Effective Spring 2011, all Rice-sponsored F and J visa international students are required to enroll in either 1) Rice student health plan by Aetna or 2) Rice-approved alternate plan by Wellfleet.
Exceptions to the policy are made only if one of these three (3) specific criteria is met (supporting documentation required):
- The student is no longer on a Rice-sponsored F-1 or J-1 student visa
- The student is a government-sponsored student with insurance from home
- The student is currently residing abroad engaging in approved research/study abroad
Exception request process
Student must submit documentation supporting the request that meets one of the criteria indicated above to the Office of International Students and Scholars. No other exceptions are made. The OISS will review and grant an exemption, if appropriate, to the International Student Health Insurance Policy and will notify the Rice Student Insurance office.
Exemptions are granted for one academic term only based on current circumstances and do not imply a waiver for future academic terms.
Students who have been exempted from the International Student Health Insurance Policy must still adhere to Rice’s standard health insurance policy and meet Rice’s standard minimum requirements for health insurance. This includes maintaining health insurance for themselves and their dependents in the U.S., as applicable, throughout the duration of their stay and maintaining Medical Evacuation & Repatriation coverage (supplemental plans are available if a health plan does not include this coverage). Maintaining health insurance is each student’s individual responsibility.
If the exemption from the International Student Health Insurance Policy is granted, students must visit http://studenthealthinsurance.rice.edu to submit the Health Insurance Waiver that meets the minimum waiver standards for all exempt students. After students submit proof of appropriate coverage via the waiver and it is approved, the Bursar’s office removes the Aetna insurance charge from the student bill.
Background
Rice Student Insurance Policy states that all degree-seeking students at Rice University are required to meet the minimum levels of health insurance coverage as determined by the university and to show proof of coverage before registering for classes.
Just as Rice provides a quality education to all of its students, it must provide quality health insurance options for its students. Unknowingly, many students have chosen health insurance plans that have given little or no protection to the international students or their families. Costs for unexpected medical / health needs have caused extensive problems to the students, their families, and other loved ones. Part of the cost of an education in the USA is a health insurance program that provides appropriate coverage. As such, Rice designed its International Student Health Insurance Policy to safeguard its international students and mirrors many universities' policies for international students for the same reasons.
Health insurance is part of the standard cost of living expenses. Via the Student Intake Form, Rice's F-1 and J-1 visa international students have already certified that they have the funding necessary to cover the required insurance costs and that they understand that tuition, fees, and health insurance must be paid prior to registration at Rice University. The proof of funding was provided in accordance with U.S. immigration laws in order to obtain the appropriate immigration documents to study at Rice (I-20 form for F-1 students or DS-2019 form for J-1 students).
While F and J students must enroll in either the 1) Rice Aetna plan or 2) Approved Wellfleet plan, they are welcome to enroll in more than one insurance plan if they choose (examples: home country and Rice's plan, parent's company plan and Rice's plan, etc.) and coordinate benefits, if that best meets their needs.
Details of the international student insurance plans may be found at https://oiss.rice.edu/studenthealth.