Benefits
All postdoctoral researchers are eligible for designated healthcare and other benefit plans through the University of Chicago Postdoctoral Researcher Benefit Program. Benefits include medical insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid bereavement leave, sick leave, and up to four weeks of paid vacation per year. Benefits and leave policies are outlined in the UChicago Postdoctoral Researcher Policy Manual.
Health and wellness
The United States has no single nationwide system of health insurance. Health insurance is purchased in the private marketplace or provided by the government to certain groups. The cost of medical treatment in the United States is quite expensive. Since there is not a single nationwide system of health insurance, the cost of medical treatment is the responsibility of the individual needing medical treatment.
For individuals visiting the United States, one way to offset the medical cost if you saw a doctor or visited a hospital and received medical care is to buy a health insurance plan that is comprehensive here in the United States. If you are here in the United States under a J1/J2 visa, the U.S. Department of State requires you to obtain health insurance coverage that meets their requirements. Failure to obtain health insurance coverage could result in immediate deportation back to your home country. However, the U.S. Department of State requirements are the minimum level of health insurance coverage a person holding a J1/J2 visa must have; it does not guarantee that all of your medical costs will be covered.
Campus and community resources: