Categories: Student Visa

Do I need Overseas Student Health Cover?

Congratulations! If you’re reading this then you’ve decided to study in Australia.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) there are more than 250,000 applications for student visas lodged in Australia every year.

Unfortunately, international students are not able to access Australia’s universal health care system, Medicare. Consequentially, the criteria of the student visa requires most students is to hold overseas student health insurance cover for the full length of time that they study in Australia.

Before you receive the grant of your Student visa, you’ll need to obtain the required level of Overseas Health Cover (OSHC). This article is here to help you get the right cover.

Students can either ask their education provider to organise it, or they can organise it themselves from the range of Australian providers who offer it.

Why do I need Overseas Student Health Cover?

- It helps cover you for medical expenses whilst you’re studying in Australia, including:
  o General Practitioner visits (a GP is a doctor)
  o Hospital
  o Emergency Ambulance
  o Some pharmacy costs (medicine)
- It is a condition of your Australian Student Visa that you obtain and continue to hold OSHC

Are there any exceptions to OSHC?

Yes, but only for students of specific nationalities with reciprocal Agreements in place. The Australian Department of Immigration advises that you do not need OSHC if you are a:

- Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
- Swedish student covered by the National Board of Student Aid or by Kammarkollegiet
- Belgian student covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia

Is every medical cost covered by OSHC?

Not every medical cost will be covered under overseas student health cover. Many non- necessary (or elective) services will not be covered. For example:

- Non-emergency ambulance
- IVF and other assisted reproductive services
- Procedures not recognised by Medicare
- Elective cosmetic surgery

It’s important to read the policy document carefully when signing up as not every provider offers the same level of care.

Who is eligible for OSHC?

Generally, Overseas students are eligible for OSHC. You are an overseas student if you are:

- a person who is the holder of a Student Visa; or
- a person who:
  o is an applicant for a student visa; and
  o is the holder of a bridging visa; and
  o was, immediately before being granted the bridging visa, the holder of a
  student visa.

A spouse, de facto, child or step-child of an overseas student who is unmarried and has not yet turned 18 may be covered on a policy as long as the policy is for an appropriate family plan (including dual family and multi-family policies with effect from 1 January 2012).

If such a person ceases to be a Dependent for the purposes of OSHC, he or she may need to seek other health insurance options.