Securing the right health insurance before you travel abroad is essential. On the one hand, the process of securing an F-1 visa is lengthy and exhausting; on the other hand, a simple emergency room visit in the USA can set you back by a thousand dollars. Therefore, it is crucial to buy health insurance without hassle before traveling abroad.
Many universities offer their own plans due to tie-ups with insurance companies. But these are expensive, and you can secure better and cheaper plans from third parties. In this guide, we provide you with details about health plans from two of the biggest names in the game: ISO and GradRight.
Before we begin,
ISO is an insurance manager, and GradRight is an insurance comparison platform. This is not an insurer vs insurer analysis.
Let’s proceed.
What is ISO?
ISO Student Health Insurance is a health insurance manager that focuses on international students and exchange visitors traveling to the USA and UK. They offer several medical insurance plans that are perfectly tailored for US institutions and fit with visa criteria. ISO is very popular among F-1 students, J-1 scholars, and graduates of Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Key Features of ISO Insurance
- Serves over 1 million students from 200+ countries at 6,700 US colleges and universities.
- ISO health plans are tailored for F-1 students and those on Optional Practical Training (OPT).
- Plans start from as low as $30 – $40 per month and are far cheaper than university plans.
- Offers customer support in multiple languages, including Chinese and Hindi, to help international students.
Remember that ISO is not an insurance provider. ISO Med policies typically operate on large US provider networks such as Aetna PPO.
What is GradRight Insurance?
GradRight is an ed-fintech platform that helps students planning to study abroad by streamlining university selection and securing education loans. It also offers an insurance comparison and savings platform for students going abroad.
GradRight allows students to make side by side comparisons of multiple insurance options. You therefore have complete clarity about insurance premiums and coverage. Students can easily compare health insurance plan details and buy only what is necessary, rejecting all bells and whistles.
Note that GradRight does not sell or underwrite insurance. It merely provides you access to multiple plans at attractive prices.
ISO vs GradRight health insurance: Cost
Health insurance offers you protective financial cover in case of illness and injury. However, it can be very expensive. Both ISO and GradRight offer competitively priced plans that are very affordable.
ISO
ISO plans are famous for being some of the most affordable in the industry. Their health plan coverage starts as low as $31 and goes up to $85 per month.
ISO Insurance Plan Comparison (2026)
| Feature | Platinum | Gold | Silver |
| Monthly Price | $85 | $49 | $31 |
| Annual Maximum | Unlimited | Unlimited | $400,000 |
| Per Injury / Sickness Maximum | $500,000 | $300,000 | $150,000 |
| Deductible (In-Network / SHC) | $250 (annual) | $500 (annual) | $45 per event |
| Deductible (Out-of-Network / Elsewhere) | $400 | $750 | $100 |
| Student Health Center Copay | $15 | $25 | Included in deductible |
| Primary Care Copay | $30 | $40 | — |
| Specialist / Urgent Care Copay | — | $50 | — |
| Emergency Room Copay | — | — | $350 |
| Coinsurance (In-Network) | 80% | 80% | 100% up to daily limits |
| Preventive / Immunization Coverage | $200 | — | — |
| Pre-Existing Conditions | after 6 months | after 6 months | after 6 months |
| Medical Evacuation | Unlimited | $120,000 | $60,000 |
| Repatriation of Remains | Unlimited | $60,000 | $50,000 |
| Provider Network | Aetna PPO | Aetna PPO | Aetna PPO |
GradRight
GradRight can find even cheaper niche plans. This is because GradRight partners with numerous health care providers in India. It is trusted by thousands of Indian students and has cumulatively saved them over a million dollars in premiums.
ISO vs GradRight health insurance: Coverage
Coverage includes the key components of a hospital stay covered by an insurer. This includes bed charges, cost of surgery, nursing, medications, and more.
ISO
ISO provides top-of-the-line coverage at thousands of hospitals. Even the cheapest plan provides critical care and medical evacuation. There is also coverage of pre-existing conditions after six months.
GradRight
Plans offered through GradRight offer:
- Inpatient and outpatient hospital stays.
- Emergency medical evacuation.
- Treatment for mental health and substance abuse.
- Pre-existing conditions cover after 6 – 8 months.
ISO vs GradRight health insurance: Benefits comparison
ISO was established in 1958 and is run by current and former international students. They aim to offer cheap ACA-compatible plans that are of short duration.
GradRight is an edtech platform. It has been designed to assist students with the entire study-abroad process – selection of university, education loans, visa process, and more. Naturally,y the platform specializes in decision support rather than policy issuance.
What GradRight does best is inform you which plan is ideally suited for you based on the university you are attending. Thus, there is no rejection due to health insurance coverage mismatches.
Here is a table offering ISO vs GradRight feature comparison
| Feature | ISO | GradRight |
| Primary Benefit | Trusted, long-standing reputation. | Maximum savings through comparison. |
| Signup Process | Direct, fast, and simple. | Guided, includes waiver assistance. |
| Plan Variety | Tiered plans – Silver, Gold, Platinum. | 50+ plans from various insurers. |
| Waiver Support | Offers a waiver guarantee for most schools. | Deep university-specific waiver tracking. |
| Claims Process | Managed directly by ISO and Aetna PPO. | You deal with the specific insurer chosen. |
ISO vs GradRight health insurance: Reviews
Both are well-known and prestigious insurance providers.
ISO
ISO is acclaimed for affordability and suitability for visa requirements. While it is mostly known for students visiting the USA, ISO also offers plans for students in the United Kingdom. The ISO website is simple and reliable. Most students love it because “it just works”.
GradRight
GradRight is making a reputation for friction free study abroad process. Once you sign up, you have access to an entire gamut of services, including help in choosing the best and most affordable health insurance plan. Also, GradRight offers these at a lower cost than most providers, thus saving you hard-earned money.
Which Should You Choose?
ISO vs GradRight, which should I go for? It ultimately boils down to your “shopping personality.”
Do you just want what works? In that case, choose ISO. Pick Silver, Gold, or Platinum plans according to your budget, and you are good to go.
But are you someone who likes to immerse themselves in checking out the best plans? If that is the case, then GradRight offers the chance to check out every option. You also get to save up to ₹6 lakhs.
Choose GradRight and let our experts help you decide which health insurance plan is best for you.
