted, coordinate benefits between them.

Contact GreenShield and your other insurance provider for information about how coordination of benefits applies to your specific coverage.

No. UHIP is separate from the GSA Health & Dental Plan. Questions concerning UHIP enrolment, charges, dependant adjustments or UHIP opt-outs should be directed to the appropriate Carleton/UHIP office.

Full-time international graduate students who meet the Fall enrolment requirements are automatically enrolled in the GSA Health & Dental Plan in the same manner as other eligible full-time graduate students.

Eligible spouses and dependent children are not automatically included and must be added during the applicable opt-in period.