We are a group of international students concerned about the payment for the 2022-2023 health insurance fee. As you may already know, international students at Minnesota State University, Mankato are required to pay a $2,150 insurance fee in full by the end of July; however, this information was new to many of us, since last year the payment was significantly lower and new students were able to pay in two installments. The news for this high fee in one installment comes only two months before it is due, and it is extremely difficult for many students to pay such a large sum of money at once. 

We believe that the short notice greatly affected our capacity to comply with the payment. Many students work on campus but during the summer break our work hours become shorter, and our income is lower. Thus, almost all of us are experiencing financial difficulties. In addition, many international students flew back home during the summer and probably some would have not done that had they known about this fee and its due date. Anyone living on campus was asked to leave in the middle of finals week and had to find new places to stay which, as international students without connections in the country, was an immense financial burden. 

We believe that a way to alleviate this burden is to enable students to pay in installments, just as last year. Please, consider our petition as it would greatly change our alarming financial situations.