It is strongly recommended that all scholars purchase sufficient entry-to-exit health insurance coverage, as health care in the U.S. is very expensive. In addition, J-1 scholars and their J-2 dependents are required to have health insurance for the duration of their program and provide proof of coverage to OISS in order to maintain their valid immigration status.
- Minimum requirements for health insurance under J-1 regulations
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- Medical benefits of at least $100,000 for each accident or illness (a higher benefit is better)
- Medical evacuation in the amount of $50,000, should you need to be sent home on the advice of a doctor
- Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000, should you die while in the U.S.
- Coverage must include the semester for which you are at Rice University
- Minimum 75% coverage for each accident or illness
- Maximum deductible of $500 per condition per plan year
- A pre-existing “wait period” limitation of no more than six months
- The policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of home country government (for those covered by their home country's national insurance plan), or the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by the U.S. government (an A.M. Best rating of "A-" or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-1" or above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above).
- Policy must be in English
- All exchange visitors and any accompanying dependents may also be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (22 CFR 62.14(a))
Options to meet the legal requirements for J visa holders
Rice-sponsored J visa holders can choose from 4 options to meet the legal visa requirements:
1. Rice benefits plan through Aetna + supplemental medical evacuation and repatriation (ME&R) coverage through Betins (+ ISI short-term coverage for interim period, if applicable)
⚠️ Please note that Academic Visitors are not benefits eligible and therefore not eligible for option #1.
2. IFS/PSI insurance plan for Rice scholars: This option is not available if you have J-2 dependents
3. ISI International Student Health Insurance, 4 options only: "Student Journey Lite," "Student Journey Plus," "Student Secure Select," and "Student Secure Elite." The “Select” and “Elite” options do not cover J-2 dependents.
4. ISO J1 Exchange Plan
All 4 options meet the minimum J requirements, and only these options will be accepted for immigration purposes. You’re welcome to enroll in additional insurance plans if you choose to, in addition to what is required above to meet your individual needs.
Option 1) Rice Benefits Plan through Aetna Insurance, only for Rice Benefits Eligible Employees
- General Information
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Under the Rice benefits plan through Aetna, the Rice employee pays a portion of the health insurance charges, and Rice University pays another portion. Currently, the Aetna Memorial Hermann ACO and the Aetna Select HMO options are accepted for J immigration purposes.
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains (ME&R), which are required for J visas, are not covered by any of the Rice benefits plans through Aetna. Therefore, when choosing the Aetna plan, Rice employees with J Exchange Visitor visas will also have to purchase a supplemental Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains coverage from another insurance company: Betins, https://www.betins.com.
The Rice Aetna plans start on the first day of each month. Employees with an employment start date on the first day of the month can enroll in Aetna any day of that month. Employees with an employment start date other than the 1st of the month will be able to enroll in Aetna the following month and will have to purchase one of the approved ISI insurance plans for the interim period between their program start date and the start date of their Aetna plan.
To meet J visa requirements:
Step 1: Check your Rice program start date. If your program at Rice starts on the first of the month, you may move directly to step 2.
If your start date at Rice is anything other than the 1st of the month, enroll in one of the approved ISI insurance plans to cover you and your dependents for the interim period until your Rice Aetna plan starts.
Step 2: Enroll in one of the Rice benefits plans through Aetna (Click on "Medical Plans" for Aetna Memorial Hermann ACO or Aetna Select HMO options only)
Step 3: Purchase Beta supplemental Medical Evacuation & Repatriation Plan - Estimated Charges
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Estimated Aetna Insurance Charges as of July 2025 (all fees subject to change)
Rice Plan (For Benefits-Eligible Employees only)
Scholar only $68-$108/month
With spouse $244-$387/month
With children $213-$337/month
With family (spouse and children) $415-$657/month - How to Enroll
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Step 1: Check your Rice program start date. If your program at Rice starts on the first of the month, you may move directly to step 2.
If your Rice employment start date is other than the 1st of the month, purchase one of the approved ISI insurance plans online:
1. Visit the Rice University custom page on the ISI Website: Go to https://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/school_requirements/6937/Rice_University_-_J_Scholars.html
2. Select Your Plan: Compare and review benefits and choose from the "Select" or "Elite" plans if you need coverage only for yourself. If you also need coverage for your J-2 dependents, click on the "Student Journey Lite" or "Student Journey Plus" plans instead. Both the J-1 and J-2 visa holders can enroll in these two plans..
3. Get a Quote and purchase the plan after reviewing. Click "Get a quote" or "Buy now" to complete the application process.
4. Make Payment: Payment can be made through major credit or debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express).
Step 2: Enroll online either in the Aetna Memorial Hermann ACO or the Aetna Select HMO plan through the Office of Human Resources (HR) here. You will be able to enroll only after you check in with HR. You can use Single Sign On (SSO) with your NetID and password to log in to the iO system. Please go to the Me Tab, Benefits, Add any eligible dependents under People to Cover, and enroll in one of the two approved plans.
Step 3: Enroll in a supplemental Medical Evacuation & Repatriation plan through Betins electronically:
1. Go to https://www.betins.com/
2. Click on the Evacuation circle (at the bottom of the page)
3. Click on Beta Scholastic
4. Click on Quote This Plan
5. Enter your information and click Next
6. Your quote should be approximately $45 for one year of coverage - Providing Insurance Proof to OISS
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Instructions on how to provide OISS proof of your enrollment in ISI, if applicable
- Secure proof of enrollment. Please note that only the "Student Secure Select” and “Student Secure Elite” options will be accepted.
- Continuing J-1 Scholars: Upload your health insurance documents at https://bit.ly/J-insurance. Make sure the file name includes your legal name, as documents that cannot be identified will be discarded.
- New J-1 Scholars: Upload the health insurance documents in the OISS Portal as part of your check-in process.
Instructions on how to provide OISS proof of your enrollment in Aetna and Betins
- To obtain proof of enrollment in the Rice Benefits Plan through Aetna:
- Log in your iO account (http://io.rice.edu/) via Single Sign On (SSO) with your NetID and password (please note you will have access to your iO account only after you check in with HR)
- Go to Me
- Go to Benefits
- Click on Your Benefits box
- Click on Rice Employee Benefits in blue. You can change the date to the first of the following month if that is the effective date of your benefits.
- Print report as PDF file
- To obtain medical evacuation and repatriation supplemental coverage through BETINS, please go to http://www.betins.com/.
- Continuing J-1 Scholars: Upload proof of Aetna enrollment and a copy of your Medical Evacuation and Repatriation insurance at https://bit.ly/J-insurance. Make sure the file name includes your legal name, as documents that cannot be identified will be discarded.
- New J-1 Scholars: Upload the health insurance documents in the OISS Portal as part of your check-in process.
Option 2) IFS/PSI Insurance Plan for Rice Scholars
- General Information
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If you are an unpaid Academic Visitor or are not considered eligible for Rice benefits, you may choose to enroll in the IFS/PSI Alternate Insurance Plan to cover yourself. Please note that this option is not available if you have J-2 dependents.
For any specific questions, additional information, and assistance, please contact the insurance representatives directly:
Enrollment Questions: Pinnacle Student Insurance: 877-626-0360
Nancy Braun – Phone: 877-626-0360; email nancyb@psihealthplans.com
Benefits and Claims Questions: http://www.psihealthplans.com/Rice
Claims: UnitedHealthcare Student Resources Int'l, P.O. Box 809025 Dallas, TX 75380-9025
Claims Phone Number: 1-888-251-6253
Preferred Provider Network: UnitedHealthcare Choice Plus PPO
The plan is administered through IFS/PSI, your local insurance broker. IFS stands for Insurance For Students and PSI is Pinnacle Student Insurance.
Plan information can be viewed at www.psihealthplans.com/Rice. - Estimated Charges
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Estimated IFS/PSI Insurance Charges as of July 2025 (all fees subject to change)
The plan is paid on a daily rate of $5.01. When enrolling online and keying in coverage dates, the system will calculate the premium based on this daily rate for J-1 scholars only. This insurance option is not available for scholars with J-2 dependents.
- How to Enroll
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To enroll yourself online, please go to https://www.psihealthplans.com/Rice. Click on "Students," enter "Rice University," and select "I am an exchange visitor" under "Student Type," then click "Set." After that, please select your requested coverage dates.
If your entire program at Rice lasts for only one month or less, you can purchase coverage for one month.
You will need to pay with a credit card. The posted daily rate is $5.01 with a transaction fee of $0.20. The posted annual rate is $1,831 with a $73.24 transaction fee.
For any specific questions, additional information, and assistance with enrollment, please contact Nancy Braun (Phone: 877-626-0360; email nancyb@psihealthplans.com).
NOTE: If your program falls into 2 different Academic Plan Years, please work directly with the insurance company for enrollment. For more information, please contact Nancy Braun (Phone: 877-626-0360; email nancyb@psihealthplans.com). - Providing Insurance Proof to OISS
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Instructions on how to provide OISS proof of your IFS/PSI enrollment
- Enroll online and pay the premium via credit card. Once insurance is active, you’ll receive an email from UnitedHealthcare Student Resources letting you know that the ID card is available. Then you can log in to create an account through the website to receive the ID card, and download the "Certificate of Coverage" which you’ll need to submit to OISS.
- Continuing J-1 Scholars: Upload your health insurance documents at https://bit.ly/J-insurance. Make sure the file name includes your legal name, as documents that cannot be identified will be discarded.
- New J-1 Scholars: Upload the health insurance documents in the OISS Portal as part of your check-in process.
Option 3) ISI Alternate Insurance Plan
- General Information
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If you are an unpaid Academic Visitor, or are not considered eligible for Rice benefits, you may choose to enroll in one of the approved 4 options with International Student Insurance: 1) "Student Secure Select", 2) "Student Secure Elite" or, if you have dependents, 3) "Student Journey Lite" and 4) "Student Journey Plus"
For any specific questions, additional information and assistance, please contact the insurance company directly:
• Toll-Free (U.S. & Canada): +1 (877) 758-4391
• International: +1 (904) 758-4391
• Email: info@internationalstudentinsurance.com
• Live Chat: Available on their website during business hours. - Estimated Charges
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Estimated ISI Insurance Charges as of July 2025
Pricing details are highly variable based on age and length of coverage.
Student Secure Select Plan Pricing:
• For an 18-year-old: $109.44 for one month, $51.30 for 15 days
• For a 30-year-old: $555.52 for one month
• For a 40-year-old: $987.84 for one month
Student Secure Elite Plan Pricing:
• For an 18-year-old: $187.20 for one month, $87.75 for 15 days
• For a 30-year-old: $900.48 for one month
• For a 40-year-old: $1,590.72 for one month
Student Journey Lite and Plus:
• 12-24 years old: Lite $30; Plus $48
• 25-29 years old: Lite $53; Plus $93
• 30-64 years old: Lite $96; Plus $195
• Dependent: Lite $194; Plus $446 - How to Enroll
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1. Visit the Rice University custom page on the ISI Website: Go to https://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/school_requirements/6937/Rice_University_-_J_Scholars.html
2. Select Your Plan: Compare and review benefits and choose from the "Select" or "Elite" plans if you need coverage only for yourself. If you also need coverage for your J-2 dependents, click on the Student Journey Lite or Student Journey Plus plans instead. J-1 and J-2 visa holders can both enroll in these two plans.
3. Get a Quote and purchase the plan: After reviewing, click "Get a quote" or "Buy now" to complete the application process.
4. Make Payment: Payment can be made through major credit or debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express) - Providing Insurance Proof to OISS
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Instructions on how to provide OISS proof of your enrollment and coverage information of the ISI alternate insurance plan
- Secure proof of enrollment. Please note that only the Student Secure "Select" and or "Elite," or, if you have dependents, the Student Journey Lite and Student Journey Plus options will be accepted.
- Continuing J-1 Scholars: Upload your health insurance documents at https://bit.ly/J-insurance. Make sure the file name includes your legal name, as documents that cannot be identified will be discarded.
- New J-1 Scholars: Upload the health insurance documents in the OISS Portal as part of your check-in process.
Option 4) ISO J1 Exchange Alternate Insurance Plan
- General Information
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If you are an unpaid Academic Visitor, or are not considered eligible for Rice benefits, you may choose to enroll yourself and your J-2 dependents in one of the approved 2 options with ISO: 1) "J1 Exchange", or 2) "J1 Exchange Superior"
For any specific questions, additional information and assistance, please contact the insurance company directly:
• Phone: +1 800-244-1180; +1 212-262-8922
• Email: customercare@isoa.org
• Live Chat: Available on their website during business hours. - Estimated Charges
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Estimated ISO Insurance Charges as of July 2025
These plans have a minimum enrollment period of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months.
Monthly Rates:
• 12-24 years old: J1 Exchange $39; J1 Exchange Superior $58
• 25-29 years old: J1 Exchange $56; J1 Exchange Superior $88
• 30-64 years old: J1 Exchange $89; J1 Exchange Superior $115
• Child: J1 Exchange $96; J1 Exchange Superior $137
• Spouse: J1 Exchange $380; J1 Exchange Superior $747 - How to Enroll
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To enroll yourself and your J-2 dependents online, go to https://www.isoa.org/j1_plans. Compare and review the benefits and click on the "Buy now" link of the selected plan.
- Providing Insurance Proof to OISS
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Instructions on how to provide OISS proof of your enrollment and coverage information of the ISO alternate insurance plan
- Secure proof of enrollment. Please note that only the J1 Exchange and J1 Exchange Superior plans will be accepted.
- Continuing J-1 Scholars: Upload your health insurance documents at https://bit.ly/J-insurance. Make sure the file name includes your legal name, as documents that cannot be identified will be discarded.
- New J-1 Scholars: Upload the health insurance documents in the OISS Portal as part of your check-in process.
Dental and eye examinations
The health insurance fees listed above may not include routine dental and eye examinations or charges for dental work and eyeglasses. The normal charge for a full dental exam is about $150. Eye examinations cost about $250. Glasses can cost $150 or more.