(Please see our Health Insurance Options and Insurance Enrollment pages.)
Portland State University is committed to providing an environment that fosters academic excellence and personal success. An important aspect of that mission is our concern for the physical and mental well-being of our international visiting scholars.
Countries around the world have different ways of providing and paying for health care. In the United States, it is the responsibility of the individual to pay for healthcare themselves or have insurance to help cover the expenses. Unfortunately, the U.S. has some of the most expensive health care in the world. A single day in the hospital can cost thousands of dollars. A good insurance policy provides access to excellent medical facilities and provides protection against the enormous costs of health care.
Because of the importance of having health insurance in the U.S. it is a legal requirement of your J-1 visa. You and any J-2 dependents are legally required by the U.S. Department of State to have insurance for the entire duration of your program – from the day you arrive to the day you depart. Failure to maintain insurance coverage will result in the termination of your J-1 program and status.
To ensure you have adequate and comprehensive health insurance PSU requires all J-1 visiting scholars to enroll in either the PSU Scholar Insurance Plan (PacificSource) or a PSU employee insurance plan.
For complete information about health insurance requirements and the PSU Student Health Insurance Plan, please see our Health Insurance Requirements web page.