Fanyao Zhang is waiting for a letter from the University that may hold his fate as a student.

Zhang (graduate-geoscience) has not paid the mandatory insurance bill for his wife and child. The letter is the final evaluation of his appeal that the University's health insurance policy is unfair and he cannot afford it.

The University currently has a hold on the registrations of nine international students who have not fulfilled their obligation to buy sufficient insurance for themselves and their dependents.

David J. Lindstrom, assistant director of University Health Services, met with each of the students separately last week to study their individual circumstances.

The University will send letters this week to express the final decision for each individual, Lindstrom said.

Some students have special circumstances that will exempt them from the insurance requirement, and others will be required to demonstrate proof of adequate insurance, he said.

"We are doing everything we can to investigate the individual circumstances and help the people develop ways to meet the insurance requirements and help them figure out a way to manage it financially," Lindstrom said.

Lindstrom said some students claim they can't afford insurance while others believe they do not need it and are willing to take the chance that the University will not force them to comply with the policy.

Zhang said he is less worried since Lindstrom told the students that the University will not kick them out simply because of the insurance.

"I'm going to believe what he said," Zhang said.

But even if he is exempted from the insurance this year, the root problem will remain, Zhang said.

"If they keep the same policy for next year, the same situation will start over again," he said.

Moongyung Nam (graduate-acoustics) agrees.

"The best solution would be for Penn State to offer a little less expensive health insurance policy," he said.

Although their registrations are still on hold, all the students are going to classes, Lindstrom said.

He said in many cases the students don't understand how insurance works in the United States because it is not necessary in their country.

"They are not expected to pay out of their own pockets for some minimum level of health care. And we, of course, are," he said.

Nam said he understands it might cause problems enforcing the policy next year if the University waives the requirement for some students this year.

But Nam said he has an excellent academic record and believes it would be ridiculous for the University to kick him out simply because he has no money to pay the insurance for his dependents.