Health Insurance

Overview

What is OSHC and why do I have to purchase it?

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory insurance to assist international students meet the costs of medical and hospital care that they may need while in Australia. OSHC will also pay limited benefits for pharmaceuticals and ambulance services, depending on the plan.

In order to get an Australian student visa, you must have purchased OSHC. You can purchase coverage via your university when you accept your offer, or directly from an OSHC provider.

Only primary student visa holders (you, the student) are eligible to purchase “Single” OSHC. If you plan to take a dependent with you (e.g., your spouse or de facto partner), then you must purchase “Dual/Couple” coverage. You’ll need “Family” coverage if more than one dependent (children younger than 18) will be coming with you to Australia (e.g., spouse and child(ren)).

The Department of Home Affairs requires overseas students to maintain OSHC for the duration of time they are in Australia. For further information, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

Who offers OSHC?

OSHC is only offered by the following approved providers:

I already have health coverage here in Canada. Can I use this coverage in Australia?

Unless the coverage is offered by one of the preferred providers listed above, it will not be approved by the Australian Government as meeting the necessary requirements for your time in Australia. As this is the case, you can maintain any coverage you have here if it will cover travel and any other requirements you need, but you will need to purchase a proper OSHC policy from one of the approved providers to meet the requirements of an Australian student visa.

What does OSHC cover?

OSHC provides a safety net for international students. It includes cover for visits to the doctor, some hospital treatment, ambulance, and limited pharmaceuticals (medicines).

OSHC insurers can provide a range of different OSHC products. These may range from a basic product that covers only the compulsory minimum services to comprehensive products that cover, in addition to the compulsory minimum services, extra services as specified under the particular policy.

At a minimum, each OSHC product must include cover for

the benefit amount listed in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for out-of-hospital medical services (for example, a general practitioner);
100 per cent of the MBS fee for in-patient medical services (for example, surgery);
public hospital shared ward accommodation;
private hospital shared ward accommodation (only for hospitals that have contractual arrangements with the overseas student’s health insurer);
day surgery accommodation;
some prosthetic devices;
pharmaceutical benefits up to $50 per pharmaceutical item to a maximum of $300 a year for a single membership ($600 for a family membership). Overseas students may face significant out-of-pocket costs if they do not have appropriate coverage for treatment with pharmaceuticals, particularly oncology (cancer) treatment; and
ambulance services.

You may choose to compare policies from different OSHC insurers before selecting your insurer.

Before purchasing the policy, make sure you check with the OSHC insurer about the level of cover you have chosen to ensure that it meets your needs.

OSHC may cover, depending on the type of OSHC product purchased, general treatment (ancillary or extras cover, for example dental, optical or physiotherapy). If you require general treatment cover, you should contact the OSHC insurer for further information.

Please visit Flywire’s OSHC Insurance Australia for more information.

What does OSHC not cover?

Each policy does offer slightly different options, though the basics required for a person studying in Australia are typically the same. Most OSHC policies will not cover

treatment arranged before coming to Australia;
treatment needed while travelling to or from Australia;
transportation of an overseas student or dependent into or out of Australia for any reason; or
treatment covered by provisions for compensation and damages.

Some policies have waiting periods on pre-existing conditions. This means you cannot claim for costs arising during the waiting period if such costs arise from a pre-existing condition.

#OzTREKKStudentTip: “If you need to see a specialist doctor while in Australia, call your insurer before your appointment to ensure everything will be covered and to get any required paperwork in advance.”

How much does OSHC cost?

The costs associated with OSHC will vary depending on individual insurers and their policies, the type of cover required, and the duration.

Important: OSHC for the full duration of your studies must be paid in full when you accept your offer. Having OSHC is mandatory for all international students and is required when applying for your student visa.

Your offer letter will outline the specific cost of the plan associated with your degree and its duration. Please note OSHC costs vary depending on the duration of your degree.

Roughly, the annual costs you can expect to pay up front:

Single – $750 x the number of years of your degree
With partner – $2,750 x the number of years of your degree
Family – $4,000 x the number of years of your degree

As an example, if you are taking a partner and a 4-year degree, you can expect to pay roughly $2,750 x 4 years = $11,000 to accept your offer.

Cost can be higher or lower, depending on the provider you choose, and starting and ending dates. Very often, students find OSHC fees to be lower if they choose to go through the university.

How do I purchase OSHC?

Most international students arrange to pay for their OSHC through their educational institution; however, you can purchase OSHC from a preferred provider on your own. You retain the right to choose your own OSHC provider even when your educational institution makes a specific recommendation because they have negotiated a preferred provider arrangement with a particular insurer.

If you choose to compare prices and purchase your own OSHC, you can get additional helpful information about how to do so on Flywire’s OSHC Insurance Australia page.

#OzTREKKTip: Paying by credit card tends to be the quickest and easiest method when purchasing through OSHC Australia.

What are the differences between OSHC my uni offers and purchasing coverage on my own?

You are welcome to compare prices of other insurance providers. Sometimes coverage may not include dental or medications, so it is up to you to know the extent of the coverage. One specific difference is that there doesn’t seem to be waiting periods for some benefits (pre-existing mental health, and obstetrics) if you purchase directly through the university versus purchasing it on your own.

#OzTREKKTips: Should you choose to purchase OSHC on your own, your coverage must start the moment you land in Australia and last until the end of your student visa grant period. You must also provide confirmation of your OSHC coverage with the appropriate cover dates when accepting your offer. For single OSHC, you may save a few hundred dollars if you purchase your policy through an alternate provider; however, if you plan to take a partner/or family, the plan through your university will be the best deal.

Provincial Health Coverage

You must alert your provincial government to let them know you’ll be leaving the country for an extended period of time. Check out the link for your province and be sure to let them know you’ll be studying outside of Canada.