Health cover is one of the most important things when studying abroad. OSHC stands for Overseas Student Health Cover, which is a health cover in Australia designed for international students.
What is OSHC? What are the differences between OSHC and OVHC?
OSHC stands for Overseas Student Health Cover. It is a Health Cover designed for student visa holders in Australia. OVHC stands for Overseas Visitor Health Cover. This type of health cover covers a wide range of visitor visas and working visas in Australia. For example, international students who complete their course and want to apply for visa 485 will need to have OVHC.
Do I need OSHC?
International students are not eligible for the Australian national health service, Medicare. Therefore, every international student in Australia is required to have an OSHC. It is a mandatory requirement for your student visa application. Additionally, the OSHC has to cover the whole period while your stay in Australia.
Which OSHC provider is the best?
There are heaps of OSHC providers in Australia, and each has pros and cons. Please see below information for a brief introduction.
Medibank
One of the biggest providers, it is also a partner provider with many universities in Australia. There are many physical stores to assist its clients face-to-face. Many universities will have on-campus Medibank service consultation as well.
Allianz
One of the biggest providers, it is also a partner provider with many universities in Australia. There is no physical store to visit, it is a complete online health cover service provider.
Bupa
One of the biggest private health cover providers in Australia. There are many physical stores to help its clients, especially in. Brisbane. Bupa also provides many discounts for the clients, including discounted movie tickets at EVENT.
OSHC plans comparison
FAQ
Can I switch providers after my visa is granted?
Yes, you can change your provider after your visa is granted.
First, you will need to purchase a health cover from the provider you want to switch to. After that, you will need to request a refund from your previous OSHC provider, attached the evidence of your new health cover from your new provider.
Please note that the refund process might differ depending on your chosen health cover provider.
Are dental, optometry and mental support covered?
Most dental, optometry and vaccinations are not covered by OSHC. Please look into each health cover provider and plan to have more details on these services.
Are ambulance and overnight accommodations covered?
Most health covers do cover the costs of emergency ambulances and overnight accommodations in hospitals. Please note that most OSHC providers will only not pay for non-emergency ambulances, and some will not pay for accommodations in hospitals that are not in their networks.
