NewLife International School of Midwifery: Student Information

Newlife International School of Midwifery does not mandate a policy requiring students to secure health insurance. There are two primary reasons for this;

The costs for overseas insurance coverage by an American-based insurance company can be quite expensive.
Medical care in the Philippines is very reasonable compared to the States. For example, a typical doctor visit costs $5.

Health insurance coverage is entirely up to each student. If you are interested in securing health insurance we can recommend a provider who specializes in coverage for Americans living overseas. We also suggest that students consider a Christian shared health coverage program such as Samaritan Ministries. Although these types of programs are not considered a true health insurance program they function much the same way.

In the event that a student might require medical assistance or hospitalization we wan to provide assurance that there is very good healthcare available in Davao City. Hospital care obviously varies on the treatment needed but as example; an overnight stay in a semi-private room costs about $25/night. In the event of hospitalization, all patients are required to pay in full before they are released.

We will do everything we can to make sure students are given the absolute best medical care available if needed. However, it is understood that each student recognizes Newlife International School of Midwifery cannot be held responsible for payment toward any expense or fees related to doctor, medical treatment, medicines or hospitalization in the event a student should need such care while they are studying at our school. The student, her family members or her church must be willing to provide any and all expenses incurred for such. If a student requires medical maintenance for a specific health issue such as diabetes please contact us for more information.

We require that each student receive certain immunizations before their arrival. These include typhoid, tetanus, Hep A and B series. Malaria pills are not necessary as there is no malaria in this region of the Philippines.

We recommend that students fly with Philippine Airlines (PAL) due to logistical simplicity. PAL is the only international carrier that flies directly to Davao from the United States (with layovers) that enables you to check your luggage all the way. All other airlines such as Northwest, Korean, Cathay Pacific, etc. partner with a Philippine domestic carrier that requires re-checking luggage and transferring to a separate domestic airport upon arrival in Manila. This will involve taxi rides and possible overnight stays if the international flight into Manila arrives late in the evening. If you decide to fly a carrier other than PAL please advise us and we will give you more detailed instructions regarding your transfer in Manila.

If you plan to take a vacation after one year to return to the States for a break you'll need to purchase a round trip ticket. If you decide to stay in the Philippines beyond the one year mark and not leave the country you can purchase a one way ticket. However, the Philippine Dept. of Immigration may request evidence that you are scheduled to leave the country within one year by showing them a return ticket. Although this rarely happens you may wish to go ahead and purchase a RT ticket for peace of mind and request a refund from your airline regarding the return portion of the ticket after you arrive in Davao. Please carefully read the Visa/Immigration section below for more clarification.