Exchange & Study Abroad Students

Exchange and Study Abroad students may satisfy BCIT’s medical insurance requirement by providing proof of medical insurance that will cover you in Canada. You should notify us at international.medical@bcit.ca as early as possible if you plan to provide your own medical insurance. You may be able to avoid being charged a fee by BCIT for private medical insurance.

If you do NOT notify us as described above, then BCIT will charge you a fee and enrol you in private medical insurance with Guard.me. The details depend on whether you plan to study at BCIT for 1 or 2 terms.

Coverage period & cost

For Study Abroad and Exchange students studying for a single term at BCIT

Study Abroad and Exchange students who will study at BCIT for a single term and do not provide their own medical insurance will be charged $300 for approximately five months of medical coverage with Guard.me International Insurance. Coverage dates are set by term.

If you plan to spend time in Canada before or after these coverage dates, please contact international.medical@bcit.ca as early as possible and we will do our best to accommodate you.

For Exchange or Double Degree students studying for two terms at BCIT

Exchange students who will study at BCIT for two terms and do not provide their own medical insurance will be charged $180 for approximately three months of temporary coverage with Guard.me International Insurance. Coverage dates will be determined the same way as for other full-time students.

Note that students in this scenario will need to apply for BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) upon arrival to BC in order to have MSP coverage in place by the time your Guard.me expires.