Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find housing?
Is there public transportation or do I need a car?
Do I need health insurance? What does it cover?
What might be some useful links to look at?

Where can I find housing?
For questions about University-owned housing, please contact Dick Shuck, DePauw's Director of Business Services. (He may also be aware of other rental options in the area if you are not able to purchase a house right away.)

If you would like to consult with a realtor, the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce website provides a list of real estate companies in the Greencastle area.

Is there public transportation or do I need a car?
You will find that any type of transportation planning must be done with much more advance notice than you may be used to. The United States, unfortunately, is a land of crowded airlines and private automobiles, and does not have much in between. The nearest airport is the Indianapolis International Airport (IND). Both Greyhound bus and Amtrak train service Indianapolis and Crawfordsville. There is no bus service in Greencastle. Taxi service is extremely limited and requires advanced planning, usually at least a week’s notice.

The local cab company is Castle Cab and its phone number is 765-653-TAXI (8294). The nearest car rental agency is located in Brazil, IN. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has several locations in the surrounding area.

Do I need health insurance? What does it cover?
Medical costs in the U.S. are high and continue to rise. For those of you with health insurance as part of your employment benefits, please contact the Office of Human Resources for details on what your insurance covers.

If health insurance is not part of your University benefits, it is extremely important that you secure coverage for yourself and your dependents. If you are a J-1 exchange visitor, you are eligible to participate in the University’s international student and scholar insurance plan through the Lewer Agency, Inc. It provides coverage that meets and exceeds the J-1 health insurance requirements. This policy does not provide dental or optical coverage, however, you do have the option to participate in a discount plan.

J-1 Health Insurance Requirements
Exchange scholars (J-1) and their dependents are mandated by immigration law to have specific insurance coverage. The requirements are as follows:

  • Injury and Illness: The policy must provide "medical benefits of at least $50,000 for each accident or illness," according to the text of the regulations.
  • Deductible: The insurance plan must have a maximum deductible of $500 per accident or illness. A deductible is the amount that must be paid before the insurance will provide coverage.
  • Co-insurance: Federal regulations require that the insurance pay at least 70 percent of the covered expenses. Co-insurance is the amount after the deductible that the insurance pays.
  • Repatriation: If the student should die in the United States, the policy must provide at least $7,500 in benefits to send the remains to the student’s home country for burial. This is called repatriation of remains.
  • Medical Evacuation: If, because of a serious illness or injury, the student must be sent home on the advice of a doctor, the policy must pay up to $10,000 for the expenses of your travel. This is called medical evacuation.
  • Pre-existing Conditions: The policy may establish a waiting period before it covers pre-existing conditions (health problems that existed prior to the purchase of the policy), as long as the waiting period is reasonable by current standards in the insurance industry.
  • Industry Rating: The policy must be backed by the full faith and credit of your home country government or the company providing the insurance must meet minimum rating requirements established by the former U.S. Information Agency, now part of the Department of State. This insurance must earn an A. M. Best rating of "A-" or above, an Insurance Solvency International, Ltd. (ISI) rating of "A-i" or above, a Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of "A-" or above, or a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of B+ or above.

If you are on a J-1 visa and have found alternative coverage that meets the federally mandated requirements, a copy of this policy, in English, must be submitted to Rhonda Hinkle-Shabbir upon your arrival to campus. Again, you and your dependents must be insured throughout your entire stay in the United States.

What might be some useful links to look at?

Government Resources

Travel