If you’re coming to Australia on a student visa, you’ll need to have appropriate health insurance in place for the duration of your stay. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is designed specifically for international students, helping cover the cost of medical treatment while also meeting the health insurance requirements attached to most student visas.
What is OSHC?
OSHC is a type of health insurance designed to help overseas students meet the cost of essential medical care while studying in Australia. It’s a requirement for most student visa holders (subclass 500) under visa condition 8501, which requires you to hold adequate health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia. This also extends to any dependants included on the visa, such as spouses and children.
What does OSHC cover?
OSHC policies are designed to meet standards set by the Australian Government, meaning all approved providers must include a standard level of essential health cover. At a minimum, they must include:
| Service | Cover |
|---|---|
| In-hospital medical services | 100% of the MBS fee |
| Public hospital services | 100% of charges |
| Private hospital services | Agreement hospital: the amount specified in the contract Non-agreement hospital: minimum benefit under Benefit Requirement Rules |
| Emergency ambulance | 100% of charge |
| GP visits | 85% of the MBS fee |
| Specialist consultations | 85% of the MBS fee |
| Blood tests & X-rays | 85% of the MBS fee |
| Prescription medicines | Up to $50 per item, capped annually ($500 for singles / $1,000 for couples and families) |
| Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | |
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) is a government-approved list of medical services that sets the standard amount Medicare will pay towards each treatment or appointment. If a provider charges more than the MBS fee, you may need to pay the difference as an out-of-pocket “gap” payment.
An agreement hospital is a private hospital that has a contract with your health insurer to provide treatment to members at agreed rates. This can help reduce or limit your out-of-pocket hospital costs when you’re admitted for covered treatment.
Can I add extras cover to OSHC?
Extras cover helps pay toward out-of-hospital services such as dental, optical and physiotherapy treatment.
Extras are not included as standard on OSHC policies, but some insurers offer extras cover as an optional add-on, either when you first purchase your policy or after your cover has started.
This can help reduce your out-of-pocket costs for services you may need while studying in Australia, but it will increase the overall cost of your policy.
What does OSHC not cover?
While OSHC policies are designed to provide a broad level of cover for essential medical treatment in Australia, they won’t cover every type of treatment or expense. Some of the exclusions and limitations that commonly apply to OSHC policies include:
- Elective procedures, such as cosmetic surgery
- Treatments not considered medically necessary, such as tattoo removal
- Assisted reproductive treatments, including IVF
- Stem cell, bone marrow and organ transplants
- Medical treatment received outside Australia
- Treatments or services received during applicable waiting periods
The exact inclusions and exclusions will be outlined on your policy document.
What are the waiting periods on OSHC?
Waiting periods are periods of time after your OSHC policy starts where you won’t be able to claim benefits for certain treatments or services. While some services are covered immediately, others require you to hold your policy for a minimum period before cover becomes available.
These are the standard OSHC waiting periods set by the Australian Government:
| Service | Waiting period |
|---|---|
| GP visits and standard out-of-hospital medical services | None |
| Emergency treatment (including ambulance) | None |
| Psychiatric hospital treatment (non-emergency) | Up to 2 months |
| Pre-existing condition treatment | Up to 12 months |
| Pregnancy-related services (policies under 2 years) | Up to 12 months |
| Pregnancy-related services (policies 2 years or longer, from 1 July 2025) | None |
| Other included services | Up to 2 months |
| Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | |
Are there any exemptions available for OSHC?
There are limited exemptions where OSHC is not required for foreign students in Australia. These apply to students coming from Sweden, Norway and Belgium under special arrangements within their national schemes, which provide a sufficient level of cover and mean eligible students do not need to take out OSHC.
- Sweden: students are covered under Sweden’s national scheme for students studying abroad.
- Norway: students are covered under Norway’s public health arrangements for students outside the EU/EEA.
- Belgium: students are covered under Belgium’s Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), which is seen as offering an appropriate level of cover.
Students from New Zealand are also exempt from taking out OSHC, as they typically hold a Special Category visa (subclass 444), which allows them to access the same Medicare benefits as Australian citizens while living in Australia.
Do I still need OSHC if I’m covered by an RHCA?
Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCAs) with a number of countries, which allow eligible visitors to access certain Medicare services while in Australia.
However, even if your country has an RHCA with Australia, this does not automatically mean you will be eligible for Medicare if you are here on a student visa.
Where Medicare access is available, OSHC is still required to meet visa condition 8501. With the exception of Belgium, RHCA coverage is not a replacement for OSHC and instead acts as supplementary cover only.
How much does OSHC cost?
The cost of OSHC can vary depending on the insurer, who needs to be included and how long you need cover for.
Premiums for single applicants can cost less than $60 a month, but plans for couples, families and single parents are significantly more expensive, as more people are covered under the same policy and the likelihood of claims is higher.
Here’s what a standard OSHC plan could cost across Australia's five OSHC providers:
| Cover type | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | $54 – $60 | $674 – $719 |
| Couples | $419 – $576 | $5,025 – $6,705 |
| Families | $952 – $1,197 | $9,937 – $14,121 |
| Single parents | $419 – $576 | $5,025 – $6,705 |
| Sources: ahm, Allianz Care, Bupa, Medibank, nib, May 2026 | ||
Your OSHC premiums must be paid upfront for the full length of your visa. Even if you’re quoted a monthly premium, you’ll need to pay the total amount before your policy starts so you can meet your student visa requirements.
These prices are based on standard OSHC policies with hospital cover only. Adding extras cover, such as dental or optical, will increase the overall cost of your plan.
Who offers OSHC?
There are currently five private health insurers approved to offer OSHC in Australia:
- ahm
- Allianz Care Australia (Peoplecare)
- Bupa Australia
- Medibank Private
- nib
These providers have been approved by the Australian Government to offer health cover that meets student visa requirements, including the minimum level of hospital and medical cover needed for OSHC policies.
Many universities and education providers have a preferred OSHC provider, but you are free to choose any approved insurer that meets your visa requirements.
There are several ways you can purchase your OSHC policy before you arrive in Australia:
- Directly through the insurer
- Through your education institution or university
- Through a migration or education agent
If you want to compare your OSHC options, you can apply through Savvy to explore policies from approved insurers and get connected with a provider that suits your needs.
Tips for finding the best OSHC policy
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Consider your needs
While all OSHC plans include the minimum services required by the Australian Government, it’s worth thinking about whether you want additional cover such as dental or optical, and whether the insurer has agreements with doctors or clinics near where you’ll be living for easier access to care.
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Compare costs over time
Even small differences in premiums can add up over the length of your visa. If you’re staying in Australia for a longer course or with family, look at the total cost over your full policy period rather than just the monthly price. In some cases, choosing a different provider could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the life of your policy.
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Check your institution’s preferred provider
Many universities and education providers have a preferred OSHC provider that they work with closely. While you’re not required to choose this provider, it can sometimes make setup and ongoing support easier, and may include additional services or student-focused benefits.
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Look at extra features and support
Many health funds offer member features and benefits such as mobile apps, digital claims services, 24/7 support lines, multilingual assistance and member reward programs, which may improve convenience and accessibility throughout your stay.
