POST 7 · HEALTH COVERAGE

Day 7: Health Coverage in Canada (What International Students Actually Get)

By StudenzBit Team · 10 min read · Health · Canada · April 2026

Arjun walked into a walk-in clinic on Day 7 with a fever. He walked out with a $180 bill. He didn't know he had no coverage — and he didn't know he actually did. Nobody told him.

Week 1 — The Setup Week

Myth Buster: OHIP vs UHIP

⚠️

International students do NOT get OHIP. OHIP is for permanent residents, citizens, and certain work permit holders. What you get instead is UHIP — the University Health Insurance Plan.

UHIP is a mandatory health insurance plan that almost every Ontario university automatically enrolls international students into. It's not full provincial coverage, but it covers doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency care, and hospitalization — and it starts from your first day of enrollment.

⚠️

UHIP is not automatic everywhere. You need to confirm enrollment during your university's orientation or international student office visit. Don't assume you're covered — verify it.

OHIP ✗

For: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, certain work permit holders

NOT for international students on a study permit

UHIP ✓

For: International students enrolled at Ontario universities

Mandatory, included in tuition

Covers: doctors, emergency, prescriptions, diagnostics

📘

On Day 1 of orientation — go to the International Student Services office and confirm your UHIP enrollment. Get your plan number and save it in your phone.

Arjun's Story

Arjun at walk-in clinic without coverage details

Arjun. Day 7. Fever of 38.8°C.

Arjun had been running on adrenaline all week. New country, new apartment, new SIM, new bank account and cold weather. By Day 7 his body gave out — 38.8°C fever, sore throat, barely able to get out of bed.

He grabbed his passport and walked to the nearest walk-in clinic. Surely Canada had free healthcare — he'd heard that.

At the front desk they asked for his health card. He didn't have one. They asked if he had any insurance. He didn't know.

He sat down anyway. Saw the doctor. Got a prescription.

Consultation: $180. Prescription: $35.

He paid it on his credit card, texted his parents, and spent the rest of the day in bed — now sick and $215 lighter.

What hurt most wasn't the money. It was finding out later, during orientation week, that his university had enrolled him in UHIP from Day 1 of classes. He'd been covered the whole time. He just never checked.

Arjun, $215 lighter, in bed. Covered the whole time.

Arjun's Walk-In Clinic Receipt — Day 7

Consultation fee$180.00

Prescription$35.00

TOTAL$215.00

With UHIP confirmed, this visit would have cost $0.

What Is UHIP?

UHIP (University Health Insurance Plan) is the core health coverage most international students at Ontario universities receive instead of OHIP. It is designed for students on study permits and usually starts with your program enrollment window, not when you first decide to use healthcare.

Coverage details vary slightly by institution, but the essentials are strong enough to prevent surprise bills when you know how to use the plan correctly.

Typically covered includes:

Core Medical Coverage

Doctor and specialist visits

Emergency hospital care

Diagnostic tests (bloodwork, X-rays)

Prescription and Extras

Prescription drugs (partial or full depending on plan)

Some dental and vision (varies by school)

📋

On your first day at university, go to the International Student Services office and ask: "Am I enrolled in UHIP? When does my coverage start? What does it cover?" Three questions. Five minutes. Could save you hundreds.

Priya's Story

Priya. Day 1. Already confirmed. Already covered.

Priya had done her research before landing. She knew OHIP wasn't for international students. She knew UHIP was what she needed.

At orientation, she went straight to the international student services table, confirmed her UHIP enrollment, and noted down her Sun Life plan number.

When she got a cold in Week 3 — because everyone gets sick in their first Canadian winter — she didn't panic. She called Telehealth Ontario first.

A registered nurse assessed her symptoms over the phone for free. Told her it was viral, gave her guidance, and said she didn't need to see a doctor. Priya was back in bed with Tylenol and tea. No clinic bill. No waiting room.

A week later when she needed an actual prescription, she used Maple — a virtual doctor app. $0 with her UHIP plan. Doctor consulted. Prescription sent. Done from her apartment.

Priya's telehealth-first playbook.

Call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 before going to any clinic. It's free, 24/7, and a registered nurse will advise whether you actually need to see a doctor. Most mild illnesses can be handled at home with the right guidance.

Three things to do in your first week before you get sick:

1. Confirm your UHIP enrollment at the international student office — get your plan number and save it in your phone

2. Save Telehealth Ontario in your contacts: 1-866-797-0000 — free, 24/7 registered nurse advice

3. Download the Maple app — virtual doctor, often fully covered by UHIP. No waiting room, no commute, no bill

Sick Kit

Canada gets cold. You will get sick. Buy this before Day 7 — calmly, in Week 1, not at 11pm with a 39°C fever.

Sick Kit — Buy This in Week 1

Tylenol or Advil — fever and pain relief
Throat lozenges — Halls or Strepsils
Vitamin C — Emergen-C or similar
Nasal spray — for dry winter air
Thermometer — under $10 at Shoppers Drug Mart
Benylin — for cough and cold

Your Indian medicines from home work perfectly too — bring them if you can.

Shoppers Drug Mart is open mostly 24/7. Walmart Pharmacy is typically 9am–9pm. Know both locations near your campus before you need them.

If you ever visit a clinic without your insurance number handy — pay the bill and claim it back later. Call your UHIP provider once you have your plan number and they'll reimburse you.

💡

Most schools also offer a secondary insurance plan for prescription glasses, orthodontics, massage, and physiotherapy. You need to sign up for this separately.

It typically covers $250–$350 toward prescription glasses and renews every 2 years. If you're in a 3 or 4-year program, use it in Year 1 — so you can use it twice. You're already paying for it in your tuition fees.

Comparison Table

	Arjun	Priya
Knew OHIP doesn't apply	❌	✅
UHIP enrollment confirmed	❌ Never checked	✅ Day 1 of orientation
Walk-in clinic bill	$180 + $35 prescription	$0
Telehealth Ontario	Never heard of it	Saved in contacts, Week 1
Maple app	❌	✅ Covered by UHIP
Sick kit ready	❌	✅ Bought in Week 1

Day 7 Checklist

Understand: You are NOT eligible for OHIP as an international student
Confirm UHIP enrollment at your international student services office — get your plan number
Ask: when does coverage start, what's covered, is there a claims process
Save Telehealth Ontario in your phone: 1-866-797-0000
Download Maple app — check if covered under your school's UHIP plan
Buy a basic sick kit from Shoppers Drug Mart this week
Sign up for the extended benefits plan (glasses, physiotherapy) — ask at ISS office

StudenzBit Resources

UHIP Explained — what it covers and how to use it

A practical explainer on enrollment, claims, and how to avoid out-of-pocket surprises in your first semester.

Coming soon

Telehealth Ontario + Maple App Guide

When to call Telehealth, when to use Maple, and how to make both work with your student health coverage.

Coming soon

Sick Kit Shopping List for New Arrivals

Everything to buy in Week 1 so you are prepared before fever, cough, and winter dryness hit.

Coming soon

What Happens Next?

Week 1 is done. Now let's talk money. How does the GIC monthly release actually work — and what does $2,500 actually cover in Canada? Coming up in Blog 8.

Blog 8: Your first full money reality check in Canada.

Read Blog 8 →