nib OSHC

Meet your visa requirements and reduce your medical bills while studying down under.

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Tim Bennett

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OSHC is Overseas Student Health Cover for students studying in Australia. Your student visa requires you to have adequate health insurance in case you are ill or injured while in Australia and OSHC is the cover you need.

Why nib OSHC?

nib is one of Australia's biggest health insurers. According to nib, as of September 2026 it provides health and medical insurance to almost 2 million people in Australia and New Zealand, including around 200,000 international students and workers in Australia.

nib OSHC meets the Department of Immigration student visa requirements and provides Australia-wide cover for medical and hospital treatment plus emergency ambulance transport.

Who is it for?

nib OSHC is for students studying in Australia on a Student Visa (subclass 500). If you have a spouse and dependent children under 18 staying with you in Australia, they must also have health cover while they are here.

nib OSHC covers singles (just you), couples (you and your partner) and families (if listed on your Student Visa). However, it does not cover extended family such as uncles, aunts, cousins or grandparents.

Cover options

nib OSHC provides the following types of health cover;

  • Doctors and specialists – pays 100% of the MBS (government recommended) fee for visits to a GP or 85% of the MBS fee for treatment by a specialist such as a radiologist or pathologist. To minimise the amount you pay, be sure to visit a nib Preferred Provider.
  • Hospital – pays 100% of the recommended state rate for hospital treatment and accommodation in a public hospital and 100% of the agreed rate in a private hospital. To minimise the amount you pay, be sure to visit a nib Preferred Private Hospital.
  • Emergency ambulance – pays 100% of medically necessary ambulance transport by a recognised ambulance service.
  • Prescription medication – pays up to $50 per item for medications listed on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) after you have paid the PBS patient contribution. A limit of $300 per year for singles and $600 for families.
  • Prostheses – pays 100% for government approved no-gap prostheses and the minimum benefit for gap-permitted prostheses.

What about dental?

OSHC does not cover ancillary treatments such as dental. If you want cover for this while you are in Australia, you can take out Extras cover with nib, which will cover you for general treatments such as dental, optical and physiotherapy.

What if I fall pregnant?

If you require treatment for pregnancy during your stay in Australia, nib OSHC will cover 85% of the MBS fee for outpatient obstetrics services (outside of hospital) and 100% of inpatient obstetrics (in hospital). You will need to plan ahead though, as there is a 12-month waiting period on cover for pregnancy and birth-related services.

How do I find a doctor?

nib International Visitors First Choice Providers are doctors, specialists and medical centres who have agreements with nib. Using a First Choice Provider will ensure you minimise the amount that you pay.

Use the search tool on nib's Find a Doctor page to locate a service provider near you and remember to take your nib Customer Card with you to your appointment.

How do I find a hospital?

nib has agreements with most of the private hospitals in Australia and attending one of these will help you to minimise the out-of-pocket expenses you might have to pay.

To find the nearest nib Agreement Private Hospital for your procedure, use the search tool on nib's Find a Hospital page. Or give nib a call if you are unsure about whether you are covered.

How do I make a claim?

If you attended an nib Agreement Private Hospital where your procedure is covered and your doctors agree to participate in nib MediGap, you may not receive any bills from the hospital. But if you do for any reason, there are two ways to claim;

  • Two-way claim - complete a Medicare claim form and two-way claim form and submit to Medicare with the bill. Medicare will pay 75% of the MBS fee and advise nib, who will then pay the other 25% (any extra will need to be paid by you).
  • nib claim form with a Medicare Statement of Benefits - if you've already submitted your claim to Medicare, send the Statement of Benefits and any receipts or invoices to nib, who will then pay the remaining 25% of the MBS fee (again, any gap will need to be paid by you).

Can I get a refund on my nib OSHC?

If you have to cancel your OSHC policy, nib will provide you with a pro rata refund of your premium in the following circumstances;

  • If you do not come to Australia to study as you had planned to do
  • If you pay for an extended stay and your visa is not extended
  • If you have to cancel your studies and go home for reasons beyond your control
  • If you have been granted permanent residency or another Australian visa
  • If you did not remain in Australia for at least 3 months while holding your student visa.

Should I get nib OSHC?

Reasons to choose nib OSHC include:

Pros

  • Meets the Australian government's student visa requirements
  • Australia-wide cover for medical and hospital treatment
  • Includes emergency ambulance transport
  • You'll receive your OSHC Confirmation Certificate in just 5 minutes.

Cons

  • Waiting periods apply for pre-existing medical conditions and pregnancy-related services
  • No cover for children over 18 or extended family members (standard with all OSHC policies).

Sources

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A seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in news, politics and finance reporting, Tim has previously held roles at the ABC, SBS and Fairfax Media. Tim’s expert insights have been quoted in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. He regularly appears on TV and radio, and has been interviewed on 7 News, Sunrise, SBS News, ABC Local, 3AW and 5AA. Tim is passionate about simplifying complex insurance topics for Australian consumers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from Macquarie University and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). If you’re interested in a media interview with Tim, please reach out to our PR team at aupr@finder.com. See full bio

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Tim has written 144 Finder guides across topics including:
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