Medical Insurance
Medical care in Canada can be very expensive. Medical Insurance provides essential health benefits and helps pay for medical costs.
As a new Columbia College student, you are automatically enrolled in GuardMe Insurance. No other form of insurance will be accepted.
Columbia College requires all students to enroll in the B.C. Medical Services Plan (MSP). The Nurses at the College assist students to enroll in MSP during Orientation. Once your MSP coverage is active you have the option to opt-out of GuardMe Insurance.
GuardMe
GuardMe offers short-term urgent care coverage in case you become sick or injured. GuardMe does not pay expenses for an illness or injury that you have before the start date of your policy, or for routine doctor’s visits or treatments.
The GuardMe policy has a fee of $190.00CAD which is charged from your student account at the time of course registration for your four-month guard.me policy.
If you are arriving before the start of your first semester, please e-mail us at medicalinsurance@columbiacollege.ca and we will provide you with instructions about how to enroll for coverage so that you are insured from your arrival date.
Make sure you understand your GuardMe policy benefits and limits. Call customer service at GuardMe (1-877-873-8447) or come talk to the Columbia College nurse.
To set up your account and access your policy information, submit a claim, or for a list of clinics in your area go to: GuardMe / Columbia College
Medical Services Plan (MSP)
Canada has a universal public health-care system. Each province and territory have their own health insurance plan. British Columbia’s health insurance plan, the Medical Services Plan is mandatory for B.C. residents. When you show your B.C. Services (MSP) card you will not have to pay up front to use public health care services such as hospitals, clinics, or laboratories.
If you plan to study here for more than one semester, you are required to Apply for MSP as soon as you arrive in B.C.
To apply for MSP online you need to be at least 16 years old and have access to an electronic copy of your study permit. This can be found on your student portal.
The study permit image must:
- Be valid for six months or longer.
- Include the entire page, corner to corner.
- Have legible text and the photo in focus.
You can apply on your own, or request support from Student Services. The Nurses help students apply for MSP during Orientation.
Once you apply, you will receive a letter at your home confirming your coverage period. Then, within four weeks you will receive the MSP card. If you do not receive your card within 8 weeks’ time, you must call Health Insurance B.C. at 604-683-7151 to ask about your application. MSP coverage may start, even if you do not receive your B.C. MSP card.
If you change your address or documented status (study permit, work permit, PR status, citizenship) you must inform Health Insurance B.C. of the change. You can do this here: Update Address or Extend MSP
Once you receive the enrollment letter or the MSP BC Services card, take a picture of it (front and back) and email it to medicalinsurance@columbiacollege.ca This ensures you have the appropriate insurance coverage to continue your program at Columbia College.
The MSP fee for international students is $75.00 per month. You must pay this directly to Revenue Services of B.C. You will receive a bill from the British Columbia government after your MSP coverage starts. Once you have received this you can Pay Online and set up online services, such as seeing your balance, setting up paperless invoicing, and autopayments.
