Health Insurance in Australia for International Students

Healthcare in Australia

Who needs health insurance to study in Australia?

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship requires that anyone residing in Australia on a student visa, as well as any dependants they have with them, purchase health insurance coverage for the duration of their stay in Australia.

The only exceptions to this rule are for students from Belgium, Sweden and Norway who are covered by specific healthcare policies:

• Norwegian students covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
• Swedish students covered by Kammarkollegiet
• Belgian students covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia

Check with your university if you’re not sure whether this applies to you.

How does Australian health insurance work?

International students in Australia are required to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). You’ll generally need to purchase OSHC from a private company (more on that below).

What exactly your OSHC will cover depends on the package you purchase, but a basic plan will usually include:

• Visits to your GP
• Some hospital treatments
• Ambulance services
• Some prescription medications

Standard OSHC packages will generally not cover treatments such as dentistry, physiotherapy or optician care. You can purchase Extras alongside your basic package if you want coverage for these. Alternatively, you can buy separate private health insurance to go alongside your OSHC package.

A standard OSHC package will only cover your healthcare as the primary Student Visa holder. If you want to bring dependants, you’ll need a Couple’s, Single-Parent or Family policy.

If you have a medical problem while you’re in Australia, it’s advisable to contact your insurer before you agree to a specific treatment, to confirm what will be covered and any extra costs you’ll need to pay yourself.

You’ll have the option of either paying up-front for you treatment and applying to you insurer for reimbursement, or submitting the unpaid pay directly to your insurer. Note that exact procedures and processing times will vary between companies and policies, so make sure you check these in advance!