APM 430 FAQs

We are collecting frequently asked questions as they arise and will publish them on this page.

For answers to questions not covered on this or accompanying pages, please use the contact information below the navigation menu to the right.

Insurance Guidance

Q. Can exceptions be made for the insurance requirement?

A. No! Except for Fulbright scholars, exceptions to the insurance requirement cannot be made for those who fall under the policy.

Q. Our international visiting scholar carries insurance that exceeds minimum U.S. insurance requirements. Can an exception be made in this case?

A. No! Exceptions to the insurance requirement cannot be made for those who fall under the policy. UCSF requires that departments purchase SMHW-vetted insurance on behalf of international APM 430 students who will be at UCSF for 90 days or longer.

Q. Many of our international visitors either have insurance through their home university or through their work. If that is the case, do we still need to purchase insurance for them?

A. Yes - UCSF requires that departments purchase SMHW-vetted insurance on behalf of international APM 430 students who will be at UCSF for 90 days or longer.

  1. Encourage international APM 430 students to access care using the trusted services provided by UCSF's Student Mental Health and Wellbeing (SMHW). Furthermore, when acute healthcare and mental health needs arise, UCSF staff will be able to provide referrals and "warm handoffs" between their respective units and SMHW.
  2. Allow access to preventative primary and mental health coverage to ensure that non-catastrophic care is provided through insurance plans vetted by Student Mental Health and Wellbeing (SMHW).

International APM 430 students are an especially vulnerable population, which has experienced quite a few crises over the years this policy is intended to better support these visitors.

Q. My visiting international student has a pre-September 1, 2021 appointment that runs through 2022. Do I have to pay for insurance beginning September 1?

A. An initial appointment that began before September 1, 2021 does not carry the insurance requirement; however, if the appointment is renewed/extended, the international student will be required to carry this new insurance if the extension is three months or longer.

Q. Will the new policy apply to the current APM 430 visitors?

A. This policy applies only to those students in the following APM 430 title codes who are starting or renewing their appointment on or after September 1, 2021:

  • Title code: 3731 - Visitor (undergraduate)
  • Title code: 3730 - Visitor (graduate)
Q. Will students on a student visa enrolled in a U.S. college be treated as a US student, or an international student (for which departments are required to purchase health insurance)?

A. If the scholar has ACA-compliant insurance, then they'd be considered domestic and can use the insurance provided by their home (U.S.) institution. In this case, the host program/unit at UCSF is not required to purchase additional insurance.

Q. I want to bring a Fulbright Scholar under the APM 430 title. Is the program still required to purchase supplemental insurance?

A. No. Fulbright scholars are exempt from the supplemental insurance and fee policy.

Payment Guidance

Q. Does the visiting scholar pay for insurance online when they enroll?

A. Insurance should be purchased by the host department/PI via BearBuy. As per policy, this insurance cost should not be placed on the student. Please see the separate enrollment procedure pages for Student Medicover and PSI.

Q. How is the insurance purchase made?

A. The host department/PI will use BearBuy to make these purchases. Please see the separate enrollment procedure pages for Student Medicover and PSI.

Q. Am I able to use our departmental P-Card to purchase insurance?

A. Departmental P-Cards are not eligible to be used for insurance purchases. Please see the separate enrollment procedure pages for Student Medicover and PSI.

Q. Is the proof of purchase required for insurance?

A. Yes. As per page 3, step 2 of the supplemental insurance and fee form, proof of purchase for the insurance is required and is supplied by the insurer, either Student Medicover or PSI. See examples of this proof of purchase.

  • This proof of purchase should be attached to your packet to HR.
  • Digital insurance cards do not qualify as proof of purchase.
  • Insurance quotes do not qualify as proof of purchase.
  • If there is a case where the PO is still pending (payment has been submitted and is processing), either insurer above can provide a letter indicating that a PO is pending. This should be attached to the packet in the meantime. The appointment will be provisionally approved during this time (provided all other required documents have also been submitted).
  • Once payment has been made in full, the program should obtain the proof of purchase from the insurer and forward this to the HR generalist assigned to the case. The APM appointment will then be fully approved.

General Appointment Guidance

Q. Can any exceptions be made to appoint post-bacc/pre-med students into this series? Or are there alternative options for these types of students?

A. APM 430 students must fit into one of these title codes:

  • Title Code 3731: Visitor (undergraduate) - A student enrolled in an accredited degree-granting undergraduate program
  • Title code 3730: Visitor (graduate) - A student enrolled in an accredited degree-granting graduate program
  • Title Code 3299: Visiting Scholar** - A person on leave from an academic appointment or other employment at a home institution or other entity

If a student is not currently enrolled in an accredited degree-granting program, or on leave from an academic appointment, they are not eligible to be placed into the APM 430 category.

It is advisable to reach out to HR to discuss the responsibilities/duties of such students in order to find a more suitable alternative title code.

**The Visiting Scholar title does not fall under the APM430 Supplemental Insurance/Fees policy outlined on this related pages. Only title codes 3731 and 3730 fall under the insurance policy.

Q. Are there any term limits for APM appointments?

A. Yes! Visiting scholars can be appointed for up to one year per appointment (365 days). Extensions are permitted, upon approval, for up to one additional year - two years total per scholar. If additional time is required, please reach out to your HR generalist to discuss a more appropriate HR title.

Q. Does this policy apply to all APM appointment categories?

A. No. The supplemental insurance and fee policy applies only to APM 430 Undergraduates and Graduates. Scholars are not eligible under this policy.

Please see more information on the APM430 Insurance and Fee Policy page.

Q. Are APM appointees allowed to work remotely?

A. Effective March 2025,  Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs will no longer consider or approve requests for remote or hybrid APM430 appointments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an exception was made to allow visiting students to complete research experiences remotely for health and safety reasons. However, with the resumption of on-campus activities, Undergraduate and Graduate Student Visitor appointments will also return to on-campus settings. This change aims to provide the highest quality research experience for both students and labs, aligning with the spirit of the APM430 policy to disseminate knowledge, establish intellectual relationships, and foster international exchanges.

Key Points:

  • No New Remote/Hybrid Requests: All pending or future remote work requests will not be considered.
  • Existing Remote Appointments: Active, existing remote appointments may request one additional extension if applicable. This extension is only valid if there is no break in work between the two appointments, and the preceding appointment was previously approved as remote.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we transition back to on-campus activities to enhance the research experience for all involved.

Supplemental Form Questions

Q. Is the supplemental form for the department fees only? Are there other places the chartstring is required?

A. The chartstring section on the supplemental form is for payment of the student services fee only. Insurance payment is handled separately, and coordinated between the department and the visiting scholar. For applicable students, the proof of purchased insurance (either from PSI or MediCover) should be attached to the final APM430 packet submitted to HR.

Q. How do I obtain proof of paid insurance?

A. Once the insurance has been purchased, the insurer can provide proof of insurance, which must include the insurance tier/level purchased and the insurance start/end dates. This document must be appended to the supplemental form and be included in the packet to HR.

Q. How do I obtain signatures on the supplemental form?

A. The supplemental form is designed so that anyone can place electronic signatures using Adobe Acrobat, which is available free of charge. The supplemental form should NOT be printed and hand typed.