Student Insurance

To help ensure the health and safety of participants, SIT provides health insurance and partners with International SOS to provide medical and security assistance services.

Student travel health insurance is provided through Chubb. Undergraduate study abroad students are covered for the duration of their programs while outside the US; SIT Graduate Institute students are covered for the duration of their residencies and field courses that are conducted outside of the US. Chubb has a direct billing agreement in place with International SOS to ensure a seamless claims process. For further details about the Chubb policy coverage, read the International Travel Insurance 2023-2024 Plan Benefit Brochure. Note: Students are strongly encouraged to maintain their ongoing coverage in the US, where applicable.

International SOS (“ISOS”) is the world’s leading medical and travel security risk services company—working with more than 1,000 locations in 90 countries. Teams work night and day to protect members and deliver emergency assistance during critical illness, accident, or civil unrest. ISOS assistance centers are staffed 24/7/365 by doctors and nurses, security experts, multi-lingual coordinators, and logistics support personnel who speak about 100 languages and dialects in their assistance centers, clinics, and offices. Overall, ISOS employees more than 11,000 employees who are led by 1,400 doctors and 200 security specialists. To contact ISOS, visit their website (www.internationalsos.com) or call direct or collect 24/7: +1.215.942.8478. SIT’s member number is: 11BYCA639556. Please also consider downloading the International SOS assistance app.

In most cases, ISOS will arrange a guarantee of payment for medical services. Sometimes, though, this may not be possible. As a result, students should be prepared to pay for their own medical expenses out of pocket, keep itemized receipts, and then submit a claim for reimbursement—as described below:

  1. Complete the World Learning/HSR claim form. Complete all fields with the exception of “Insurance ID number,” which can be left blank.
  2. Gather all of your detailed/itemized receipts.
  3. Email claim form and receipts to [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I call ISOS?  ​

Whenever possible, contact ISOS at the time you realize you need medical care.​ Your local team can help you make contact as needed.

What happens if I don’t contact ISOS before seeking treatment, or if they cannot pay the facility directly?  ​

Expect to pay out of pocket for medical expenses and file for reimbursement.​

How soon should I inform ISOS about emergency care?  ​

You or a staff member should call ISOS as soon as possible when seeking emergency care.​

When does my coverage start and end? ​

Participants are covered for the duration of any program or residency outside of the United States. Additionally, participants are covered 14 days before and after the program start and end dates, if traveling outside of the United States.

Am I covered by insurance if I’m studying outside of the United States in my country of permanent residence?

No, as this is international travel insurance. It doesn’t cover participants when traveling within their country of permanent residence.

Does this policy include property loss?

The policy does not include property loss coverage, with the exception of lost baggage ($1,000 maximum, $500 limit subject to a maximum of two bags). SIT encourages students to purchase personal property insurance independently to cover any valuables such as computers and other electronic devices in the event of loss or theft.

I am an international student coming to the United States for an SIT residency. Am I covered by this insurance?

​ No, as this insurance does not function in the United States. International students who come to the US for residencies on J-1 visas are required to have health insurance that meets U.S. Department of State requirements covering medical benefits, repatriation, evacuation, and maximum deductible. The mandatory coverages can be found on the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) website. The policy must cover the student and accompanying dependents, if any, from the first day of the SIT program until 30 days after the end of the program. J-1 students and dependents who do not have this insurance immediately lose their J-1 status and are no longer legally in the US. International students who come to the US on F-1 visas are strongly encouraged to buy similar insurance to cover their entire stay in the US.