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Greetings from the Office of International Affairs at The Ohio State University!
Over the next few months we will send you weekly emails to help you plan for your arrival to Ohio State. In the meantime, please explore our
website, and you are always welcome to email us at
iss@osu.edu.
Have a wonderful end to the year, and we look forward to meeting you this spring!
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Don't Forget to Register for Your Immigration Check-in
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The Office of International Affairs encourages all students to arrive 2 - 3 weeks before the start of classes on Monday, January 8.
Students who arrive early will have better course availability, more time to explore Columbus and more opportunities to meet other students.
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Mandatory Health Screening
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Please note that The Ohio State University requires all new international students, as well as international students returning from a leave of absence, to undergo a brief health screening through Student Health Services at the Wilce Student Health Center, an accredited, outpatient facility providing a variety of health care services to the student population.
You will be given your health screening date and time at immigration check-in. Failure to complete this screening will result in not being able to register for classes.
The initial screening is free to international students. If you do not attend your screening in the required time frame, your student record may be locked, and you will not have access to grades or scheduling.
This will also be the time you submit your mandatory vaccination requirement form. All international students new to Ohio State are required to complete the necessary vaccinations and have the form verified by a medical provider.
Your health screening will include questions about any medical conditions and/or allergies you have, as well as what medications you are currently taking. Depending on risk factors, students may be required to get a blood test for tuberculosis (TB) and a chest x-ray. Previous TB testing and chest x-ray information will be reviewed at the health screening.
Bring with you any important medical information (for example, TB tests, chest x-rays, prescription, vaccine and allergy information) with an English translation. Also, be sure to eat and drink plenty of water on the day of your screening.
Some students will need TB testing at their health screening visit. If you do have a test, we will provide you with information about receiving your results either by mail or by our new secure electronic mail called My BuckMD Connection. This system gets your results to you much faster than a letter. Students can sign up for My BuckMD Connection at the health screening visit.
IMPORTANT: A sample of blood may be collected to test for TB during your health screening. You do not need to fast before your health screening. TB skin testing (also known as PPD, Mantoux test, tuberculin test) can be blocked by live vaccines, such as MMR (Measles/ Mumps/Rubella) and Yellow Fever. If you are given a TB skin test within four weeks of receiving a live vaccine, the TB skin test result will not be accepted at your health screening. If you have received the BCG vaccine, the TB skin test is not recommended.
Visit shs.osu.edu for more information.
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Purchase Health Insurance
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International students are required to purchase Ohio State Student Health Insurance and are automatically enrolled in the Comprehensive Plan, which includes medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage. Coverage for spring semester 2018 will begin on January 1, 2018. You will be charged for Ohio State Student Health Insurance when you register for classes, and the fees will be automatically added to your Statement of Account. Very few exceptions are made to this automatic enrollment policy; the only exceptions considered are for international students who are:
- A government purchases an insurance policy that meets the Minimum Health Insurance Criteria on the student's behalf and fully financially sponsors the student (Note: SHI requires written confirmation from the government that the government will take full financial responsibility for all medical expenses not covered by insurance), OR
- The student is covered under a US-based health insurance policy as a US-based employee, or as a dependent of a US-based employee, OR
- The student has permanent residency status (a green card).
Please note that the waiver form must be submitted by January 2, 2018 to avoid paying the Health Insurance Fee.
For more information on Ohio State Student Health Insurance, including current rates, benefit details and the enrollment requirement for international students, please see the Student Health Insurance website at shi.osu.edu.
Interim Health Insurance
Unless meeting the exceptions noted above, international students arriving before January 1, 2018 are not covered by Ohio State's Comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan until this date. Accordingly, we encourage all international students enrolling at Ohio State for the first time to purchase the University's interim health insurance plan.
Interim Insurance provides up to four weeks of extended coverage under the Comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan. A pro-rated, weekly premium must be paid to the Office of the University Bursar for this coverage in addition to the standard rate for Comprehensive Coverage for the upcoming enrolled term.
To access rates based on the day the interim insurance plan takes effect, please click here; to fill out a form to purchase the interim insurance, please download Interim Insurance Request for Early Arriving International Students.
If there are any questions regarding interim insurance, please contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 614-688-7979 or shi_info@osu.edu.
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