By Aahana Rajbhandari, International Club Senate Representative
Gettysburg College has recently changed its policy on health insurance for international students. The mandate—which coerces us to pay $3,500 a year for insurance—is financially crippling. A number of us have raised our concerns about the unexpected and compulsory enrollment into the college-sponsored insurance without the choice to waive a third-party insurance policy. Budgeted to us “with ease of accessing health care in mind,” according to the administration, the college has failed to recognize that this fee is anything but an “ease” for international students.
Please keep in mind the increase in the value of the U.S. dollar over the last few years due to the global recession, further inflating prices for international students. The college has also failed to consider the difficulty in finding stable employment, as well as unexpected circumstances that affect our incomes. Wages in work-study only positions pay about $8 per hour on average and are limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week. It is hard enough to afford the high cost of living in the United States; it is impossible to comprehend paying for this insurance, which many of us do not end up using anyway. Student efforts to contact the financial aid office for help have led to a dead-end, as the office is unable to provide grants to cover health insurance at this point in the semester. How does the administration expect international students to pay? The administration’s lack of consideration of the needs of international students, who make up 11.2% of the student body, is appalling.
Further, the change was announced in May—giving little time to allocate budgets and make financial decisions. This is fundamentally unfair and unethical in itself but, the inability to waive it, as domestic students can, is discriminatory. Implementing a policy that divides the student body, despite the diversity and inclusion that Gettysburg so often preaches, is disappointing to witness. There is a lack of dialogue and transparency about this inequity among domestic students, most of whom aren’t even aware of the changes. Basic human rights include the freedom to make your own healthcare decisions—including picking the health insurance that best suits your individual circumstances. This policy is taking that right away from us.
My friend, who rushed to the emergency room in the middle of the night, was charged a hundred dollars for a nosebleed, syringe, and using the bed for an hour. However, questions about clarification for the expensive statements remain unanswered by the health center. Where is the coverage that we must spend so much money on?
“When I made the commitment to attend Gettysburg College, I did not sign up for such a significant financial burden. It’s disheartening to see the college implementing a policy that places all international students in the same box, without considering our diverse needs and situations.” said Meriem Hamioui ’25, an international student from Morocco and leader of International House.
I hope our voices and concerns are heard in this matter and addressed sooner than later. The international students request the college to please take urgent action and reverse this change.
