International Student Handbook - Office of International Affairs ...

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HEALTH INSURANCE III. STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE All international students at Portland State University are required to carry health insurance for themselves and their dependents for the duration of their academic programs. Therefore you and your dependents must have nonstop, year-round insurance. This includes vacation terms, thesis and dissertation research periods, internship training periods, etc., whether you are enrolled or not, as long as you are on a valid PSU I-20 or DS-2019. Students will be enrolled in the International Student Supplemental Health Insurance Plan automatically each quarter. Coverage for dependents in the U.S. must be requested each quarter by emailing intlins@pdx.edu. Waivers of the Supplemental Plan are available in a very limited set of circumstances. For more information about the insurance plan and about waivers, please visit: http://oia.pdx.edu/ intl_students/insurance/ How does the health insurance work? The Portland State University International Student Health Insurance plan is one policy, but has three separate parts. The different parts are: The Health Services Fee. This mandatory fee for PSU students taking 5 or more credit hours allows access to the Center for Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), a primary health care clinic located on campus. It is important to note that self-support courses do not count toward registration hours of eligibility, and students registered for fewer than 5 PSU credit hours are not eligible to use Student Health Services. The Basic Insurance Plan. All PSU students are required to have “Basic Insurance” coverage. Basic Insurance is designed to assist students by paying a portion of benefits, but does not entirely eliminate the expense of a majority of minor illnesses and injuries. The Basic Insurance plan is normally included with the Health Service Fee that is included with a student’s tuition when taking 5 or more regular credits. The International Student Supplemental Health Insurance Plan (often simply called the Supplemental or Extended Insurance Plan). It is designed to assist students by paying a significant portion of major medical expenses after the “Basic Plan.” * Please see the Health Insurance brochure for more current information For questions about: Fees on student accounts, contact intlins@pdx.edu For questions about claims and benefits, contact Christi Ziegler at christi.ziegler@wellsfargo.com or via phone at 503-975-4292. GRADES Student may request nondisclosure of Student Directory Information by specifying nondisclosure, in writing, to: The Office of Admissions, Records, and Financial Aid, Portland State University, PO Box 751 Portland, OR 97207-0751 Due to FERPA regulations, the University cannot release information to parents and family; therefore it is always important to keep them up to date on your academic and living situations. International students should be aware that the Patriot Act gives special permission to employees of the Department of Homeland Security. At their request, University officials are required to release information to Homeland Security about any F1 or J1 students who are currently studying at or have previously studied at Portland State University. If such a request is made, PSU employees may NOT inform students. Academic Standing Grades End of term grades are available on the Wednesday following finals week. Students may view grades and print grade reports using the PSU Information System online. The system requires the student to enter their ID and PIN number. Each instructor and professor holds regularly scheduled office hours each week. During this time, students can meet with their professors to discuss course work, ask questions, or get to know their professor. Professors often recommend that students schedule time to see their professor within the office hours. Information on office hours will be available in the course syllabus for each class or by contacting the instructor or the department office. Calculating your GPA (Grade Point Average) Each letter grade corresponds to a numeric value on a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, in which A corresponds to 4.0. A student’s academic success for a quarter is measured cumulatively, which is computed by dividing the total number of points earned by the total number of credits taken. Under specific circumstances, letters such as: I (incomplete); W (Withdraw); X (No basis for grade); P (Pass); and NP (No Pass) may appear in grade reports. These letters are not grades and are not included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.
ACADEMIC ISSUES Registration and Records Registration All students new to Portland State, both freshman and transfer, will register for their first term of classes during Orientation. At Orientation, they will meet with student peer advisers, as well as department and/or university advisers who will assist them in planning their first term schedule and in registering for classes. Students will register online for classes using the PSU Information System online. For all registration periods following their initial term of enrollment at PSU, students will register on their own. They may begin to register for classes during the pre-term registration period and may make changes to their registration until after the term begins. Pre-term registration dates are prioritized according to student class standings, which are determined by the number of credits a student has earned. It is important for students to be aware of the available dates for registration, as well as deadlines for adding and dropping classes, making grade changes, withdrawing from classes, refund percentages and other policies. Enrollment Verification If you need to provide verification of enrollment, you may obtain this at the Registration Windows. Often, this is necessary for health and car insurance, scholarships, loans, and employers. If the verification does not have to be signed by a University official, a student can print their schedule from the web. Some students may also require this verification in the form of a status letter. These may be requested from the Office of International Student Services by filling out a Student Request Form. Status letter requests take about three to five (3-5) business days to process; please plan accordingly. Student Records The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives domestic and international students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These include the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. FERPA authorizes the University to make public disclosure, upon request, of Student Directory Information. Student Directory Information includes the student’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, number of credits earned, and the fact of enrollment, including whether the student is enrolled full-time or part-time. IV. CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT Adjusting to a New Country and Culture: The Adjustment Experience CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT When you decided to study in the United States, you may have anticipated that some adjustments would have to be made with respect to differences in climate, food, time, and culture. The cultural adjustment process is not an easy or comfortable one, but it can be an extremely productive and rewarding experience. It does not happen overnight. It may take several months to feel comfortable in your new environment. Many people attain new levels of self-awareness, personal growth, and gain a new understanding of their own cultures in addition to that of the new country. Although everyone goes through some adjustment process, it is important to remember that the experience is very personal. Stages of the Cultural Adjustment Process: Stage 1: You may experience general anxiety combined with a great deal of excitement. There are many details to keep you busy. Often, you find there is no real time to sit down and think during the first few weeks in a new place. When the excitement wears off, you may feel very emotional. Stage 2: When the initial excitement fades, you may feel a lot of frustration and become tired of operating in English. It may seem to take forever to accomplish something that once took you a very short time. You may miss friends and family back home and have less energy and tolerance than usual. Changes may occur in your eating and sleeping habits. This is a time you need to pay extra attention to your health. It is important to remember that this is a normal and expected part of the cultural adjustment process. REST. Stage 3: A greater sense of regularity now becomes noticeable. During this time, you may find that you laugh at the mistakes that irritated you only a few weeks ago. You may also find that information is more easily absorbed, and your energy level is higher. Stage 4: The final stage is a sense of ease in the new culture. You have a better understanding of how the culture works, and parts of it may even begin to feel comfortable.
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International Student Handbook - Office of International Affairs ...

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