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International Graduate Assistant Insurance Waiver Process Guidelines

Why is this important?

To prevent International Graduate Assistants (GA) from being charged the international System Student Health Insurance Plan (SSHIP) fees while also enrolled in the Graduate Student Employee Health Plan.

Who does this impact?

These guidelines apply to Graduate Assistant employees meeting all of the following conditions:
  • International graduate student currently on F-1 or J-1 status;
  • Enrolled in Fall TAMU-CS, TAMUG, and/or HSC coursework;
  • An active employee in Workday as of September 1, in a GA benefit eligible position in system part:
    • 02 (TAMU-CS)
    • 06 (Texas AgriLife Research)
    • 07 (Texas AgriLife Extension Service)
    • 10 (TAMUG)
    • 12 (TTI)
    • 23 (TAMHSC)
    • 28 (TEES)
      and
  • Enrolled (not as a covered dependent) in:
    • the A&M Care Plan, J Plan, or the Graduate Student Employee Health Plan as of:
      • September 1 for Fall waivers
      • January 31 for Spring/Summer waivers
      • June 1 for Summer waivers
    • with a reasonable expectation they will be an active benefit-eligible employee through the end of the semester.
    • Example - GA continuing employment as a GANT, GAR, GAL, GAT.
  • Any International GAs covered as a dependent will not be included in the waiver report.

What is my role in the process?

HR Generalist Responsibilities (Due by May 15)

  • Confirm eligibility: Ensure the graduate assistant (GA) is employed in a benefit-eligible GANT, GAR, GAL, or GAT position.
  • Verify active status: Confirm the GA is not on Leave Without Pay (LWOP) or Leave of Absence (LOA) for the spring semester. GAs returning from fall leave must be active in Workday by the enrollment deadline for the respective semester.
  • Run report: Use the “Workers with Other IDs” report in Workday to identify active GAs with expired or missing Alien Work Authorization Expiration Date entries.
  • Check authorization status: Confirm the “Alien Work Authorization Expiration Date Other ID” is entered in Workday and is not expired. If updates are needed, contact the GA to complete an I-9 re-verification. This data feeds from the I-9 system into Workday.
  • Review termination process: Refer to HROE’s Insurance Premium Process Timeline. For GAs with appointments shorter than 12 months, process terminations in Workday once the department is notified the GA will not return.
  • Timeliness: It is strongly recommended that Workday actions be completed within three business days of notification. Include the date the department received the notification in the comments.
    • Do not retroactively terminate the employee.
    • The termination date is the date the action is processed in Workday.
    • The last date worked is the final day of the active appointment.

Graduate Assistant Responsibilities (Due by May 15)

  • Health plan enrollment: In Workday, confirm enrollment in the Graduate Student Employee Health Plan by the enrollment deadline for the respective semester.
  • Visa information: Ensure all visa information is accurately entered in Workday. The visa status field must not be blank.
  • Tax compliance: Any changes to visa status or citizenship will require updates to foreign national payroll tax status in the GLACIER system. GAs will receive a pending to-do item in Workday. Contact your HR Generalist or the Tax Compliance and Reporting Office with questions.
  • Work authorization: Confirm the “Alien Work Authorization Expiration Date Other ID” is entered in Workday and is not expired. If updates are needed, contact your HR Generalist to complete an I-9 re-verification.
  • Clear to-do items: Verify there are no pending to-do items in Workday.

Failure to complete these actions by the enrollment deadline will result in the GA being charged for the International SSHIP while on the Grad Student Health Plan. In these instances, reimbursement for the Fall SSHIP is expected in March/April, Spring/Summer reimbursement is expected in October/November.

Points of Contact:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes, GAs employed by system part 02 (TAMU-CS), 06 (Texas AgriLife Research), 07 (Texas AgriLife Extension Service), 10 (TAMUG), 12 (TTI), 23 (TAMHSC), and 28 (TEES) will be included in the waiver report if they meet ALL the conditions described in the Spring International GA Insurance Waiver Guidelines.
TAMUQ students who are enrolled only at TAMUQ will not be charged SSHIP because they are not on F or J visas. However, students on the TAMUQ campus enrolling in TAMU-CS courses and who are maintaining their F or J status are charged SSHIP.
The student in this scenario will be charged SSHIP based on their enrollment in courses in summer session I. The student would not be eligible for the waiver since their employment in a GA benefit eligible position begins on July 1 and would not cover June.
The student in this scenario will be charged SSHIP based on their enrollment in courses in spring. The student would not be eligible for the waiver since their employment in a GA benefit eligible position begins on Feb 1 and would not cover January.
If the student is not enrolled during the summer, they are not charged SSHIP.
Because the student is enrolled in TAMU-CS coursework during the summer, they will be charged SSHIP. However, the student would be eligible for the waiver if they meet ALL of the conditions noted on the Summer International GA Insurance Waiver Guidelines, including remaining an active employee in Workday as of June 1 (i.e. is not placed on unpaid time off or unpaid LOA).

Do not retroactively terminate the employee. The “termination date” is the date the termination is processed in Workday. The “last date worked” is the last date of the active appointment.

The HR Generalist should remind the graduate student they need to enroll in SSHIP using a Qualifying Event enrollment. More information on how to enroll can be found on the Student Health Plan Website.

HR Generalists can run the “Workers with other ID’s” report in Workday to identify active GAs with expired or missing Alien Work Authorization Expiration Date other ID’s. This should be done to identify any possible inaccuracies or outdated information. If updates are needed, the HR Generalist must contact the GA to complete an I-9 re-verification. This data feeds from the I-9 system to Workday.

Other related FAQs not specific to International Students

The GA would not be entitled to summer benefits as an employee because there is not a reasonable expectation that they will return to a graduate student employee benefit-eligible position in the fall. They should be terminated at the end of the spring term. For the summer, the student would be able to elect continuation coverage up to 3-months directly from AHP. In the fall, the student would also be able to enroll in benefits as a fellow when their fellowship starts.
Yes. The recommendation is to add the student worker position as an Additional Job in Workday. This will maintain the graduate student employee’s primary position as a benefit-eligible position, and the student worker position will be the additional job for the summer.
To be eligible for the waiver, ALL the conditions described in the International GA Insurance Waiver Guidelines must be met to be eligible for the waiver. This includes receiving benefits through the A&M Care Plan, J Plan or the Graduate Student Employee Health Plan. If ALL conditions are not met, the graduate student will be able to apply for the alternative health insurance waiver process through AHP.
Yes, but the student will not appear on the fall waiver reports and will be enrolled in and charged for SSHIP.

Unpaid time off is for an employee out for less than 30 days, LOA in Workday is for an employee out for more than 30 days. LOA has historically been referred to as Leave Without Pay (LWOP). With appropriate approval per HROE Leave of Absence Guidelines, an employee may go on unpaid time off or unpaid LOA for illness, injury, or for other reasons. LOA may also be appropriate when a GA is approved for an International Temporary Work Location (ITWL) that exceeds the maximum 60-day approval time for the ITWL. HR Generalists should contact the HR office (benefits@tamu.edu for A&M), if they have additional questions about handling unpaid time off, or LOA, and implications for benefits.

Employees should not be placed on leave to bypass the SGIP waiting period.

Reimbursement for students charged SSHIP during the semester while enrolled in the Graduate Student Employee Health Plan is expected in March. Spring/Summer reimbursement is expected in October/November.