TRICARE for College Students: 2026 Guide | TRICARE.com

TRICARE guide for college students: How to update DEERS, extend coverage to age 23, and choose between Prime and Select for 2026.

TRICARE for College Students: 2026 Guide

*TRICARE.com is an independent reference site and is not a government agency. For official policy and enrollment, visit [TRICARE.mil](https://www.tricare.mil).*

When a military dependent heads to college, they generally remain eligible for TRICARE coverage until age 21, or age 23 if enrolled full-time at an approved institution. While the eligibility continues, your **health plan options and costs** may change based on where the school is located and whether the student moves out of their current TRICARE region.

## What changes Going to college is a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Because the student is likely moving to a new address, you have 90 days from the move to change their TRICARE plan or primary care manager (PCM). Students attending school away from home may need to switch from TRICARE Prime to TRICARE Select to avoid the hassle of obtaining referrals for every off-campus visit, or they may need to transfer their Prime enrollment to a new region (East or West).

## What to do — checklist 1. **Update DEERS (Immediate):** Visit a RAPIDS ID card office or use [milConnect](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/) to update the student’s new residential address. This triggers the 90-day QLE window. 2. **Verify Full-Time Status (Before age 21):** To keep coverage until age 23, you must provide a letter from the school’s registrar certifying full-time enrollment in an associate's degree or higher. Upload this via milConnect or bring it to an ID card office. 3. **Evaluate Coverage Options (Within 90 days of move):** * **Keep Prime:** Only if the school is in a Prime Service Area (PSA) and you assign a new PCM near campus. * **Switch to Select:** Recommended for students going to school outside a PSA or out-of-state. This allows them to see any TRICARE-authorized provider without a referral. 4. **Transfer Regions (If applicable):** If the school is in the opposite region (e.g., student moves from Virginia/East to California/West), contact the new contractor (**Humana Military** for East, **TriWest** for West) to transfer enrollment. 5. **Set Up Pharmacy Access:** Update the student’s address with **Express Scripts** so maintenance medications are shipped to the dorm or a local pharmacy. 6. **Review School Health Plans:** Most colleges require health insurance. You can often waive the expensive school-sponsored plan by providing proof of TRICARE coverage (available via milConnect).

## Common pitfalls * **Missing the 21st Birthday Cutoff:** If the registrar’s letter isn't in DEERS before the student turns 21, their coverage will automatically terminate. It is difficult to reinstate retroactively. * **Staying on Prime outside a PSA:** If a student stays on Prime but moves to an area without Prime PSCs, they will likely be forced to use "Point of Service" (POS) care, which results in a 50% cost-share for 2026. * **Ignoring the Waiver Deadline:** If you don't proactively waive the college’s internal health plan by their deadline, the school will automatically bill your tuition account (often $2,000+ per year). * **Forgetting Pharmacy Refills:** If the student is on maintenance meds, ensure they aren't still being sent to the parents' house. Update the "Home Delivery" address with Express Scripts immediately.

## Sources * TRICARE.mil: [Going to College](https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/College) * milConnect: [DEERS Updates](https://milconnect.dmdc.osd.mil/) * Humana Military (East): [humanamilitary.com](https://www.humanamilitary.com/) * TriWest Healthcare Alliance (West): [triwest.com](https://www.triwest.com/)