Scholars & Interns

J-1 SCHOLAR & STUDENT INTERN INSURANCE

As J-1 Exchange Visitors you are required to maintain health insurance coverage for you and your dependents throughout your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. Even if you are currently outside the U.S., if your J status is "active", you must have health insurance.

What are the Insurance Requirements for J-1 Exchange Visitors?

According to the U.S. Department of State and  22 CFR 62.14, all exchange visitors (both J-1 principals and J-2 dependents) are required to have sickness and accident insurance and medical evacuation and repatriation insurance in effect for the duration of their exchange visitor program.

As J-1 Exchange Visitors you are required to maintain health insurance coverage for you and your J-2 dependents throughout your J Exchange Visitor Program. Please check Minimum Insurance Coverage Requirements below for additional information.

Please be aware that failure to comply with the J-1 insurance requirements will result in status violation and SEVIS termination for J-1 and J-2 visa holders.

When should my insurance coverage start?

J-1 and J-2 Exchange Visitors are required to maintain insurance coverage for their entire program duration, from the Program Start Date to the Program End Date on their DS-2019.

It is highly recommended that you purchase an insurance plan from one of the A&M ISSS approved Health Insurance Providers once you make travel plans.

The insurance coverage start date should be on or before the Program Start Date on your DS-2019.

If you want to extend your J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, you will also need to extend your insurance coverage.

Texas A&M University and TAMU System Employees

If you are eligible for benefits through Texas A&M University or the Texas A&M University System, then you will receive employee health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas. You can also add extra benefits for dental, vision, and hearing. Click here to learn more.

Most of the time, there is a waiting period before your employee health insurance benefits start. Talk to your Human Resources representative if you are not sure.

If there is a waiting period, you must secure health insurance coverage through A&M ISSS approved Health Insurance Providers before your employee health insurance starts.

Non-Employee Visitors

If you will not be employed by TAMU/System or you are ineligible to receive benefits, then you’ll need to get health insurance through other providers for the duration of your J-1 program. The insurance policy can be from your home country or the U.S. (or a mixture of both), as long as it meets the minimum requirements.

If you will not be employed by TAMU/System or you are ineligible to receive benefits, then you’ll need to get health insurance through other providers for the duration of your J-1 program.

We recommend the insurance policy be purchased from one of the A&M ISSS recommended Health Insurance Providers.

Minimum Insurance Coverage Requirements

Per 22 CFR 62.14, the minimum coverage requirements for your health insurance coverage must include:

Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per person, per accident or illness.
Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000.
Expenses associated with medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to their home country in the amount of $50,000.
Deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.
Co-insurance not to exceed 25% of the expenses occurred per accident or illness.
The policy must be backed by:
- The full faith and credit of your home country government OR
- The company providing the insurance must meet one of the minimum rating requirements established by the U.S. Department of State:
  - an A.M. Best rating of “A−” or above;
  - a McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of “A−” or above;
  - a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of “B + ” or above;
  - a Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of “A−” or above;
  - a Moody's Investor Services rating of “A3” or above;
- Part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor OR
- Offered through or underwritten by a federally qualified Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or eligible Competitive Medical Plan (CMP) as determined by the Health Care Financing Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Note about taxes: Insurance policies may also need to meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements based on your individual tax status. This tax status would determine if you must pay a penalty to the IRS for not having ACA-compliant insurance. If you have further questions, you can consult Sprintax or another tax professional service. Nonimmigrants who are nonresidents for tax purposes are required to file a tax return for any tax year they were physically present in the U.S. (even if they did not work).

List of Health Insurance Providers

ISSS has provided a list of some insurance companies that have policies tailored to meet the requirements of international visitors (this list is not exhaustive). ISSS strongly encourages you to research which policy is the best for you and your family before buying an insurance plan. Please note that most insurance companies don’t provide coverage for pregnancy.

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