TRICARE for College Students: Eligibility & Coverage Guide

*TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not the official TRICARE program or affiliated with the Department of Defense. For official policy and enrollment, visit TRICARE.mil.*

## Quick answer Most college students can remain on their parent’s TRICARE plan until age 21, or age 23 if they are enrolled full-time at an accredited university and the sponsor provides at least 50% of their financial support. After aging out of regular coverage, students may qualify for the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program until age 26.

Details

### Eligibility and the "Student Status" Extension In the eyes of TRICARE, a child usually loses eligibility at age 21. However, if the child is a full-time student at an accredited college, coverage under the parent's plan (Prime or Select) can be extended until their **23rd birthday** or graduation, whichever comes first.

To secure this extension, you must update the student’s status in the **Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)**. You will need a letter from the school registrar certifying full-time enrollment.

### Changing Regions: East vs. West If a student moves to a different region for school (e.g., from a home in the East Region managed by **Humana Military** to a college in the West Region managed by **TriWest Healthcare Alliance**), their coverage options change:

* **TRICARE Prime:** Students can keep Prime, but they must transfer their enrollment to the new region and select a Primary Care Manager (PCM) near their school. If they don't, they may face high "Point of Service" out-of-network charges. * **TRICARE Select:** This is often the most flexible choice for students. There is no PCM requirement, meaning the student can see any TRICARE-authorized provider near campus without a referral.

### TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Once a student turns 23 (or graduates/drops to part-time status after 21), they lose regular dependent coverage. They may then purchase **TRICARE Young Adult (TYA)** if they are under age 26 and not married.

**2026 Monthly Premiums (Estimated):** * **TYA Prime:** Check TRICARE.mil for current 2026 rates (Historically ~$600+/month). * **TYA Select:** Check TRICARE.mil for current 2026 rates (Historically ~$300+/month).

### Overseas Students If a student is attending university outside the United States, coverage is managed by **International SOS**. Students in this situation typically use TRICARE Select Overseas. They should ensure they have a method to pay for care upfront, as some overseas providers require immediate payment before TRICARE reimburses the claim.

## Who this affects * **Active Duty Family Members:** Children of active duty service members. * **Retiree Family Members:** Children of retired service members. * **Guard/Reserve:** Children of members using TRICARE Reserve Select. * **Survivors:** Children of deceased service members.

## Sources * **TRICARE.mil:** [Children Going to College](https://www.tricare.mil/college) * **DEERS (milConnect):** [Updating Student Status](https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/) * **TriWest Healthcare Alliance:** [West Region Student Info](https://www.triwest.com) * **Humana Military:** [East Region Coverage](https://www.humanamilitary.com)