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Overview

You may be eligible to waive the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan if you can provide proof of comparable coverage. Learn about the waiver options, eligibility requirements, and deadlines for submission.

Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan

The Florida Board of Governors requires that all international students enrolled at UWF in a visa status of F or J have health insurance (including those applying for F or J status). For this reason, enrollment in the LewerMark UWF Student Health Insurance Plan is automatic at the time of registration, and the cost of the policy is included in the student’s semester fee charges. In certain cases, students holding comparable coverage may be eligible to waive enrollment in the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan.

UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan meets and exceeds the requirements of the Regulation, and we believe it is a good value for the coverage it provides. More information is available on our insurance resources page about the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan and using health insurance in the United States. More information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Review the following waiver eligibility categories to determine your eligibility, required documentation, and submission deadline & submit by email to LewerMark for Review.


Waiver Deadlines
Semester/Coverage PeriodDeadline for Waiver
Fall and Academic YearAugust 15, by 5 p.m.
Spring/SummerDecember 15, by 5 p.m.
Summer (Only for new students beginning study in May)April 15, by 5 p.m.
  • The Waiver Request must be completed by the posted deadline. This means you must have the waiver request form AND the required proof of insurance documents submitted by the deadline. 
  • Submission deadline times are for Central Standard Time (the Time Zone location of UWF)
  • After the waiver deadlines, waiver requests to use your own insurance WILL NOT be accepted. Students will be automatically enrolled in the UWF  Insurance plan for international students. Fees for the UWF Plan will be charged to Student Cashnet accounts.

Students with Individual Insurance

International students holding individual U.S. insurance plans compliant with the Florida Board of Governors' Regulation 6.009 may submit the Insurance waiver request (PDF) form. The insurance policy must comply with all stated requirements, or the waiver request will not be approved. No travel, international, or short-term plans of any kind are accepted, and medical evacuation and repatriation insurance cannot be waived.

Travel insurance requiring reimbursement for medical services does not meet the regulation. 

Please be advised that International Student & Scholar Services is not equipped to advise on the potential impact government-subsidized healthcare can have on your non-immigrant visa status and tax filing obligation. We strongly recommend you consult with an immigration and/or tax attorney before purchasing a subsidized health insurance plan on the Marketplace Exchange. 


If purchasing insurance that is not the UWF Plan through LewerMark, you must have the company confirm the insurance meets all of the requirements of the Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 and meets or exceeds the coverage of the UWF LewerMark Plan for International Student Insurance. 

  • Waiver Requests must be emailed to EMAIL LINK. 
  • All Waiver Requests must include the Waiver Request Form AND the required Proof of Insurance Documents. 
  • Proof of insurance must be submitted with a completed waiver request form. (PDF Link)
    • Proof of insurance required documents are
      • Your insurance card or letter which confirms you are enrolled in the AND
      • The Full Policy Details or "Schedule of Benefits." - This is expected to be a very long document. A policy "brochure" or "plan summary" is not adequate. 
    • All Proof of insurance documents MUST be in English - provided by the insurance company, not translations you may make. 
    • Waiver Requests with documents that are not in English will be denied. 
  • Waivers submitted for insurance that does not meet ALL of the requirements outlined in BOG REG 6.009 will be denied.
  • Please review all emails from International Affairs regarding insurance for important dates and deadline reminders. 
  • Please note that foreign insurance companies and travel insurance plans do not meet the State of Florida regulations. 
  • With the improved waiver review process, it is possible that plans that have previously been accepted may not be accepted for Fall 2023 and beyond. 
  • UWF strongly encourages students to verify alternative insurance will meet ALL State of Florida requirements for international student insurance BEFORE purchasing. 

Late Opt Out Requests will not be accepted. 

  • Students who have not submitted a valid waiver by the deadline will be enrolled in the UWF Plan through LewerMark and the insurance fees charged to the student CashNet account. 


Students with Insurance through Government Sponsorship Programs

UWF has pre-screened the insurance coverage for students in the following government sponsorship programs. Students with support documented on a current financial guarantee letter from one of these programs do not need to submit a waiver request IF they have submitted their current Financial Guarantee from the sponsorship program to UWF by the Waiver Deadline. 

  • Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission
  • Kuwait Culture Division 

Student Responsibilities When Submitting a Waiver to use their own insurance

It is the responsibility of the F1/J1 student to:

  1. To maintain insurance that meets Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009. Insurance is required to keep your immigration status valid. The regulation specifies the type and amounts of insurance and how long you must possess coverage.
  2. To select insurance that meets/exceeds coverage of the coverage of the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Policy with coverage for the full academic year (365 days) 
    1. Students issued F-1 or J-1 visas’ continuous coverage must be in effect until August 14, 2023, or later, regardless of graduation dates and/or leaving the country for a break. The new student’s effective date should be August 15, 2023, or prior. 
  3. To review the ‘Exclusions and Limitations' section of the policy under consideration.
  4. To advise the insurance company that they are attending the University of West Florida.
  5. To provide their issued visa information in some instances their passport number


UWF reserves the right to

Conduct enrollment audits throughout the academic year.

Request proof of current coverage from students after a waiver has been approved for the current academic year. 

Decline/reject installment/monthly payment policies. 

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