Country Information USA
Health Insurance for language pupils in the USA
If you want to learn a foreign language, the USA is definitely a good address for you regardless the language you want to learn. Due to its history the USA is a immigration country with a broad variety of cultures and languages. Of course English is the most important language but large parts of the US society speak Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and many other languages.
Naturally, most of the foreign language students in the USA want to learn English. You will find numerous programs in order to learn English as a second language (ESL). No matter if you prefer a university or a language school to join an ESL program, you will find both offers all around the country.
The visit of a language school in the USA can be a remarkable time of your life. Perhaps this experience will arouse the desire to start studying in the USA, to apply for an internship in the USA, or to take up a job in the USA?
Eligible group
If you want to become a language student in the USA you must obtain a visa. All visas can only be applied for in a US Consulate in your home country. Applicants between 14 and 79 years of age must be present in person and conduct a short interview in order to apply for the visa. The F-1 Visa is the right visa for foreign language students in the USA.
You can apply for an F-1 visa if you plan to study at an accredited US college or university or to start a program at an English language institute. Following requirements are set:
- you have to proof, that you have a confirmation at a US university, college or language school, which is accepted by the SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) in form of a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20)
- you have to participate in a full-time study program
- your home country must be outside of the USA
- you have to proof that you have basic English skills
- you have to proof that you have sufficient financial resources
- you have to proof that you intent to leave the USA when your visa expires
The F1 visa is valid for a maximum period of five years. The exact period is marked on the Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) and depends on the program you select. As a foreign language student in the USA with an F-1 visa you can enter the USA 30 days before the start of the program and stay in the USA for a maximum period of 60 days after the end of the program.
Legal basics about health insurance for language students in the USA
Foreign language students in the USA who enter the country with an F-1 visa do not have to meet any health insurance requirements set by the US government. Nevertheless, you should be aware of the insurance guidelines set by your language school. In some cases the language schools ask their foreign language students to take out school-sponsored insurance plans. Others allow their foreign language students to take out a health insurance plan on their own, when it provides comparable, alternative coverage (Option to Waive).
In general, the medical care in the United States is concerned as one of the best in the world. But the costs of medical care are very high compared to other advanced industrialized nations. In order to make the costs for medical care controllable you, as a foreign language student in the USA, should take out a suitable healt insurance cover, no matter if your school sets insurance guidelines or not.
Insurance advice
Every country has its own healthcare system. On the basis of characteristics like your home country, the duration of your stay, the reason of your stay and the destination of your trip different needs for health insurance appear. Our organistion recommends Care Concept AG from Germany for health insurance solutions abroad. Click here for further informations about Care Concept AG.
As a foreign language student in the USA you are not insured through the statutory health insurance in your home country. In order to make the exceptionally high costs for medical care in the USA controllable it is absolutely necessary to take out a health insurance plan for your time as a foreign student in the USA. If you have the option to choose an international health insurance plan on your own, we recommend the health insurance Care Discover.
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