Student health insurance
With student health insurance you can get up to 10% off your hospital cover if you're under 29. Compare policies from just $3-4 per week.
Key takeaways
- Young people under 29 often get up to 10% off hospital cover.
- Some cheap health insurance options for students include HBF, CUA and Bupa.
- Choose basic hospital cover and only necessary extras to often save money.
All prices are based on a single individual with less than $101,000 income and living in Sydney.
Being a student can mean struggling to survive on a part-time job and going without things you don't think you can afford. Student health insurance doesn't have to be one of them. Some insurers let you stay as a dependent on your parent's policy, you can get up to 10% off if you're aged between 18 and 29, and there are plenty of cheap policies that'll cover you for the basics.
The policies above from Finder partners are for a basic level of cover. Once you've clicked through, you can tell them your age and it will apply your age-based discount.
Are you an overseas student? You'll need Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your visa.
Can't I just be a dependant on my parents' health insurance?
If you're over 25, you probably won't be eligible to stay as a dependant on your parents' policy anymore.
To qualify as a dependant for student health insurance, you'll typically need to be under the age of 25, not married or in a de facto relationship, and studying full-time. Some insurers have an even shorter cut off age of 21.
However, this is set to change. Both Members Health Fund Alliance and Private Healthcare Australia (the private health insurance industry's peak representative bodies) have indicated that health insurers will soon allow you to stay on your parents' policy until you're 31, thanks to legislation changes.
Finder survey: How many claims have people made on their Overseas Visitor Health Cover?
| Response | WA | VIC | QLD | NSW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1.89% | 0.64% | ||
| Between 5 and 10 | 0.74% | 0.51% | ||
| 2 | 0.51% | |||
| 1 | 0.64% |
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1006 Australians, December 2023
Data for ACT, NT, TAS not shown due to insufficient sample size. Some other states may also be excluded for this reason.
Data for ACT, NT, TAS not shown due to insufficient sample size. Some other states may also be excluded for this reason.
What type of health insurance is best for students?
Basic hospital cover
Basic hospital insurance only needs to provide restricted cover for rehabilitation, hospital psychiatric services, and palliative care but many funds offer cover for a few more types of treatment. It's generally the most affordable type of student health insurance available.
Typical cost: Begins around $80/month for a single policy.
Bronze hospital cover
Bronze student health insurance hospital covers a range of Medicare services, such as ear, nose and throat, gynaecology and bone, joint and muscle. It's a little more than a basic policy but is still relatively affordable, making it a good choice for students who want cover for more without the price tag.
Typical cost: Begins at around $80/month for a single policy.
Silver hospital cover
Silver level health insurance generally covers a wide range of Medicare services with some exceptions, such as pregnancy and obstetrics, assisted reproductive services, cataract and lens procedures, joint replacements, dialysis and sterilisation.
Typical cost: Begins at around $115/month for a single policy.
Gold hospital cover
Top student health insurance hospital cover typically covers all 38 services where Medicare pays a benefit. This includes pregnancy and assisted reproductive services so is probably more than you need as a student.
Typical cost: Begins at around $160/month for a single policy.
Other ways to get cheap health insurance as a student
If you are a student, your income is possibly only coming from part-time work, so saving on the cost of your insurance is a high priority. Ways to do this could include:
- Only taking out basic hospital cover (or none at all) and concentrating your ancillary cover around those extras you use regularly
- Paying your insurance premiums annually in advance to avoid administration fees
- Paying your premium before the rate rise in March each year to lock in the current rate for another year
- Paying by direct debit, which can earn you a discount with many funds
- Opting for a higher excess in order to lower your premium
- Joining a restricted membership fund if you are eligible (such as an industry or employer fund) to enjoy lower premiums and more generous benefits
- Only paying for things you may need, such as emergency ambulance, and not for things that you probably won't need yet, such as obstetrics and IVF
Private vs public: what's right for students?
Medicare
The public healthcare system gives Australians access to essential services such as free emergency care in a public hospital and cover for some non-hospital treatments such as GP visits and medication. It doesn't cover everything and waiting periods tend to be longer compared to private health insurance, which is partly why over 50% of Australians also have health insurance.
Private health insurance
Private health insurance is essentially designed to make up for the gaps in medicare. This includes most out of hospital services such as dental, physio and optical. It can also pay for ambulance services which are not free in most Australian states. Health insurance can also give you access to treatment in a private hospital and let you choose the doctor that treats you.
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FAQs about student health insurance
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