Understanding Overseas Student
Health Cover

OSHC means Overseas Student Health Cover. It is health insurance for international students in Australia. This insurance helps pay for medical care, hospital treatment, and other health services while you study. You must have OSHC to meet visa requirements.

For a complete overview of OSHC, read our comprehensive OSHC guide.

You must have OSHC if you study in Australia with a student visa. This is a legal requirement. OSHC helps you pay for medical treatment and hospital care. Without insurance, medical costs can be very expensive, and your visa may be cancelled.

For detailed visa requirements and compliance information, see our visa requirements guide.

Yes, you can change your OSHC provider at any time. Make sure you always have active insurance - do not let it expire when changing providers. Compare different insurance options and check waiting periods before you switch.

When you finish studying, you cannot keep OSHC because you are no longer a student. If you want to stay in Australia, you must change to Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). Chat with our experts now for help with this change.

Learn more about graduate visa transitions in our visa requirements guide.

OSHC can include your family members who come to Australia with you. This includes your spouse and children if they are dependents on your student visa. Each insurance company offers different family options.

For detailed information about dependent visa requirements, see our visa requirements guide.

You must have OSHC for your entire study period and any extra time you stay in Australia. If your OSHC expires, your visa will be cancelled. Always keep your insurance active.

OSHC usually covers:

• Doctor visits
• Hospital treatment
• Surgery
• Prescription medicines
• Emergency ambulance services

Some policies also cover physiotherapy or eye care. Each insurance company offers different coverage.

You will receive your insurance certificate by email after payment is confirmed. Credit card payments are processed quickly. If you change or extend your policy, you will receive a new certificate in 1-2 business days.

If you and your partner have separate student visas, buy two individual policies. If one person is a dependent on the other's visa, buy a couple policy.

If you have a bridging visa and your previous visa was a student visa, you need OSHC. If you do not know how long you need insurance, buy one year of coverage. You can cancel and get money back if your new visa is approved early.

For detailed bridging visa requirements and graduate visa transitions, see our visa requirements guide.

After arriving in Australia, register on your insurance company's website. Use the exact information from your certificate. Your card will arrive at your Australian address in 7-10 business days.

For registration help, contact your insurance company:

You can only cancel OSHC and receive money back in these situations:

Accepted reasons for cancellation:

• You did not come to Australia
• Your visa extension was refused
• You must leave Australia early for reasons you cannot control
• You received permanent residency or a non-student visa
• You were outside Australia for 3 or more months continuously
• You have insurance from another OSHC company for the same period
• You made a mistake with your name
• Your student visa was refused

To change your OSHC provider:

1. Buy insurance from your new provider
2. Cancel your current insurance

You will receive money back for the days you did not use. The refund amount depends on how much time remains on your policy.