Compare Overseas Student Health Cover

From greater career opportunities to quality of life, thousands of international students flock to Australia every year. According to Australian Government Department of Education, more than 800,000 international students visited Australia between January and October 2025. If you are planning on studying in Australia, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a must.

What is OSHC?

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a type of health insurance designed specifically for international students who are studying in Australia. It is mandatory for anyone with a student visa and must be maintained throughout your entire study period. OSHC covers the cost of some hospital treatment, emergency ambulance services, visits to the doctor and limited pharmaceutical medicines.

You can compare OSCH policies on Finder to prior to commencing your studies. We can help you find the right policy that fits your needs and health requirements.

What do I get with OSHC?

Hospital bills

Your insurer will pay up to 100% of your hospital costs as long as your policy lists the treatment as covered. You may get less if you use a hospital that doesn't have a partnership with your insurer.

Doctor's visits

Your insurer will pay up to 100% of the amount that the Federal Government has determined that standard GP consultation should cost (you'll pay any difference if your provider charges more).

Prescriptions, x-rays and bloodwork

You'll usually get a set yearly dollar amount that you can apply toward prescriptions and up to 85% for specialist service costs including X-rays and bloodwork.

Emergency ambulance rides

Your insurer will pay up to 100% of your ambulance rides in an emergency. If it's not an emergency, you'll be responsible for the cost.

Comparative Analysis of OSHC Provider Pricing and Premiums

While all OSHC providers must offer a minimum level of cover mandated by the government, premiums vary significantly between the "Big Five" providers (ahm, Allianz Care, Bupa, Medibank and nib). As of early 2026, ahm OSHC often provides the most competitive rates for single students, with annual premiums starting from approximately $670. For those travelling with families, Allianz Care frequently offers the best value, sometimes costing thousands of dollars less than competitors for family plans. It is essential to compare live quotes because rates are subject to annual adjustments, typically occurring in April (Source: StudyAnywhere and OSHC Policy).

Granular Breakdown of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Rebates

OSHC benefits are calculated based on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), which is a list of medical services and their corresponding fees set by the Australian Government. For out-of-hospital services, most OSHC policies cover 100% of the MBS fee for General Practitioner (GP) consultations. However, for other out-of-hospital services like specialists, pathology (blood tests) and diagnostic imaging (X-rays), the standard benefit is usually 85% of the MBS fee. In-hospital medical services, such as fees for surgeons or anaesthetists, are generally covered at 100% of the MBS fee (Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing).

Gap Payment Explained: Out-of-Pocket Expenses for International Students

A "gap payment" is the difference between what a medical provider charges and the benefit paid by your OSHC insurer. Because many private doctors in Australia charge more than the set MBS fee, students often face out-of-pocket costs. For instance, if a GP charges $100 for a consultation but the MBS fee is only $45.05, your OSHC provider will pay $45.05 and you must pay the remaining $54.95. To minimise these costs, students should seek out "No-Gap" or "Bulk Billing" clinics that have specific agreements with their OSHC provider to charge only the MBS rate (Source: PrivateHealth.gov.au).

How are treatments like dental covered?

Most OSHC policies don't include dental cover since it's not required as part of your visa. However, international students can get extras cover for non-hospital treatments like dental, optical and physio.

You can find plans that cover general dental treatments like cleanings, X-rays and simple fillings, or you can upgrade to a plan that includes major dental work like root canals, complex fillings and crowns.

You can choose from any extras policy in the Australian market and you'll hold this type of cover in addition to your OSHC policy.

Specific Pharmaceutical Coverage Limits and 85% Benefit Thresholds

Pharmaceutical coverage under OSHC is limited and does not function like the full Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) available to Australian citizens. Most policies require students to pay a co-payment (currently $25) for each prescription item. The insurer then covers the remaining cost up to a maximum of $50 per item. There are also strict annual limits, typically capped at $300 per year for single members and $600 for families. It is important to note that high-cost drugs, such as those used in oncology, are often not fully covered, which can lead to significant out-of-pocket expenses (Source: ahm OSHC and Medibank).

Cheap overseas students health cover

All Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policies are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Subclass 500 Student Visa. So, if this is all you care about then hunting down the cheapest policy and buying it might be right for you. However, if you’re more interested in finding a good value policy, try the below.

• Check the annual limits. While each policy covers the same thing, the annual limits can differ. Read the product disclosure statement (PDS) to know what the limits of each benefit are.
• Look at different levels of cover. Often, there are 2 or 3 OSHC products per provider. They'll usually offer Essentials and Standard coverage with the Essentials one being less thorough but cheaper.
• Compare your options. Take the time to get quotes for a number of policies as the pricing can vary by quite a bit.

What is not included with OSHC?

Keep in mind that you'll probably be unable to claim for a number of medical services and treatments under your student health insurance policy. Common exclusions include:

• Treatments not covered by the Australian public health system
• Treatment you require while travelling to or from Australia
• Claims for treatment costs that could otherwise be covered by compensation or damages
• Cosmetic surgery
• Any treatments you have arranged before travelling to Australia
• Non-emergency ambulance transportation
• Transportation of an overseas student (or their dependant) into or out of Australia
• IVF and assisted reproduction services

Who needs OSHC?

Generally, everyone with a Subclass 500 Student Visa needs OSHC. Condition 8501 on the Department of Home Affairs website says that, "You must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia."

OSHC is designed to meet your visa's criteria and covers you as long as your premiums are paid and you're enrolled as a full-time student. When you take out OSHC, the insurer will email you a confirmation certificate which you can attach to your visa application.

Visa Compliance: Upfront Payment Obligations and Arrival Timing

To satisfy the Department of Home Affairs requirements, international students are generally required to pay their OSHC premium upfront for the entire duration of their visa. This ensures there are no gaps in coverage that could lead to a visa cancellation. Furthermore, your OSHC must be active from the date of your arrival in Australia, not just the date your course starts. If you arrive earlier than expected, you must contact your provider to adjust your policy start date to remain compliant with visa condition 8501 (Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Study Melbourne).

OSHC for couples

If you're travelling to Australia on a Subclass 500 Student Visa with your partner or spouse, they'll also need cover. The good news is, you can apply for a couples policy to make sure you're compliant with the visa requirements.

Just be ready for it to be a lot more expensive - the cost of couples OSHC policies tends to be a lot higher for couples, likely because of the increased chance of you having a baby. You might be better of looking for two separate single policies.

Is OSHC mandatory for all nationalities?

You're not required to have OSHC if you're a student from Belgium, Norway or Sweden. Under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) that Australia has with those nations, you'll be able to claim benefits for certain medical treatment under the public health system called Medicare.

• Belgian students. The benefits provided by the RHCA in place between Australia and Belgium is considered adequate health insurance. No student health insurance is needed to satisfy your visa requirements.
• Norwegian students. As with Belgium, the RHCA between Australia and Norway satisfies the student visa health insurance requirements.
• Swedish students. Health insurance is not required for Swedish students provided they are covered by a policy from the CSN (Swedish National Board of Student Aid) or the Kammarkollegiet (Swedish Legal, Financial and Administration Agency).

Be aware that if you are a student from any of the other countries Australia has an RHCA with, this does not exempt you from needing to take out OSHC.

Expert Tip: Proving you have OSHC health insurance

If you need to provide evidence of your health insurance arrangements, any the following may be considered acceptable, unless a particular visa subclass instruction requires other specific information:

• A copy of the insurance policy;
• A written letter or cover note from an acceptable insurance provider, certifying that the primary visa applicant and any accompanying family members immediately upon visa grant or their arrival in Australia, are, or will be, covered by insurance that is at least as comprehensive as the prescribed adequate level of cover;
• Evidence that the visa applicant has lawfully enrolled with Medicare via Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RCHA);
• Rvidence that the primary visa applicant and any accompanying family members immediately upon visa grant or their arrival in Australia, are, or will be, covered by health insurance that is at least as comprehensive as the adequate level of cover required under policy, with the understanding that the applicants will either enrol with Medicare under a RHCA or enrol in a private insurance arrangement after arrival; or
• For citizens from the Republic of Ireland that may access RCHA, evidence that they hold an Irish passport.

Family members applying separately from the primary visa applicant or visa holder must produce evidence as per above, which clearly indicates that they, as dependant applicants, will be covered upon arrival in Australia by a policy with an adequate level of cover."

Kaku Caro is a lawyer in LegalVision’s Corporate Immigration team. He has previous experience in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate and personal immigration. He also has experience advising on visa eligibility and preparing visa applications such as partner visas, employer-sponsored work visas, parent visas, and general skilled migration visas.

Can I transfer or change OSHC provider?

Yes, you're able to change your OSHC provider at any time, but you may incur a cancellation fee or refund processing fee.

If you plan to change OSHC providers, you must ensure there is no gap in coverage between your old and new providers. This means you must arrange cover from your new provider first, before cancelling your previous policy.

Any waiting periods that you have served on your existing policy will be honoured when you transfer your cover.

FAQs about OSHC and student health insurance

• Which health funds offer OSHC?

  At the time of writing, OSHC policies are offered by 6 health funds.

  • ahm OSHC
  • Allianz Care Australia
  • Bupa
  • Medibank
  • nib
  • CBHS International Health

• Does OSHC cover an emergency?

  Yes. If you have signed up for OSHC, you will be covered for treatments on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. It also includes emergency ambulance cover and limited pharmaceuticals.

  OSHC does not cover anything considered general treatment, such as the dentist, physiotherapy or optical.

• What does OSHC cover?

  Basic level student health insurance will cover:

  • The same hospital treatments that are covered by the Australian public health system
  • Accommodation in a shared ward in a private hospital
  • Certain prosthetic devices
  • Emergency ambulance transport
  • The same out-of-hospital treatments that are covered by the Australian public health system
  • Day surgery accommodation
  • Pharmaceuticals ($50 per script, limit of $300 per year)

• Will my university offer OSHC?

  Some universities will allow you to purchase your OSHC through them, but it is not a requirement that you do. They will usually have a specific "preferred provider" that they've partnered with and this may give you access to special rates or increased levels of cover that the insurer does not offer to the general public.

  If you purchase your insurance through your university, your university may also help organise your first payment to the insurer and advise the Department of Home Affairs on your behalf.

  A drawback of going through your university is that there will be lack of choice. Your best bet is to see what they offer and compare it side-by-side with other policies in the market.

• Can I switch to a different health fund?

  You have the freedom to transfer to another provider at any time. However, keep in mind that you may incur a "refund processing fee" if you transfer part-way through a cover period.

• Can you take out cover with an overseas health fund?

  No, the only health insurance that complies with student visa requirements are policies offered by Australian providers.

• What happens if I graduate but wish to remain in Australia?

  If you wish to stay in Australia following the conclusion of your studies, you will need to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). You will also need to transfer your OSHC policy to an Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) policy.

• Can I apply for cover when I get to Australia?

  No, not in most cases. Part of the 500 visa application process requires you to enter your health insurance policy number and you won't be able to enter the country if you don't have an adequate health insurance policy in place. Even if you're in Australia on a holiday, you will need to leave the country before you're eligible to apply for the 500 visa.

• Is OSHC mandatory in Australia?

  Yes, the Department of Home Affairs requires all overseas students to have and maintain OSHC for their entire stay in Australia. It's also mandatory for their dependents, including spouses and children under 18.

Why you can trust Finder's health insurance experts

No scary talk - let's face it, we all hate phone calls (sorry mum). Our mission is to bring you all the key stuff you need to know about OSHC without needing to call for help.

More time to study we researched over 10+ visa types, and dug deep into the fine print to show you policy options that match your stay. Giving you more time to spend on fun stuff, like packing....(!)

Ready when you need it - whether you're jumping on the plane tomorrow, or just starting to plan your overseas eductation, we don't have a call centre or any hoops to jump through. Just simple comparisons ready for when you are.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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