Health Insurance for International Students in USA

International students who come to the US to study either on an F1, J1, or M1 visa require meeting their school/sponsor insurance requirement, though they can also opt for outsider insurance to save the cost of medical treatment. Dependents on F2, J2, or M2 visa holders can also consider health insurance for international students.

International students who travel to a different country to pursue higher education usually need to purchase student insurance as most schools and Universities set it as a minimum requirement. To protect you from the high medical cost in the US, many Universities will not allow you to enroll in classes unless you show proof that you have health insurance with the minimum requirements. This international student medical insurance covers you for outpatient and inpatient benefits like hospitalization, surgery, intensive care as well as prescription drugs. Some plans also cover mental health and maternity. So you get to choose a plan that covers all your needs.

The premium or cost of your health insurance is determined based on several factors like your age, the number of days you apply for coverage, the policy maximum, and the deductible you opt for. Your premium will be higher if the duration of your coverage is higher or you opt for higher coverage. The premium usually goes up with age.

For all the international students coming to the US to study, it is always advisable to buy a US health insurance plan. All the plans on Visitor Guard® are administered by companies based in the US. The international health insurance plans for students have benefits considering the high cost of medical treatment in the US. Even a minor injury can be expensive without insurance, so it will safeguard you from medical debts. Most plans have a network of providers that can bill the insurance company directly. International health insurance for international students is a requirement by most Universities to enroll in the classes. The site has a wide choice of plans to compare and select from. You can also look at the international student insurance review to see what other students are saying.

Yes, there are various plans that an F2 visa holder can consider. Usually, if the F1 visa holder has insurance in the open market (bought a plan online and not from their school), the F1 visa holder can add the F2 visa holder to the policy during application. If the F1 visa holder already has started enjoying their coverage, the F2 visa holder can choose a different plan and apply as a primary insured person. Most of the time, the F2 visa holder does not have to meet the same insurance requirement as the F1 visa holder.

You’re young and in good health. So why bother buying health insurance? 

First, you’re going to have to buy it as most Universities and colleges require you to have health insurance as an international student. Students are not allowed to register for classes without showing proof of health insurance. For students on a J visa, showing proof of minimum coverage is required while applying for a visa. And there are many important benefits to insurance for F1 students. 

International student health insurance gives you a unique combination of benefits that help you live a full and active life at college without fear of an illness or injury causing you severe financial strain. International student insurance is tailored to the student and in addition to providing standard healthcare benefits like doctors’ office visits, hospitalization, and prescriptions, it covers sports and outdoor activity, mental health, and emergency medical evacuation/ repatriation too. If you travel anywhere off the beaten path, evacuation coverage will provide peace of mind in the event of an emergency. In addition, you may need to be flown home if you suffer a serious medical condition.  You may also want to consider a visitor’s insurance plan that covers maternity expenses and pre-existing conditions. 

Some international student insurance plans also include incidental home country cover–it is a great choice when you are visiting your family back home during a break. You can renew your insurance policy if your studies take longer than expected. You can also purchase a plan that covers your entire college course, so you don’t have to worry about renewals later. 

Since students tend to be young and healthy, health insurance plans for this demographic are usually more affordable and provide more benefits than conventional health insurance plans. This will definitely help you keep to your student budget.

The University usually has an open enrollment during which students can either sign up for the school’s plan or submit a waiver form. Students need to submit the waiver form a few days before the classes begin, contact your school for specific details.

Student international health insurance provides benefits for inpatient and outpatient coverage for hospitalization, intensive care, surgery, and even prescription drugs due to an illness or injury. Plans also provide coverage for mental health, maternity, medical evacuation as well as repatriation or return of mortal remains. Some of them provide coverage for pre-existing conditions while most do not. Choose the plan that meets all your needs before buying one.

Usually, the cost of the insurance is posted on the student’s account until the enrollment or waiver requirements are satisfied. Students have to submit the waiver form a certain number of days prior to enrollment if they need to submit it. If the student does not take action to enroll or waive the school’s student insurance plan prior to the deadline, normally the student is automatically enrolled into the school’s group insurance plan and will be responsible for the full premium amount.

The student has the option to “waive” out of the school’s group plan if they have existing coverage that meets the requirements that the school deems necessary. Some fully sponsored international students may have plans purchased by their embassy or sponsor which meet the school’s insurance requirement. Other international students also may purchase insurance plans online, outside of the school’s group insurance. In such cases, the waiver form can be signed by the insurance carrier and can be submitted as proof to the school.

Prices for health insurance for international students can vary based on various factors. Your age, duration of your coverage, policy maximum, and the deductible amount you opt for- these are all factors that drive the premium. If your school needs you to submit proof of coverage for the entire number of days of the curriculum you are enrolled in, you might need to pay the premium upfront for the number of days you apply for.

Some Universities require you to buy insurance from the school only. So first, you need to check whether your school allows you to buy insurance other than the school-provided insurance. If your school permits you to buy a policy outside the school, they usually have a waiver form to be signed. You can download the waiver form from the school website and compare the plans which meet all the requirements of your school.

Alternatively, you can simply email the form to us and we can confirm which plan meets the requirements. If you do not have to meet any requirements, you can compare the plans by answering a few questions at the top of this page. And then simply choose a plan that provides you good coverage for inpatient as well as outpatient services for hospitalization, intensive care, surgery, and prescription drugs.

Universities usually accept plans that will provide the requirements as per the waiver form. You can download the waiver form from the school website and it has all the requirements you need to meet if you sign up for a plan outside of the school-provided insurance. The school usually accepts the plan once all the requirements listed on the plan are met.

The cost of health insurance for international students will change based on which plan you opt for. The premium is calculated based on the age, the number of days, policy maximum, and deductible you opt for. Simply answer these basic questions at the top of this page to get a quote.

There are many moving parts to international student insurance. Administrators, underwriters, and PPO Networks are typically the ones that you would look at. The administrators of the policies, such as IMG, Travel Insurance Services, GBG, plan the policy details like benefits, exclusions, riders, and premiums. They also provide the insurance documents to you and handle the paperwork for claims. Underwriters, such as Lloyds of London, Sirius International are responsible for making claim reimbursements. The PPO networks are networks of medical providers (doctors, hospitals, clinics, laboratories, etc.) that have a tie-up with a specific medical plan to provide direct billing and in-network rates. Some popular PPO networks are Coventry PPO, First Health Network, United Health, United Healthcare Network, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, etc. 

Many Universities offer a mandatory Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to ensure the students have adequate health care coverage. Where offered, the SHIP usually is through companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, etc. It is a comprehensive health plan that includes medical, mental health, dental, vision, and pharmacy benefits. Typically, for students enrolled in SHIP, the Student Health Center (SHC) can be the primary care provider. But the spouses and dependents (if covered under the policy) might have to use the in-network providers too.  

Most policies do not allow to make any changes like additions or changes in the policy maximum or deductible once in effect. Some of them allow the addition of your spouse or dependent living in the US. If you need to add a spouse/child to your existing insurance in the future, the contract may change to dependent coverage with a premium adjustment. If you have a student fee account, you may see a refund of an annual SINGLE coverage premium and a charge of an annual DEPENDENT coverage premium within 8 business days of adding the dependent. Some plans might require the spouse or child to buy a separate plan. 

If you need to change personal details such as your address, you only have to send an email to your plan provider. When you buy a plan online, you can view the status of your account online along with other information related to payments and claims. You may need to contact the provider to make changes once you submit your form.