Students will be required to provide proof of dependent status in order to enroll dependents on U-SHIP, according to University policy. 

Both student and dependent enrollment in U-SHIP is binding for the remainder of the policy year.  See exceptions noted under Binding Coverage. Your dependent’s U-SHIP enrollment will become effective the first day of the quarter in which your Petition to Add a dependent has been approved by the Student Insurance Office. Students will be responsible for the full dependent premium for the quarter in which the coverage takes effect. The premium is not pro-rated.

For more information about dependent premiums visit: https://wellness.uchicago.edu/student-insurance/u-ship/

Dependent Enrollment Instructions

In order to enroll dependents on U-SHIP, students must follow these steps:

1. Enroll themselves during the open enroll period. 
2. Once you've received confirmation of enrollment, send the completed Dependent Enrollment Form and provide the appropriate documents (see Acceptable Verification of Dependent Eligibility section below) to the student insurance advocates by email (uchicagoadvocates@uhcsr.com) 

Students will only need to submit proof of dependent status once, but please note that students must act each year to enroll or waive U-SHIP for themselves and to enroll dependents. 

The deadline to add dependents or waive U-SHIP is 12 p.m. Central time on Friday of the third week of the student's first quarter of registration each academic year (typically Autumn Quarter).

Eligible Dependents

Students enrolled in U-SHIP can choose to cover eligible dependents, including:

• Same- or opposite-gender spouse or civil union partner
• Same-gender domestic partner (only for domestic partnerships registered with the University prior to 7/1/17).
• Children under the age of 26, including natural children, stepchildren, adopted children, or wards; any child named in a court order for whom you are legally responsible for providing coverage under the terms of a qualified medical child support order; and your eligible same-gender domestic partner’s child who depends on you for support and lives with you in a regular parent-child relationship. Note: If you would like to add a newborn child to your U-SHIP coverage, please complete the Petition to Add within 31 days of the child’s date of birth.
• Unmarried eligible children over age 26 if the child is incapable of self-sustaining employment due to a mental or physical disability that occurred before attaining age 26, is dependent on you or your eligible spouse, civil union partner, or same-gender domestic partner for primary support and maintenance and is covered continuously by the plan prior to and beyond age 26.
• Military veteran dependent children up to age 30 if the child has established residency in Illinois, served in the active or reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces, and received a release of discharge other than a dishonorable discharge.

Acceptable Verification of Dependent Eligibility

Please make sure that the record is in English; translations of non-English documents must be certified.

Same and Opposite-Gender Spouse

• Marriage certificate OR
• Page one of your 2023 federal or state tax return (please cross out wage and social security number information) listing spouse/ partner

Same and Opposite-Gender Civil Union Partner

• Certificate of Civil Union OR
• Page one of your 2023 federal or state tax return (please cross out wage and social security number information) listing spouse/ partner

 Eligible Same-Gender Domestic Partner

• Statement of Domestic Partnership approved from the University of Chicago prior to 7/1/2017

Child(ren) Under Age 26

One of the following:

• Page one of your 2023 federal or state tax return listing the child(ren) as a dependent (please cross out wage and social security number information)
• Birth certificate
• Adoption documents
• Other appropriate legal documents

For military veteran dependents, the “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty” document is also required.