The International Health Plan Assistance Fund (IHPAF) is for members who, because of their international status, must pay out-of-pocket UHIP enrolment fees for themselves, their spouse, and/or their dependent child(ren).
Who is eligible to apply to the fund?
The Unit 1 IHPAF is disbursed in two rounds. Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to apply: (a) Either you have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 1 work between September 1st, 2023 and the application deadline, if you are applying in Round 1, or you have secured at least 30 hours of Unit 1 work between September 1st, 2023 and August 31st, 2024, if you are applying in Round 2. (b) You are an international member who paid UHIP fees out of pocket for yourself, your spouse, and/or your dependent child(ren) in the academic year.
What is an eligible expense?
UHIP fees for eligible members’ spouses and/or their dependent child(ren) are always eligible. UHIP fees for members themselves are only eligible if paid out of pocket, that is, not covered by a funding package. All students in the funded cohort have their UHIP fees covered by the funding package, except those who pay domestic tuition while enrolled in the UHIP.
Members who receive major external awards that fully replace their funding package (e.g. SSHRC, Vanier, etc.) will not be eligible.
How much money will I get?
The fund reimburses eligible UHIP fees in full. In 2023-24, a full year of UHIP coverage costs $756 per person.
The IHPAF has been allocated $150,000 for the current year. If there are monies left over after the fund has reimbursed 100% of all eligible claims, the remainder of the monies will be reallocated to the SWAF for that year.
When will I get my money?
Applications for the first round will open between February 1st and February 28th. Disbursements will follow in May 2024.
There will be a second round of applications from July 1st to July 31st. This is to allow members who were not eligible in February (because they haven’t reached the 30 hour work requirement) to apply. Disbursements will follow in October 2024.
What if I lost my receipt?
If you lost your receipt for the coverage of your spouse/dependent, you can get it reprinted at the UHIP office at 33 St. George Street or you can email the UHIP office to ask for a digital copy.
How do I apply?
When the application opens on February 1, the form will be available online and accessible through the Member Portal (found by scrolling up to the top right of this page).
A complete application for the IHPAF will include: (a) the IHPAF Application Form, and (b) supporting documentation—your ACORN Account Invoice showing you paid UHIP fees out of pocket in the current academic year. Please note that if you are claiming fees for your spouse/dependent child(ren), the receipt(s) must show their full name(s) and period of coverage.
You will receive an automatic confirmation email after submitting your application. PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not successfully submit your application.
If you do not have (a) a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE No., found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), you will be directed to fill out a Membership Application Form (also found on the ‘Forms’ tab). When your membership application is processed, the IHPAF Application Form will be accessible through the portal.
PLEASE NOTE: processing membership applications can take up to one hour. Failure to fill out a membership application in a timely way is not grounds for submitting a late application. If you experience any issues during the application process, please see the Fund Application FAQ for answers to commonly asked questions.