All posts by Barbara Wolter

Health insurance required for all international students

Intensive English Program, International Students

All St. Petersburg College (SPC) international students are required to purchase health insurance and to maintain it throughout each term.

St. Petersburg College has partnered with LewerMark to provide you with comprehensive health insurance while you study here in the U.S. All St. Petersburg College (SPC) international students are required to purchase health insurance and to maintain it throughout each term.
As part of our relationship with you as a full-time international student, we facilitate the mandatory health insurance program provided to you through LewerMark. Healthcare in the United States can be very expensive and complicated. This plan provides international students support designed to help as you face the challenges of balancing school, adjusting to a new culture, and adapting to other responsibilities so that you don’t need to worry about these expenses and complications.

Please visit www.lewermark.com/spcollege to learn more about the benefits provided by this plan and other great services available to you such as:
• Teladoc
• Togetherall
• SES

Purchasing Student Health Insurance

To purchase your health insurance plan:
1. Go to www.lewermark.com/spcollege
2. Click on the Shopping Cart icon to Purchase Student Insurance
3. Enter your St. Petersburg College Student ID number and click Next
4. Complete the online purchase by entering your personal information, selecting coverage dates, and submitting payment.

For any questions regarding the purchase portal or if you need any assistance, please contact the LewerMark team!
• Call them at: 1 (800) 821-7710 (Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time)
• Chat with them at: www.lewermark.com
• Email them at: lewermarksupport@lewer.com

Accessing your LewerMark Insurance ID Card
New Users

Step 1: Go to https://www.lewermark.com/student-login/
Step 2: Register your account by clicking the toggle to “I need to create a login”. Enter your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY) and student ID number. Complete setting up your account by creating a unique password and answering security questions.
Step 3: Once you are logged in, you will be able to access your ID card. Print, download, or take a screenshot to carry this wherever you go!

Returning users can login to their account using their student ID number and unique password.
Note: LewerMark will not send you a physical ID card. You are responsible for logging into your account and getting a copy of your card. If you are having trouble accessing your account, please contact LewerMark.


LewerMark Contact Information

For questions about benefits, claims, ID cards, etc., please contact:
• Call us at: 1 (800) 821-7710 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time)
• Chat us at: www.lewermark.com
• Email us at: lewermarksupport@lewer.com 

SPC reserves the right to require updated proof of injury/sickness insurance coverage each term. Failure to provide proof of valid health insurance coverage may affect student enrollment at SPC.

I already have insurance. Can I waive out of the LewerMark plan?
You can waive out of the LewerMark plan if you meet one of the three requirements below:

  1. Your parent/spouse is employed by a United States based company that provides Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant coverage that you are covered under.
  2. You arrived in the United States with health insurance because you participate in a government exchange student program, such as SACM.
  3. You are currently covered by one of your parent’s insurance plans from your home country. This plan must meet or exceed the LewerMark plan and be valid in the United States. An emergency-only and/or travel plan will not be accepted.
    If you wish to waive out of the insurance, please submit your Waiver Application online or email waivers@lewermark.com with the following documents:
  • Full terms and conditions of the policy in English
  • Proof of coverage
  • Signed Waiver Request Form

Why Study Abroad?

Colombia 2023

Quicklinks:
Study Abroad Home | Study Abroad Costs/Scholarships | How to Apply
Study Abroad FAQs | Study Abroad Resources

Studying in a foreign country is one of the most important experiences today’s students will have.  Not only does studying abroad allow for great personal growth by changing perspective and inviting tolerance for different cultures and peoples, studying abroad provides students with the necessary skills to be competent global citizens in the 21st century.

Studying abroad also has tangible economic and academic impact.  Current research indicates that there is a positive link between study abroad and retention/graduation rates – in short those who study abroad stay in school and tend to graduate at a swifter speed than those who do not.  Studying abroad also jump-starts a career by boosting a student’s resume and improving employment prospects and marketability in a growing competitive market.  Finally, there is literature that indicates that the first study abroad experience of a student promotes substantial intellectual growth that lasts a life time.

As Mark Twain once famously quipped, “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.” Travel does indeed broaden the mind and studying abroad is the finest way to do this!

What are the top 5 reasons to study abroad with SPC?

  1. Understand and appreciate other cultures
    You will be immersed in a different culture, enriching your personal and professional future.
  2. Gain a global education
    By experiencing the environment of a new culture on a daily basis, you will gain a tangible sense of how other people live and work.
  3. Learn a foreign language
    New languages come alive when you immerse yourself in the environment.
  4. Enhance your professional opportunities
    Future employers recognize the value of the intercultural communication skills you will have gained by studying abroad, which are important in today’s global economy.
  5. Earn academic credit
    Expand your horizons, meet interesting people, sample exotic foods and enjoy the sights while you earn college credit.