BU Student Health Won’t Give You a Sick Note? Here’s How to Get One (And Covered by SHIP)

It is a scenario every Boston University student faces eventually.

You wake up with a fever, a migraine, or severe food poisoning. You miss your mandatory CAS writing seminar or a COM lab. You email your professor to explain, and they reply with a standard, rigid demand: "Please provide a medical note from Student Health Services to excuse this absence."

So, you drag yourself to Student Health Services (SHS) on Commonwealth Ave, wait for an appointment, and ask for a note.

And then they tell you the bad news: "We don't write excuse notes."

It feels like a trap. The university requires you to have a note to save your grade, but the university clinic refuses to give you one. You are stuck in a bureaucratic loop between a strict professor and a "hands-off" health center, and your GPA is the collateral damage.

This guide will explain exactly why BU’s system works this way, how to navigate the confusing Aetna Student Health (SHIP) benefits to get care elsewhere, and the smartest way to get the documentation you need without going broke.

Part 1: The "No Note" Policy Explained

Boston University’s Student Health Services has an explicit policy regarding "Medical Excuses." To quote their website directly:

"SHS staff cannot write a note to a professor to excuse you from a class or exam due to illness. Students are encouraged to reach out on their own and discuss individual circumstances with their professor."

Why do they do this?

SHS argues that they want to treat students like adults. In the "real world," you don't bring a doctor's note to your boss every time you have a cold. They also want to prevent the clinic from being flooded with healthy students who just want a piece of paper.

The Problem: Your Professor Didn't Get the Memo

While SHS treats you like an adult, many professors—especially in large introductory courses or strict departments—still run their classrooms like high schools. They have strict attendance policies (e.g., "More than 2 unexcused absences = one letter grade deduction").

When you tell them, "SHS wouldn't give me a note," they often don't care. They mark the absence as unexcused. If this happens during a midterm or final, you could receive a zero.

The Loophole:
SHS will give you a "Proof of Visit" receipt. Some professors accept this. But if you were sick in bed and didn't go to SHS because there were no appointments available, you have zero proof.

Part 2: The "Insurance Trap" – Aetna SHIP & Urgent Care

If SHS won't help, your next thought is: "I'll just go to CityMD or CVS MinuteClinic."

This is a good idea, but you must be extremely careful. Most BU students are on the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). While it is excellent insurance, it operates like an HMO for students on the Charles River Campus.

The Referral Requirement (The $300 Mistake)

For general medical care outside of SHS, you typically need a referral.

If you wake up sick and walk into a random Urgent Care in Brookline or Allston without a referral, Aetna may deny the claim.
* With Referral: You pay a small copay (usually $25 - $50).
* Without Referral: You might be responsible for 100% of the bill. An urgent care visit can easily cost $200 - $350 out of pocket.

Exception: True "Emergency" care usually doesn't require a referral. However, insurance companies are strict about what defines an emergency. A sore throat is not an emergency.

CVS MinuteClinic (The Retail Option)

Since Aetna and CVS are part of the same company, MinuteClinics are generally friendlier to Aetna plans. However, you are still rolling the dice on the referral rules depending on your specific plan year details.
* Cost: If covered, the copay is usually around $25.
* Wait Time: You often have to book an appointment online, and slots fill up fast during flu season.

Part 3: Cost-Benefit Analysis (Where Should You Go?)

Let's break down the math of getting a sick note at BU.

Option A: Student Health Services (SHS)

• Cost: $0 (Covered by tuition/fees).
• Result: You get treatment, but NO EXCUSE NOTE. You get a "receipt" that says you were there, but it does not verify that you were "medically incapacitated."
• Verdict: Useless for strict professors.

Option B: Off-Campus Urgent Care (e.g., CityMD / Carbon Health)

• Cost: $25 - $50 Copay (IF you get a referral first). $200+ (IF you forget the referral).
• Result: You get a legitimate doctor's note.
• Hassle: You have to call SHS to get a referral (which involves sitting on hold), then travel to the clinic, then wait in a waiting room.
• Verdict: High risk, high effort, but gets the job done.

Option C: The Emergency Room (BMC / Beth Israel)

• Cost: $150 - $300 Copay (even with insurance).
• Result: Ironclad documentation.
• Verdict: Do not do this unless you are dying. It is too expensive and wastes hospital resources.

Part 4: The Smarter Solution – Havellum

There is a fourth option that bypasses the SHS "no note" policy and the Aetna SHIP "referral trap."

Havellum is designed to solve exactly this administrative problem.

Why BU Students Choose Havellum

1. No Referral Needed (Risk-Free)
   Because Havellum operates on a transparent flat-fee model, we do not bill your Aetna SHIP insurance. This means you do not need to call SHS for a referral. You completely eliminate the risk of getting hit with a surprise $300 bill because you went "Out of Network" or forgot to get permission. You know exactly what you are paying upfront.

2. We Actually Write Notes
   Unlike SHS, which refuses to write excuse notes as a matter of policy, Havellum’s licensed professionals understand that universities require documentation. If our medical assessment confirms you are unfit for class, we provide a Medical Certificate that explicitly states you were under medical care and unable to attend academic activities. This is exactly what your strict professor is asking for.

3. Speed (Save Your Energy)
   When you have the flu, walking from West Campus to SHS or taking the T to an Urgent Care is miserable. Havellum allows you to complete an assessment from your dorm bed. You receive your digital certificate via email, often within hours.

4. 100% Verifiable
   BU takes academic integrity seriously. A fake note is a fast track to the Dean's office.

5. Legitimacy: Havellum certificates are signed by real, licensed healthcare professionals.
6. Verification: Every certificate includes a unique link. If your professor is skeptical, they can click the link to verify the document's authenticity instantly. This creates a "trust bridge" that handwritten notes often lack.

Conclusion

Don't let BU's conflicting policies ruin your semester.
* If you need treatment for a serious condition, go to SHS (it's free!).
* If you need documentation to excuse an absence, skip the referral headache and the "no note" policy.

Get your legitimate, verifiable medical certificate today at Havellum.com. Save your grade, protect your wallet, and get back to resting.