Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

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, updated on July 26th, 2023       

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Buying the right overseas student health cover whilse studying in Australia is almost as important a decision as which course to study at university. Getting the right student health insurance is so important because it can potentially save you thousands on the cost of health care treatment. 

You can compare different health insurance policies online right here through Savvy. Our partner’s panel of leading Australian insurance companies will send you policies to compare after answering just a few easy questions. Get your OSHC sorted out through Savvy! 

What is Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)?

Overseas Student Health Cover is a specific type of health insurance designed to help overseas students meet the costs of their health needs while studying in Australia. It includes cover for public hospital admissions, and may provide assistance with the cost of general health treatments received in a community setting such as dental care, physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment. It also includes cover for ambulance transport.  

The Australian Government has set minimum standards for what must be covered by an OSHC policy. It's necessary for most students considering studying in Australia to buy such a policy before many types of student visas are issued.  

Exemption from needing to buy an OSHC policy 

However, there are countries which have special arrangements in place that may allow international students from these countries to be issued with an exemption for the need to hold an OSHC policy whilst studying in Australia. These countries are: 

  1. Sweden 
  2. Norway 
  3. Belgium 

If you are a potential student from one of these countries, check with the Department of Home Affairs to see if you qualify for an exemption.  

Which health funds offer OSHC policies? 

There are currently six private health insurers who are permitted to offer OSHC insurance in Australia (as of February 2023). These insurers are: 

  1. ahm  
  2. Allianz Global Assistance (Peoplecare Health) 
  3. BUPA Australia 
  4. CBHS International Health 
  5. Medibank Private 
  6. NIB 

What is and isn’t covered by an OSHC policy?

The requirements for an OSHC policy set out the benefit standards which must be offered by the policy. These benefit standards are related to the costs outlined in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), which is an approved list of services covered by the Medicare scheme. The minimum level of benefits that are permitted to be paid by an insurer offering an OSHC policy are:

  1. 100% of the MBS fee for professional services offered by doctors, surgeons and anaesthetists for hospital-admitted patients
  2. 85% of the MBS fee for services provided by a general practitioner for non-hospital admitted patients
  3. 85% of the benefit amount for other specialist consultations, pathology services, diagnostic imaging services and other specialist procedures for non-hospital admitted patients

In reality, what this covers you for (either partly or totally) as an overseas student includes:

  1. Hospital admission and accommodation either as a public or private patient
  2. Emergency department fees resulting in a hospital admission
  3. All patient care and post-operative services required after discharge from hospital
  4. All visits to doctors (GPs)
  5. Benefits toward the out-of-pocket cost of pharmaceuticals in excess of the PBS general contribution
  6. Ambulance transport cover

However, some of the exclusions that may apply to your OSHC are: 

  1. Any treatment provided outside the country, including treatment en route to or from Australia 
  2. Services covered by other insurance or compensation claims (such as if you’re injured by a third party and claim on their public liability insurance) 
  3. Medical treatments arranged prior to arrival in Australia 
  4. Laser eye surgery 
  5. Some alternative medicines and treatments, including iridology 
  6. Elective surgical procedures (such as cosmetic breast augmentation, for example) 
  7. Medical procedures not considered medically necessary (for example, tattoo removal) 
  8. Assisted reproductive treatments (such as IVF) 
  9. Stem cell, bone marrow and organ transplants

What are the waiting periods which apply to health insurance for overseas students?

The waiting periods that apply before you can claim on your health insurance policy are also regulated by the Australian Government through the Deed for the Provision of Overseas Student Health Cover. Waiting periods specified by this Deed are: 

  • 12 months for pre-existing conditions 
  • 12 months for pregnancy-related conditions 
  • 2 months for pre-existing psychiatric conditions 

Waiting periods do not apply to emergency treatments.

How do I compare different health insurance policies to help me find the best one?

As explained above, all OSHC policies offer the same basic legal minimum level of cover. The differences lay in the additional benefits which may be offered over and above the legal minimum requirements. The cheapest policy will generally offer the fewest additional benefits, if any. These additions can include a benefit limit to assist with repatriation to your country of origin, for example. 

These are the things to check and compare when deciding which health insurance policy is the right one for your needs. The cheapest policy may not offer the best value overall, so it pays to compare policies carefully:  

  • Check the policy complies with the minimum requirements for your visa 
  • Does the policy offer any coverage for dental treatment? 
  • What are the benefit limits for other services which aren’t covered by Medicare, such as optical services? 
  • Does the policy cover pregnancy and obstetrics care if it’s relevant to you? 
  • What is the allowance (if any) for repatriation to your homeland in the event of severe injury or death? This can range from $5,000 up to $25,000 or more 

What is the process for getting my OSHC in place?

You can purchase OSHC through several channels, including: 

  • Your education institution or university 
  • A migration agent 
  • An education agent acting as an intermediary 
  • Direct from the insurer 

However, Savvy can help you find and buy an appropriate OSHC policy. We help make finding health insurance easy for overseas students. The process through Savvy is:  

  • Answer a few simple questions about the insurance you need, your age, where you’re from, and when you are going to arrive in Australia 
  • Submit your quote form and you’ll receive a call back from a health insurance specialist to discuss your coverage options 
  • If you’re happy with the options available to you, you can go ahead and purchase your policy and lock in the cover you need to apply for your student visa 
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Types of health insurance

Hospital cover

This can help you pay for medical treatment if you need to be admitted to hospital. It can help cover the cost of your admission or accommodation and the fees charged by doctors, surgeons and anaesthetists. It can also cover other costs associated with a stay in a private hospital.

Extras cover

This helps cover the costs of health care treatments outside a hospital setting which aren’t covered by Medicare. This can include major and minor dental treatment, orthodontics, hearing aids, physiotherapy, glasses, contact lenses and podiatry (in most cases with annual limits).

Cover for singles

This is a standard health insurance policy designed for a single person, rather than being tailored to cater to the needs of a couple or family. It may include hospital cover plus extras, or either of these types of insurance on their own, depending on what you're after for your health cover.

Cover for families

A family health insurance policy is designed for a family unit including dependent children who may reach up to 31 years of age with some insurers. It offers private health insurance suitable for the whole family and may include shared limits for all members included in your policy.

Cover for seniors

A health insurance policy aimed at seniors is designed to appeal to people who are in the second half of their life. These are often specific Silver Plus policies that offer the same cover as other health insurance policies, with the exception that pregnancy and childbirth cover may not be included.

OVHC

Visitors who are in Australia on a temporary basis for travel, work or study may be able to take out Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). Many visas issued in Australia come with a requirement to take out this type of insurance, which covers visitors who may not be covered by Medicare.

Ambulance cover

Ambulance cover is generally available either packaged into your private health insurance or on its own as a separate policy or subscription. By having this protection, you could be covered for all eligible ambulance travel in Australia (subject to your insurer's terms and conditions).

Basic hospital cover

The cheapest and most barebones form of private hospital insurance, this can include cover for rehab, in-hospital psychiatric services and palliative care. Having this policy will enable you to avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) and Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading.

Bronze hospital cover

Bronze hospital cover is a step up from basic insurance, including 18 further clinical categories such as ear, nose and throat, bone, joint and muscle, digestive system, joint reconstructions, gynaecology and chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy for cancer.

Silver hospital cover

Silver hospital cover is the second-most expensive type of policy and offers the second-most clinical categories. On top of what's offered by basic and bronze cover, it also includes heart and vascular system, lung and chest, blood, hearing device implantation and dental surgery.

Gold hospital cover

The highest level of private hospital insurance available in Australia, gold policies can offer cover for pregnancy and birth, weight loss surgery, assisted reproductive services and insulin pumps on top of all the categories provided by silver, bronze and basic hospital insurance.

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More frequently asked questions about OSHC

Which visa classes are required to have OSHC?

Many visa classes have a condition which requires you to hold appropriate health insurance. This condition is known as the ‘8501 condition,’ and it applies to: 

However, this list is not exhaustive and there are many other visa subclasses to which the 8501 condition applies.  

If I swap from a student visa to a graduate visa, will I have to serve health insurance waiting periods again?

If you've already served waiting periods to be able to claim on your private health insurance policy, you may not have to serve these waiting periods over again. However, this will depend on your circumstances, so check with your insurer to see what conditions apply.  

What will happen if I let my OSHC policy expire?

The Department of Home Affairs policy states that it's a visa requirement that a student maintains adequate health insurance for the duration of their student visa period. Proof that you have adequate insurance for the duration of your stay must be provided before a visa will be granted. This may involve pre-paying your health cover for up to a year to receive your visa. If you do let your health insurance policy expire, you may be in breach of your visa requirements and should seek urgent expert advice as to the consequences of this happening.   

If my family visits me in Australia while I’m studying, will they also be covered by my health insurance?

No – your visiting family members won't be covered by your student health cover policy. Your family will either have to take out Overseas Visitors Health Cover if they intend to stay in Australia for an extended visit, or health insurance offered as part of their travel insurance policy.  

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