International medical coverage
Okanagan College requires that all international and exchange students have valid medical coverage for the duration of their studies.
New students medical
Understanding medical coverage
All Â黨´«Ã½international students must have valid medical insurance before traveling to Canada. Students are automatically enrolled with Guard.me insurance each semester until or unless confirmed they have BC Medical (MSP).
Understanding Medical Coverage: Three Essential Plans for Okanagan College Students
Before you travel
Purchase early arrival insurance
- Why: Â黨´«Ã½requires all new international students to have medical coverage from the day they arrive in Canada.
- How: Purchase early arrival insurance through guard.me to cover the period from your arrival date until the start of your first semester.
- Cost: Approximately $2 CAD per day.
- Payment: Credit card required.
- Visit the .
- Enter your student number and date of birth.
- Provide your travel information.
- Set coverage dates:
- Start Date: the departure date of your flight from your country
- End Date: The last day of the month before your semester begins.
- Agree to the terms and submit.
- Review the policy summary and complete the purchase.
Dependents: If you have dependents, add them to your policy after purchase, by visiting .
Upon arrival
1. Guard.me coverage:
- Automatic enrollment: Okanagan College International Education (OCIE) automatically enrolls the following students in Guard.me insurance for their first semester:
- All new international and exchange students
- Returning students who do not have MSP (Medical Services Plan)
- Short-term students and those with a study permit valid for less than six months
- Cost: $250 per semester (approximately $2 per day), charged to your student account.
- Coverage period:
- Your Guard.me insurance covers you from the start of your semester until you obtain BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage.
- If you opt out of Guard.me, your coverage remains active until the end of your first semester. The opt-out applies from the next semester upon Â黨´«Ã½International Education (OCIE) approval.
- Dependents
- You can purchase your dependents' coverages in association with your coverage at
2. Apply for BC MSP:
MSP (Medical Services Plan) is a B.C. public health insurance. It is administrated by the Government of B.C. Under the government's Medicare Protection Act, B.C. MSP is mandatory for all eligible residents and their dependents.
- Why: BC MSP is mandatory for residents staying longer than six months.
- When: Apply as soon as you arrive in British Columbia.
- How: Visit or contact OCIE at intedmed@okanagan.bc.ca for assistance.
For returning or current students
Guard.me enrollment
If you don't have MSP coverage, OCIE will enroll you in guard.me for the semester until MSP coverage is confirmed.
How to submit a claim
To ensure your claim is processed efficiently, please submit it online:
- Log in to your account at .
- Follow the step-by-step instructions to complete your claim submission.
If you need assistance, the Guard.me Customer Care Centre is available 24/7, toll-free at 1-877-873-8447. Their team can provide real-time support, including screen sharing, to guide you through the process.
Opting out of Guard.me
All international students are automatically enrolled in Guard.me each semester unless they provide proof of MSP coverage.
Accepted MSP Proof -To opt out, you must submit:
A photo of your MSP card AND one of the following:
- MSP enrollment letter showing the effective date
- Current MSP bill confirming active coverage
- MSP Account Confirmation letter
- MSP card issued more than 3 months before the semester start
Opt-out deadlines
- Fall Semester: September 30
- Winter Semester: January 31
- Summer Semester: May 31
Important notes
- MSP must be effective before the semester starts and cover the entire semester to qualify.
- No refunds or partial cancellations after the deadline.
- Opt-out requests after the deadline will apply to the next semester.
- A confirmation email will be sent to your email once processed.
For questions, contact intedmed@okanagan.bc.ca.
Extended Health and Dental Coverage
- Provider: Okanagan College Students' Unions ( or ).
- Eligibility: Full-time academic students.
- Cost: Approximately $250 per year, applied to student fees.
- How to Make a Claim
- Visit (for students in Kelowna, Penticton and Salmon Arm)
- Visit (for students in Vernon)
- Opt-Out: Available if you have equivalent coverage. Submit proof during the designated opt-out period.
- Black Out Period: While the Student Union waits for Okanagan College to confirm your enrollment, your claims processing will be delayed. This delay may take up to two months. Any health or dental costs incurred during the blackout period will not be eligible for direct billing. Members are advised to save all receipts for covered costs. Once the blackout period ends, you will be able to submit a claim.
What to do if you feel unwell?
- HealthLink BC: Call 8-1-1 to speak with a nurse about your symptoms. Translation Services: Available in 130 languages.
- Additional Support: Contact your International Student Settlement and Support staff member at intedmed@okanagan.bc.ca
Visiting a doctor
For minor illnesses or injuries, you should visit a “walk-in clinic." You do not need to make an appointment. Walk-in clinics hours can vary; make sure to check operation hours before you visit a clinic.
Go to for wait times at nearby clinics. Here is a list of convenient medical, dental and optometry clinics:
For students with guard.me insurance, walk-in clinics or doctor’s offices may ask you to pay for the office visit. Make sure to ask for a detailed receipt and .
Guard.me insurance also allows you to connect with a Canadian doctor on your mobile device. The service is available 24/7. For information, visit .
Visiting urgent care or the hospital
Interior Health has that are available when you have a non-life-threatening condition and need to see a health-care provider within 12-24 hours.
Go to the hospital if it is an emergency or you need care urgently when walk-in clinics and Urgent & Primary Care Centers are closed and you cannot wait until they re-open.
If you are covered under guard.me you will need to submit a claim to guard.me and they will pay the hospital directly.
If you do not have MSP, the hospital will charge you a non-resident fee. If you have MSP, show your B.C. Services Card when you register so charges can be billed directly to MSP.
Hospitals in our region:
Frequently Asked Questions
No, all individuals must complete an application. The easiest way is to immediately after arriving in B.C., rather than at the end of the wait period because processing takes about 21 business days. See our guide: How to Apply for MSP.
New residents (international students) are required to complete a wait period consisting of the balance of the month in which residence in British Columbia is established, plus two months before benefits can begin.
An example of the wait period is, if you arrived in BC on Aug 28, your wait period would be August, September, October. Your MSP coverage will start as of November 1st.
Okanagan College will auto-enroll you with Guard.me medical insurance each semester. MSP is mandatory for all B.C. residents who are eligible. You must apply to MSP soon after you arrive in the province.
Contact Health Insurance BC (MSP) at 1-800-663-7100 and check if they have your correct mailing address.
As of January 2020, MSP premiums have been eliminated. But international students on a study permit will now pay $75 per month for the International Student Health Fee. Service BC will send the bill to your residential address. If you change your address, please update your new address with MSP at .
The Guard.me medical insurance is designed to cover you while you are on the MSP 3 month wait period and not yet covered by MSP.
Yes, you will need to send us proof of MSP coverage to IntedMed@okanagan.bc.ca. Your MSP coverage must be effective before the start of the semester. The deadline to submit is the last day of the 1st month in the semester. Once your submission is approved, the Guard.me insurance fee will be reversed on your student account 6 weeks after start of semester.
No. The policy is considered used because you had the benefit of the coverage even though no claims were made.
If you are planning to leave B.C. for more than 6 months, you should contact MSP to confirm continued eligibility. Please note that you must reactivate your MSP account after returning to B.C. from the extended leave. For more details, visit .
You will need to upload your new study permit to . It will take about 21 business days for MSP to process this information. Please renew your MSP card before the expiry date to avoid a gap between coverages.
Eligible individuals residing in BC with maintained status while waiting for a subsequent study permit may be eligible for an initial six months of temporary MSP coverage. You can apply for temporary MSP coverage while waiting for your extended study permit. To request temporary coverage, please visit the section.
The Extended Health and Dental Plan (Green Shield/ Great-West Life) is additional coverage administered by your Student Union office (or in Vernon). Enrollment and fees are mandatory for all full time academic students. However, if you are covered by an equivalent plan (such as by your employer), you can opt-out by going . Note that Guard.me or MSP do not replace the Extended Health & Dental Plan.