Kuwait Cultural Office - Washington DC

Ministerial Decree No. (244) dated 11/09/2022

for the Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research regarding Health Insurance Regulations for Students, Scientific Researcher, and OPT Students outside the State of Kuwait

It has been declared:

Article I:

Act according to the provisions of the health insurance regulations attached to this decree for students, scientific researchers, and OPT students outside the State of Kuwait.

Article II:

Any provision that contradicts the accompanying regulations shall be repealed.

Article III:

The competent authorities shall implement this decree all over the health insurance students starting from that date.

 Health Insurance Regulations for Students,

Scientific Researchers, and OPT students outside the State of Kuwait

Definitions

Article I

-     Degree: Any of the following levels: Academic Diploma, First University degree, Second University degree, Third University degree, according to Equivalency of post- high school degrees’ regulations issued outside the State of Kuwait.

- Student: The Kuwaiti citizen or Kuwaiti’s child who requests to get a degree outside the State of Kuwait.

-  The Academic member: A faculty member or training or researcher affiliated with an educational or research institution in Kuwait, who is Kuwaiti citizen or Kuwaiti’s child.

-   Language program: A program that qualifies its members to improve the language to obtain an academic admission from one of the accredited educational institutions outside the State of Kuwait.

-  Academic program: A major/field accredited in one of the educational institutions outside the State of Kuwait to obtain the scientific degree.

-  Training program: A professional program qualifies its members to obtain the scientific or technical experience that raises the level of job performance.

-  Program duration: The period to proceed the language or academic program or the training program.

- The insured: The Kuwaiti citizen or Kuwaiti’s child according to the eligible categories for Health Insurance.

-    The dependent: Spouse (her/him) and children.

- Insurance maturity period: The period for health insurance coverage, based on the purpose of being outside the State of Kuwait.

 Eligible Categories for Health Insurance

Article II

The cultural office provides health insurance for the insured and dependents from the following categories:

1.     A student enrolled at an accredited language program to obtain an academic admission and receive a scientific degree.

2.     A student enrolled at an accredited academic program to obtain a scientific degree or student exchange.

3.     An academic member in one of the educational or research institutions in Kuwait and has obtained a study leave or a visiting professor leave in one of the educational institutions outside Kuwait.

4.     A student enrolled in OPT program for the graduates after obtaining the degree.

5.     A governmental employee received a scholarship to join a training program upon an official decree from his/her employer in the State of Kuwait.

The insured must be present in the intended country and has an entry visa compatible with one of the above-mentioned categories that allows him to stay during the period of enrollment in the program.

The Health Insurance conditions for the insured categories

Article III

First: General Conditions

1.     The student had completed the high school education or its equivalent before joining the study outside the State of Kuwait.
2.      The student must join a program listed under the accredited programs and educational institutions of the competent authorities in the State of Kuwait.
3.       Obtaining a pre-approval and authenticated admission for the program from the cultural office of the intended country.
4.      The insured and his/her dependents must sign a pledge to abide by the provisions of these regulations and provide any requested documents or data.

Second: Special Conditions for Students Enrolled in The Language Program

1.        Providing proof of enrollment and continuation of the program.
2.      The period of entitlement to health insurance is set for a period not exceeding 12 months.
3.      The cultural office reviews the requests to extend the health insurance period upon the performance reports and until maximum additional of 6 months.

Third: Special Conditions for Students Enrolled in the Academic Program

1.          Providing proof of enrollment and continuation of the program.
2.       Providing transcript and proof of transferring to different stages in the academic program during the study period.
3.      The period of entitlement to health insurance is set according to the accredited academic program duration by the cultural office for the academic study plan of the program or student exchange period.
4.      The cultural office reviews the requests to extend the health insurance period upon the academic performance reports or the remaining period to obtain the scientific degree.

Fourth: Special Conditions for Those Who are Certified for Scientific and Research Sabbatical

1.           Providing an approval from work authority for the scientific or research leave outside the State of Kuwait.
2.        The period of entitlement to health insurance is set for a period not exceeding the period declared by work authority.

Fifth: Special Conditions for Students Enrolled in OPT Program for the Graduates After Obtaining the Degree Outside the State of Kuwait.

1.      The insured has obtained the work license for OPT program for graduates.
2.      The insured has to join one of the institutions that comply with the rules of the Ministry of Higher Education regarding the enrollment at the OPT program for graduates.
3.      Providing proof for continuing work and renewing the needed documents on a periodic basis.
4.      The period of entitlement to health insurance is set according to the work authorization period to join the OPT program, for a maximum of 3 years.

Sixth: Special Conditions for Students Enrolled in Professional and Institutional Development Programs Outside of Kuwait

1.           Providing an approval from the work authority to join the training program outside the state of Kuwait.
2.        The period of entitlement to health insurance is set for a period not exceeding the declared period by the work authority.
3.         The duration of the training program shall not be less than 3 months. 

Special Conditions for the Dependents

Article IV

1.     Providing proof for obtaining an entry visa compatible with one of the specified categories in Article (2) during the enrollment period at the program to accompany the insured.

2.     Providing evidence of the continued presence of dependents with the insured during the enrollment period.

Regulations for the Activation and Continuation of Health Insurance

Article V

1.          The health insurance will be activated from the date of arrival for a maximum of one month before the start of the program for all the categories in Article (2). In case of arrival after the starting date, the health insurance will be activated from the arrival date unless it does not require an activation from the program start date.
2.      The health insurance will be activated for the dependents according to the applicable activation rules stated in the previous article or from the date of arrival to the country to accompany the insured in case of enrollment later.
3.      The period of entitlement to health insurance is continued according to the previous articles.

Health Insurance Termination Rules

Article VI

1. Health insurance will be stopped upon departure from the country.
2. Students: Health insurance will be terminated in two months from the end date of the semester of graduation or the date of departure, whichever comes first.
3.  OPT students: Health insurance will be terminated in two months from the end date of the program and not to contradict with the immigration rules in this regard or the departure date, whichever comes first.
4.  Training program members and academic members: Health insurance will be terminated upon the issued decree from the work authority or its regulations regarding the work resumption or departure date, whichever comes first.

Rules for Canceling Health Insurance

Article VII

Health insurance will be canceled in case of violating any of the stated articles in this decree.