Documents Required  |  Pre-Arrival  |  Arrival

PRE-ARRIVAL

Date of Arrival
Please try to make hotel and transportation reservations before you leave home. It is best to get a good night's sleep at a nearby hotel before embarking on your journey to UCI. If you are arriving at any international airport in the U.S., you should try to obtain a connecting flight to the John Wayne Airport in Orange County (also know as SNA). This airport is located approximately three miles from the UCI campus.

Housing
Housing in the local area surrounding the University is limited and expensive. If you are interested in on-campus housing, we strongly encourage you to submit a housing application as soon as possible. For more information regarding housing in the surrounding area (off-campus) please contact the Housing Office at http://www.housing.uci.edu/och. You may visit the following web site for housing information at http://www.icha.uci.edu/rentals.htm.

Money and Finances
The figures below represent low budgets for one year. Minimum support is $1,400 per month for the J-1 Exchange Visitor; $400 per month for the J-2 spouse; and $200 per month for each J-2 child. Please note that immigration documents cannot be issued for scholars with inadequate funding.

If the scholar is:

Health Insurance Requirements
Pursuant to the Department of State’s regulations (effective September 1, 1994) you and your accompanying family members are required to secure health insurance coverage while in the United States, commencing the first day of your program and ending the last day of your program. It is required that you secure such coverage PRIOR to your arrival in the United States.

Minimum health insurance coverage must provide:

• medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness
• repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500
• expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his or her home country in the amount of $10,000
• a deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness.

Providing Proof of Insurance

If your insurance policy is with a company in your home country:
You must provide a copy of policy describing the extend of your coverage (an English translation is preferred).

If you will be employed with salary at UCI:
You may be eligible for UCI health benefits. It is important that you check with your departments to verify if you are eligible for UCI health benefits. If you will have adequate medical coverage by a UCI health insurance company, you will still need to provide proof of repatriation and medical evacuation insurance. UCI health insurance plans do not provide this coverage. If you do not already have this coverage, you must purchase this insurance at the time of appointment with the International Center. The current cost of this insurance is $39.00/year per family. Please note that this cost is subject to change.

If you do not have any insurance coverage:
You will need to purchase insurance that provides the required minimum coverage. You may chose to purchase the "Accident and Sickness Insurance for International Students and Scholars at the University of California ISHIP" insurance. Please contact the International Center for a brochure.

HealthcarePlus insurance company requires payment for 3 months at a time. Please make a photocopy of the enrollment form to provide to the International Center as proof of enrollment. It is not necessary to wait to meet with the International Center to obtain this insurance.

Please note that you are not required to purchase this insurance plan. You may purchase the necessary coverage with another insurance company; however, it is difficult to find an insurance company in the U.S. with adequate coverage at a comparable price. The university has researched and determined to provide coverage that meets all of the J-1 insurance regulations at a reasonable price.

Maintaining adequate health insurance is a condition of your J-1 visa status. You will be required to sign a statement in order to certify that you have chosen an appropriate health insurance policy.

Please know that willful failure to comply will result in the termination of your participation in the Exchange Visitor Program. Please feel free to contact the International Center at (949) 824-7249 if we can be of further assistance.