The University of Oregon is offering a new tuition insurance plan through a partnership with GradGuard, a college-expense insurance company, the school announced today in a campus-wide email. UO’s program “broadens the scope” of UO’s preexisting refund schedule.
The plan — which covers a single academic term at a time but can cover the entire school year — guarantees that students will be reimbursed for tuition, room and board, and other fees if they withdraw from the term because of certain medical reasons, such as illnesses, accidents or issues related to mental health.
But UO’s new insurance plan won’t refund students who withdraw “due to fear of the presence of COVID-19.”
In the event of a medical emergency, GradGuard also covers transportation to a medical facility or a student’s home, family travel arrangements if a student requires hospitalization, and returning a student’s vehicle to their place of residence if required, according to GradGuard’s UO insurance webpage. In light of COVID-19, the company now provides 24/7/365 coverage.
The insurance program is optional, but the university expresses its “hope [that] this option will provide additional peace of mind for our students and families as we enter a new school year.” UO is not imbursed if students choose to pay for GradGuard insurance.
Students and families can purchase insurance plans for fall term until midnight on Sept. 28.