OSHC health insurance for students in Australia
OSHC is not optional. Your student visa carries condition 8501, which requires you to maintain health cover for your entire stay. Without proof of it, your visa will not be granted, and letting it lapse afterwards could cost you its cancellation.
Only six insurers are approved by the Australian Government to offer OSHC. We work with three, and here we tell you which one to choose.
The coverage must begin the day you land, not when classes start, and to arrive until your visa expires, not until the course ends. That final period is usually a couple of months and is when the most people find themselves without coverage.
Our recommendation
Hiring through us you get access to special conditions and we take care of all the paperwork at no extra cost. Write to us with your visa dates and we will get it ready for you.
Other options we work with
If your case is unique, these two are also approved insurance companies and might suit you better.
If you prefer company-owned centers
Bupa
Its advantage is having its own medical centers spread across Australia, which greatly simplifies appointments and paperwork. An internationally prestigious brand, present in nearly two hundred countries.
- 24-hour telephone assistance with translation service, useful if your English is still a bit shaky
- MyBupa portal for claims and medical card
- Doctor finder by zip code
- Discounts in optical shops, gyms, and partner stores
- Coverage valid throughout Australia, with no changes between states
If you are looking for the tightest price
AHM OSHC
It is usually the most economical option on the market. The basic coverage meets all the requirements of the visa, so if your budget is tight, it is a perfectly valid alternative.
- Usually priced below the rest
- Wide network of associated centers
- Online registration and management
- Coverage essentially equivalent to public healthcare
When making an appointment, always ask if the center is no gap fee. If it is, you don't pay anything out of pocket.
How OSHC works in practice
This is what nobody explains well to you and what causes the most confusion when you walk into a clinic for the first time.
Hospital: fully booked
Whether you are admitted to a public or private hospital, your OSHC covers the entire admission: room, operating theatre, laboratory tests, and medication administered during the stay. No annual limit.
Consultations: covered up to the official rate
The Australian government sets a reference rate for each medical procedure, known as the MBS. Your insurance pays 100% of that rate. If the doctor charges more than that, you pay the difference. It's called gap, and that is why it is best to look for facilities that bill the insurance company directly.
Medications: with annual limit
Prescription medications are reimbursed starting from a threshold and up to an annual cap that varies depending on the policy. What you buy at the pharmacy without a prescription (vitamins, pain relievers, cold remedies) is not included.
Normally you pay and then you claim
Except in facilities with direct billing, you pay the cost of the appointment upfront and then submit the claim through the app or website. The reimbursement usually takes a few days.
The official MBS fees and pharmacy thresholds are reviewed periodically by the Australian Government. Check the current figures in your policy or ask us, and we will provide them updated.
Frequently asked questions
Is OSHC mandatory?
Yes. The student visa (subclass 500) carries condition 8501, which requires maintaining OSHC for the entire stay. Without proving it, the visa will not be granted, and failing to comply can lead to its cancellation.
Which insurance company should I choose?
All three meet the visa requirements. We recommend Allianz Care for its medical network, app, and ease of finding facilities with direct billing. Bupa is a good fit if you prefer their own facilities, and ahm if you are looking for the lowest price.
Does it cover my partner and my children?
Any family member accompanying you on a dependent visa must be included in your policy. There are couple and family options. Tell us who you are traveling with and we will calculate it for you.
What is the gap and how do I avoid it?
It is the difference between what the doctor charges and the official fee covered by your insurance. To avoid this, look for facilities that bill your insurer directly: in the Allianz and Bupa search tools, you can filter them by postal code.
Is my insurance valid in any Australian state?
Yes. OSHC is valid throughout Australia and does not change if you move from Sydney to Melbourne or any other city.
Are you going with a Work and Holiday or as a tourist? You need a different type of coverage. Check out our guide to health insurance for Australia.