Columbia College Chicago’s international student insurance plan is a no-waiver policy for insurance. All international students attending Columbia College Chicago on an F-1 or J-1 visa are required to maintain insurance year-round until you graduate. DACA, undocumented students, dual citizens and some other visa categories may qualify for the plan and should contact isss@colum.edu to determine their eligibility. Permanent residents are not eligible for this plan. Throughout your time as a student, you'll be fully insured on our plan, even during the summer months. Your student account will be billed twice a year during the fall and spring semesters. Confirmation of your enrollment will be sent to your student e-mail account each semester. Students who have graduated and apply for post-completion OPT may ask to be enrolled in the plan while on OPT.
Insurance in the United States is quite complicated, and internationally-based insurance policies do not often cover the necessary medical expenses needed while in the United States. Columbia has collaborated with Lewermark to provide a robust insurance policy to cover any medical needs or charges that may accrue during your time at Columbia. Please see below for more details:
If you need to download your insurance card, go to the Lewermark website and follow the instuctions.
For questions, contact isss@colum.edu.
Coming to a new place and to a new culture is an exciting experience, but it can be a little overwhelming as well. The International Student Buddy Program (Buddy Program) is a program designed to support new incoming international students during their first semester at Columbia College Chicago. The program matches new international students with current Columbia College students to help the new student identify social, cultural and academic pathways and expectations as a Columbia College student living in the city of Chicago.
The “Buddy” is there to provide guidance and support; to answer questions about life at Columbia and in the city of Chicago; and to help incoming new international students adjust better to their new "home away from home."
If you will be a new degree-seeking international student to Columbia, you can request a buddy today by logging into your application portal or clicking the button below.
Are you a current student who would like to be a buddy to a new international student? The International Buddy Program offers scholarships to those current students selected to be a buddy to a new international student. If you are interested in applying to be a buddy, please e-mail isss@colum.edu for more information and application dates.
Per the Department of State Website https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html
"A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa."
ISSS no longer issues these letters and encourages applicants to follow the guidelines on the above webpage.
The Illinois Secretary of State's office issues a Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL) for non-citizens of the United States and are temporarily residing in the State of Illinois. For complete information, please visit CyberDriveIllinois by clicking the box below.