I have had international students ask me if their regular travel insurance covers them for their whole degree. It doesn’t, and it’s not supposed to, student visas require something completely different. Here is the distinction that trips almost everyone up in their first week.
Quick answer: If you’re in Australia on a student visa (subclass 500), you are legally required to hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), not regular travel insurance, for the entire length of your course. OSHC is genuinely mandatory under your visa conditions, and letting it lapse puts you in breach of your visa.
OSHC Is Not the Same Thing as Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is designed for short trips and typically excludes ongoing or pre-existing conditions. OSHC is closer to proper health insurance, it’s built specifically to cover you for the full duration of a multi-year course, including GP visits, hospital treatment, ambulance services, and limited prescription medicines under the PBS.
It’s a Visa Condition, Not a Suggestion
Holding valid OSHC is a condition of the student visa (subclass 500), specifically visa condition 8501. If your cover lapses while you’re still studying, you’re technically in breach of your visa conditions, even if it was accidental. Renewing before expiry matters more than people realise.
Who Can Sell You OSHC
Only a handful of insurers are approved under the Australian Government’s OSHC Deed: Allianz Care, Bupa, Medibank, and nib are the major ones currently offering policies. You are not required to use whichever provider your university suggests, you can compare and choose any approved provider yourself.
What OSHC Actually Covers
- GP and specialist visits
- Hospital treatment (public and, depending on the policy, some private)
- Emergency ambulance transport
- Limited pharmaceutical benefits (generally up to $50 per item, capped annually)
What It Does Not Cover
- Dental, optical, and physiotherapy — these need separate “Extras” cover
- Treatment outside Australia — OSHC only applies to care received within Australia, even in an emergency while travelling overseas, which is a common and costly misunderstanding
- Cosmetic or non-medically necessary procedures
If you’re planning a trip home or elsewhere during your studies, that’s exactly when you’d need separate travel insurance on top of your OSHC, since the two serve genuinely different purposes.
Cost and How to Buy It
OSHC typically starts from around $500-750 AUD per year for a single student, though pricing has risen somewhat with 2026 inflation. You need to purchase it before applying for your student visa, and it must cover your entire course length exactly, if your course runs two years, you need two years of continuous cover from your planned arrival date.
A Few Exceptions Worth Knowing
Students from Sweden, Norway, and Belgium may have exemptions from the OSHC requirement under their own national schemes, this needs to be confirmed directly with the Department of Home Affairs rather than assumed. Reciprocal Health Care Agreement countries (UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and others) still require OSHC on top of any Medicare access, having one doesn’t exempt you from the other.
Here on a working holiday visa instead of a student visa? OSHC is not what you need, see our guide to OVHC for working holiday makers.
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If you’re an international student, health cover is only one box to tick — make sure you also understand how many hours you’re actually allowed to work under Condition 8105 before you commit to a shift pattern.
Final Thoughts
The biggest mistake is treating OSHC as optional paperwork rather than genuine, necessary cover, and the second biggest is letting it lapse mid-course without realising the visa implications. Confirm your exact requirements and current approved providers directly through the Department of Health and Aged Care’s OSHC information page before you buy, since exemptions and provider details can change.
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*This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance, migration, or legal advice.*