Cover for overseas students

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Hospital treatment in Australia can be expensive and most overseas students on study visas are not eligible for Medicare benefits.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) requires anyone seeking a student visa to enter Australia to show proof that they have 'adequate health insurance'. The student is required to maintain this level of cover throughout the period of their stay in Australia on a student visa. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a special health insurance product offered by certain insurers under a deed of agreement with the Department of Health and Ageing to provide adequate health insurance to overseas students at reduced cost.

The following countries have a specific agreement with Australia, which covers their insurance requirements:

New Zealand citizens residing in Australia are 'eligible persons' who can access standard Medicare benefits. New Zealanders visiting Australia are covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between Australia and New Zealand, which provides access to free 'immediately necessary treatment'. This covers free treatment as a public in-patient or out-patient at a public hospital and access to subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Norwegian students are provided with adequate health insurance by the Norwegian government and do not need to take out OSHC.
Swedish students, whose insurance is provided by CSN International (the Swedish National Board of Student Aid), do not need to take out OSHC.

All others on a student visa must purchase health insurance which is regarded as 'adequate' by the Australian authorities, even if their home country has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia (these Agreements cover short-term visitors only, not overseas students).

OSHC covers student visa holders and their immediate family members (for example, spouses and children under 18 years old).

The minimum period of cover is 12 months, or the duration of your student visa, whichever is shorter. The maximum possible period of cover is the length of your student visa. If you have an OSHC policy that expires before the expiration of your student visa, or if you extend the length of your student visa, you must renew your OSHC policy while you remain in Australia.

Four private health insurers provide health cover for overseas students. You will satisfy the requirements of your visa if you purchase OSHC from any of the following providers:

Medibank Private,
Lysaght Peoplecare Limited, subcontracting to OSHC Worldcare,
BUPA OSHC, or
Australian Health Management.

In certain limited circumstances, alternative private health insurance cover that provides benefits at least equivalent to OSHC may be acceptable. Please contact the Department of Health and Ageing to confirm whether any such alternative cover may be acceptable.

More information

The Department of Health & Ageing provides a list of frequently asked questions about overseas student health cover.