Accessing Care through Vaden; Campus Health Service Fee Eligibility
The portfolio of services offered through Vaden Health Services are, with only minimal exceptions, exclusively geared toward students. Eligibility for access to these services is conveyed through assessment of a fee called the Campus Health Service Fee ("Health Fee").
The Health Fee is a mandatory, quarterly fee assessed to (most) undergraduate and graduate students, visiting student researchers, and students who participate in high school summer programs that result in course credit at Stanford. Charged on the student bill each quarter that tuition is charged, the fee covers many of the services provided through Vaden Health Services including primary care visits, short-term therapy, and health and wellness programs. It is similar to fees found at many of Stanford’s peer institutions, and it allows the university to maintain valuable health services for students.
The following general groupings of students (when enrolled on the main campus) are assessed the Health Fee and are eligible for care through Vaden Health Services:
- Undergraduates
- Graduates (including Terminal Graduate Registration)
- See exceptions below
- Professional students
- Summer session (including high school) students
- Auditors who pay tuition
- Visiting student researchers
- Permit to attend for services only (PSO) terminal undergraduates
- High school students (non-summer, if enrollment is half time or greater)
- Graduate non-matriculated study
- Other non-matriculated program students
Alert
In addition to eligibility for care through Vaden Health Services as part of assessment of the Health Fee, students are also required to maintain health insurance to cover the costs of specialty care, prescriptions, emergency care, inpatient care, and other health services. This requirement can be met either by purchasing Cardinal Care (the Stanford sponsored student health insurance plan) or an alternative insurance plan with benefits that satisfy Minimum Essential Coverage parameters and geographic requirements.
General FAQ
- Note: Information and fees are subject to change.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the Health Fee is $281 per quarter.
- The charge is included in the student's bill for each quarter that tuition is charged.
- The amount of the fee is subject to annual review and adjustment.
Vaden Health Services offers a wide array of medical, mental health, and health and well-being services, both in person and virtually, many of which are covered under the Health Fee. These include
- Primary Care Medical Services
- Medical appointments during weekday hours
- Urgently needed care during weekend and evening hours
- 24-hour telephone medical advice for urgent conditions
- Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Psychological evaluation and short-term therapy
- 24-hour crisis services
- Mental health groups and workshops
- Care management services
- Referral coordination services
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Coaching
- Sexual health and relationship consultation and education
- Events supporting health and wellness
The following services are provided in the Vaden Health Center setting, but are not covered under the Health Fee. Services are offered in the Vaden setting as a convenience to students. In most instances, charges will apply. The charge that is applicable will depend on the type of health insurance coverage the student has; the payment due at the time of service will typically range from the amount of an insurance copay to the full cost of the service. In some instances, students might be able to recapture some or all of the cost if the service is covered by their private health insurance.
- Pharmacy prescriptions and other medications
- Physical Therapy treatment
- Travel Clinic visits and vaccinations
- Immunization and Injection Clinic services *
- Immunizations and tests to meet Stanford’s entrance medical requirements *
- Long term therapy at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Psychiatric medication management at CAPS
- Forms for employment, special programs, or other purposes
- Medical specialty visits (those offered at Vaden Health Center currently include Optometry and Eating Disorder Care)
- Vaden Health Center has an on site draw station. Most laboratory specimens collected at Vaden are sent to Quest Diagnostics for analysis. (Analyses for some tests are by performed Stanford Health Care.) The cost of the analysis will be billed to insurance (by the service provider) and may result in out-of-pocket costs.
- Radiology images taken in the Vaden setting (the ‘technical’ service) are typically then read/interpreted by a Stanford Health Care Radiologist (the ‘professional’ service). The cost of the interpretation will be billed to insurance (by the service provider) and may result in out-of-pocket costs.
* Some exceptions apply
Campus Health Service Fee ("Health Fee") FAQ
You never know when you might need care, and, to be equitable, the university applies the fee to all students who have tuition and are enrolled on the main campus. This approach is preferable to charging a fee at the time of service, which could deter students from seeking care when they really need it.
The Health Fee is assessed to all enrolled students who have a tuition charge on their account. An exemption from the fee may be requested by enrolled students who are living outside the nine Bay Area counties for the entire quarter and who therefore cannot easily access Vaden Health Center. The Bay Area is defined as Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties. To request an exemption, the "Vaden Campus Health Service Fee Exemption Request" eForm must be completed and submitted via Axess. The eForm solicits answers to several questions to confirm eligibility for the exemption. Please note that exemption requests will be considered for the current academic year only. Exemption requests for previous academic years will not be granted for any reason.
The Health Fee is charged to students enrolled on the main Stanford campus. While enrolled at another Stanford campus, you will not be assessed the Health Fee, even though you may be paying other Stanford charges, such as tuition. This is true of students enrolled in Bing Overseas Studies Program and Bing Stanford in Washington, and of those studying at the Hopkins Marine Station.
If you are enrolled, and have a tuition charge on your account, you will be charged the fee. But, you may request an exemption (see above).
The best place to obtain current information about university resources to assist with financial hardship is the university’s Financial Aid Office. Options for aid change and students’ circumstances differ, so Vaden staff may not be the best resource.
It depends on the source and type of support you receive. Some departments and some sources of funding will cover the fee, but many will not. Please consult with your department's student services administrator.
Please check with the Financial Aid Office on this question. In most instances, if the fee is a mandatory fee, the costs are included in the calculation of your eligibility for loans.
Yes. The Campus Health Service Fee will be included in your Cost of Attendance used to calculate financial aid eligibility.
No. Cardinal Care and the Campus Health Service Fee cover two distinct sets of services, and they do not overlap. As health insurance, Cardinal Care works to help cover students’ needs beyond the core services provided under the Health Fee. (Cardinal Care is used for services such as specialty, emergency and inpatient care, and for obtaining prescriptions to name a few).
No, you will not be assessed the fee if you are unregistered for classes in Summer Quarter unless you present at Vaden for care. (A Summer Access Charge, equal to the amount of the Health Fee, will be charged if you access Vaden for care in Summer Quarter.)
Yes. The Campus Health Service Fee covers the cost of most services at Vaden Health Center, regardless of the type of health insurance coverage a student has. Students need private insurance (or Cardinal Care, the university-sponsored insurance plan) to cover the cost of services offered at Vaden but not covered by the Health Fee (e.g., pharmacy, physical therapy, etc.) and other services, such as hospitalization, that Vaden does not provide.
No. Vaden Health Center does not bill private insurance carriers for primary care visits, or any of the other services covered under the Health Fee.
Effective September 1, 2026, when Vaden transitions to become a Stanford Health Care clinic, billing to in network third party payors for services NOT covered under the Health Fee will be possible. Be sure to carry your insurance card with you!
The Health Fee is billed quarterly and is not prorated.
Yes. Students who are not required to pay the Campus Health Service Fee may use services at Vaden Health Center through assessment of an Access Charge (same amount as the Health Fee). A request to have the Access Charge added for in-person or telehealth services can be submitted through the Service-Now ticketing system. (Note - Vaden providers are not licensed to provide telehealth care for students who are outside of California.)
Yes. Pharmacy services are not covered by the Health Fee. Pharmacy charges, like some other services at Vaden, are the student’s responsibility. Walgreens at Vaden, the on-site pharmacy at Vaden Health Center, will charge in network insurances. (Payment of the Health Fee is not needed to use the pharmacy.)
No. Spouses and other dependents are not charged the fee and are not eligible for services at Vaden. Dependents who have coverage through the Stanford Student Dependent Health Insurance Plan (‘Dependent Care’) should access care through a networked provider to minimize out-of-pocket costs. (Dependents may use the Walgreens at Vaden pharmacy.)
If you have additional questions about the Campus Health Service Fee, please submit a ServiceNow ticket.