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International Student Services

Exchange Visitor Insurance Requirement

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 status. 22 C.F.R. § 62.14

In compliance with immigration regulation 22 C.F.R. § 62.14, for J exchange visitors, BYU–Hawaii requires all enrolled students to show proof of health insurance coverage (receipts, contracts etc.) to International Student Services at internationalstudent@byuh.edu.

  • You will be eligible for Student Medical Benefit only if you are attending BYU–Hawaii on a full-time basis which means you are taking 12 or more credits.
  • If you plan to apply for annual leave, you are required to enroll in the BYU–Hawaii Student Medical Benefit.
  • If you plan to go back to your home country or another country for your Internship/AT or OPT, you need to submit a confirmed flight itinerary to Beth Martin for verification. beth.martin@byuh.edu or (808) 675-3512
  • If you plan to do an internship, pre-completion academic training (AT) or curricular practical training (CPT), you will be covered by the Student Medical Benefit; however, you need to inform the Health Services to ensure duration of coverage.
  • However if you have graduated and still have AT or OPT to do, you must use a third-party insurance. At the bottom of this page is a list of insurance companies who have the same type of coverage as the SMB.
  • IF YOUR AT/OPT IS PARTIALLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY, YOU MUST HAVE A THIRD PARTY INSURANCE TO COVER YOUR IN COUNTRY PORTION OF YOUR AT.

NOTE: You must present proof of your coverage to Beth Martin and to the International Student Services office.

    To ensure that individuals coming to the U.S. under the J Exchange Visitor Program have adequate health insurance, the U.S. Department of State has stipulated these minimum standards:

    • Medical benefit of at least $100,000 per person per accident or illness.
    • Deductible that does not exceed $500 per accident or illness.
    • Coverage of pre-existing conditions after a reasonable waiting period.
    • J patient cannot be required to pay more to exceed 25% medical costs. 
    • Minimum medical evacuation expenses in the amount of $50,000.
    • Minimum repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000.
    • The insurance company must meet minimum industry rating requirements (an A. M. Best rating of 'A-' or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of 'A-i' or above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of 'A-' or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above).  

    If you require third party insurance while doing your AT/OPT, here are a few companies that you may contact to purchase Health Insurance that meet the standards mentioned above: