Overseas Student Safety Management Assistance (OSSMA)

Overseas Student Safety Management Assistance (OSSMA)

The University of Tsukuba introduced OSSMA by Emergency Assistance Japan (EAJ) in preparation for problems including happenings, accidents, etc. at your destination when you travel overseas for education, training, internship, research investigation, academic conference, convention, etc.

A traveler’s insurance is a system to provide a certain amount of money to those who contracted an illness, encountered an accident, etc. overseas whereas OSSMA does not cover necessary cost in response (medical bill, etc.) but makes accurate recommendations of local hospitals, transportation to the hospital, etc. if a happening or accident occurs during your stay at your overseas destination.

For students to make the most of their lives overseas, if a problem occurs during their stay, OSSMA will provide appropriate support in English or Japanese 24 hours a day, every day. The University of Tsukuba strongly recommends that students join (subject to fees). When getting into a program to be hosted by our university, joining OSSMA is made compulsory so check with the administrator in advance.

⇒ Apply

Contents

OSSMA services

If a problem occurs during your stay overseas, assistance coordinators will provide support in English or Japanese 24 hours, every day at the OSSMA helpline.

See here for more details on OSSMA service contents.

Notes: OSSMA offers advanced membership managed risk services while traveling overseas and is not an insurance. Medical expenses for hospitalization, medical treatment, checkup, counseling, etc., attorney’s fees, and costs of professionals who handle abduction and hostage-taking will be borne by the member. Therefore, traveler’s insurance is required together with this service.

ossma

OSSMA helpline cases

For example, at a time like this…
Lost passport You will be told about authorities concerned including embassies and advised how to apply for a new passport.
Feel ill As the situation demands, an appropriate healthcare facility will be introduced and the facility will be contacted to make arrangements.
Concerned about being understood at a hospital An assistance coordinator will interpret for you and the foreign doctor by telephone.
I want to know about making payments at a hospital As the situation demands, assistance coordinators will stand in for making payments or provide support for subsequent insurance claims.
Serious accident As may be necessary, assistance coordinators will arrange for the dispatch of doctors, emergency transport, and repatriation.

Delivery of information and safety confirmation through the OSSMA Locator

  • Browse and manage the location and information of travelers online and keep an eye on them during their stay.
  • Confirm safety through scheduled emails.
  • Delivery of information on local law and order, natural disaster, and infectious disease.
  • Provisional safety confirmation in the event of a disaster.

Difference between insurance and assistance

Insurance ⇒ Fund

  • A system whereby many people contribute to pay a premium in preparation for economic insecurity caused by an accident including fire and death and funded with that, it provides a certain amount to a person involved in the accident. Life insurance, general insurance, other insurance.

Assistance ⇒ Action

  • Placing maximum priority on human life, action will be taken to confine risks associated with international students at a minimal loss.
  • In medical care cases, local hospitals, transport, airplanes, etc. will be appropriately appointed and secured.
OSSMA membership fee
Schedule of fees (as of April, 2024)
Dispatch period Individual fee _ Dispatch period Individual fee
1 month ¥ 3,630 5 month ¥ 20,570
2 month ¥ 6,050 6 month ¥ 24,200
3 month ¥ 12,100 7 month to 9 month ¥ 29,040
4 month ¥ 16,335 10 month to 12 month ¥ 32,670

Including domestic tax (as of April, 2024)

+ ¥182 in additional fees

Notes:
For individual fees, in the case where the dispatch period is more than 10 days plus the number of months of dispatch, the number of months will be rounded out.
(Example)
– Travel period: January 1 to February 9 (1 month fee)
– Travel period: January 1 to February 10 (2 month fee)

Applying for OSSMA

※A new OSSMA system has been introduced.
If you plan to travel from November 1, 2024, apply according to the new procedure below.
If you plan to travel by October 31, 2024, according to the old procedure.

New procedure: The following is the procedure for students and faculty members of the university to join OSSMA.

STEP 1 Download the OSSMA application
STEP 2 New member registration
STEP 3 Service application registration
STEP 4 Payment(You will be provided a membership ID and service guide at a later date.)

■ Please refer to the PDF file “OSSMA membership registration and application procedure” below to complete the procedure.
“OSSMA membership registration and application procedure” (PDF)

※Please refer to the PDF file “OSSMA membership registration and application procedure” below to complete the procedure.
Password: (This cord is for University of Tsukuba only. Not available for other university members.)

※To join OSSMA, it is a prerequisite to take out overseas travel insurance.
Purchase travel insurance of your choice (any insurance company is acceptable).
For your information: The Study Abroad Insurance Coupled with “Gakkensai” (Futai Kaigaku)(https://ssc.sec.tsukuba.ac.jp/ies-top/go-abroad-top/hoken

(Note) Apply for overseas travel insurance as soon as possible after you have obtained your airline ticket and decided on your departure date.
Depending on the application method and payment method, the deadline for payment differs depending on how many days before the departure date, so please check the information provided by the insurance company carefully before proceeding.

Use of OSSMA service

■ Safety confirmation
For OSSMA members, the safety confirmation e-mail will sent on arrival time and every two weeks so be sure to answer it. In the case of a disaster, at times of crisis, etc. a corresponding safety confirmation may take place. The result of the safety confirmation will be reported to the university.

■ OSSMA service use instructions

  • Qualification for service use
    For OSSMA, the member and his/her family are covered.
  • Service period: during stay overseas
    During temporary return to Japan, this service is not applicable.
  • When service can’t be provided: They may be a delay in implementation of crisis management and support due to force majeure including general strike, transit strike, disaster, war, civil war, terrorism, insurgence, riot, retaliation, traffic and transport restraints, explosion, and nuclear accident and it may not be asserted.
  • In the case of a cancellation after the issuance of the member ID number OSSMA, promptly direct inquiries to the OSSMA office.

■ Handling of personal information
The underwriter (Emergency Assistance Japan) strives for the appropriate management, use, and preservation of personal information of OSSMA members which may come to knowledge in the course of business and will not use for any purpose other than service provision.

Inquiries

■ OSSMA contact information
OSSMA office of Emergency Assistance Japan Co. Ltd.
TEL: 033811-8310
Fax: 033811-8183
E-mail: ossma#@#emergency.co.jp
(Remove “#” from the above e-mail address before sending mail.)
Web site: https://emergency.co.jp/english/

■ On-campus coordinator
Coordinator for overseas safety and crisis management administrator, Global Commons
E-mail:gc-assistance#@#un.tsukuba.ac.jp
(Remove “#” from the above e-mail address before sending mail.)