Enrollment  /  Coverage Dates

When am I covered?

One-term exchange students

Academic Year 2023-2024
Winter Term 1: August 26, 2023 – January 2, 2024
Winter Term 2: December 25, 2023 – May 2, 2024

*You will also be covered while traveling from your home country or primary place of residence to Canada, if your travel itinerary is ten days or less AND your arrival date is not earlier than the start date of your iMED coverage.

If you will arrive in Canada before the dates listed above, you may purchase the extra coverage you need directly from DCIS. Go to the Advance Coverage page for more information and the application form.

All other new international students

 iMED will cover you from your date of arrival in Canada*, with the earliest arrival date being:

    • August 1 for Winter Term 1
    • December 1 for Winter Term 2
    • April 1 for Summer Term 1
    • June 1 for Summer Term 2

iMED is designed to cover you for the waiting period before you become eligible for MSP, up to a maximum of three months. The MSP waiting period includes the remainder of the month you arrive in BC, plus the next two calendar months*.
For example, if you were to arrive in BC on August 25, you would be eligible for MSP on November 1.

*If you enter Canada outside BC, and do not enter BC within the same calendar month as your date of entry into Canada, then you may need to purchase an iMED Extension in order to be covered for your full BC MSP waiting period. For this situation please contact DCIS for assistance.

Note: You may also be covered while travelling from your home country or primary place of residence to Canada, IF your travel itinerary is ten days or less AND IF your arrival date in Canada is not earlier than the earliest iMED coverage start date available for the first term of your UBC program.

If you will arrive in Canada before the earliest iMED coverage start available for your UBC program, you may purchase the extra coverage you need directly from DCIS. Go to the Advance Coverage page for more information and the application form.

Important!

If you will arrive in Canada after the calendar month in which your iMED starts (for example if your iMED starts August 1, but you arrive in September or later), then you must submit the Coverage Dates Change Form.  DCIS will issue you a new iMED Card based on coverage that starts in the calendar month you arrive.