Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is health insurance designed for overseas students visiting Australia on a student visa.
OSHC helps you pay for medical and hospital services while studying in Australia.
OSHC is a requirement of your student visa.
You’ll need to maintain adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay while you’re on the student visa.
You can get OSHC if you’re an overseas student in Australia with a student visa, or if you’re applying for a student visa and currently on a bridging visa
Your spouse, de facto, child or step-child may also be eligible for OSHC.
If you have graduated from university and are on a Temporary Work (Skilled) 457 visa or 485 Temporary Graduate visa, you may require Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). Some 600 subclass visa holders (Visitor visa) also require OVHC.
A waiting period is the amount of time you need to wait before you can make a claim through your OSHC policy.
Waiting periods may apply to your policy if you’re claiming medical costs related to pregnancy or pre-existing conditions.
If you have a non-urgent injury or illness that needs to be treated, you may want to consider visiting a local doctor at a medical centre – also known as a General Practitioner (GP).
You can access many services at your GP, including:
All public hospitals in Australia have a 24-hour emergency and casualty department where you can get help after hours and on the weekend.
People waiting in emergency are assessed and treated based on the seriousness of their medical condition. The patients with the most urgent problems are seen and treated first. If you attend the emergency department with a less serious medical condition, you may need to wait a long time to be treated.
In Australia, health care is made up of a mixture of services funded by the Australian Government and private health insurance. Australian residents are automatically covered for many hospital and medical costs under the Government’s Medicare scheme, but many Australians choose to take out additional cover through the private health care system.
Medicare covers areas of medical, hospital and pharmaceutical costs, but doesn’t cover medical services like private hospital costs, dental, physiotherapy and similar services, emergency ambulance assistance or other transport to hospital.
The benefits you get when you have OSHC are similar to the cover Australians get through Medicare.
You’ll have to pay a gap fee if the amount the medical provider charges is more than the benefit you’re entitled to under your cover. You’ll need to pay the gap fee yourself – you won’t be able to claim that amount.
We recommend you call your doctor before your appointment to get an idea of what it will cost you.
On a student visa, you’re required to have adequate health insurance from the day you arrive in Australia, for the entire duration of your student visa.
If your cover was arranged before your arrival, you’ll be covered as soon as you arrive in Australia.
You can find your expiry date on your membership e-card or on the My OSHC Assistant app.
If you decide to extend the length of your student visa, you’ll need to renew your OSHC policy.
If you have a life-threatening medical emergency, call 000 immediately for help.
If you have a non-urgent injury or illness that needs to be treated, you may want to consider visiting a local doctor at a medical centre – also known as a General Practitioner (GP).
Find a doctor near youMedical specialists are doctors with additional education and training in a specific area of medicine. For example, if you have a medical condition related to your skin, you may want to visit a Dermatologist.
To see a specialist, you’ll need a referral from your GP.
We have a network of medical centres and doctors that offer direct billing services.
Using our network of providers makes it easier for you to claim when you visit a doctor. All you need to do is show a valid membership card or e-card on the My OSHC Assistant App and the provider will bill us directly for the covered amount of your bill.
Make sure you select a doctor or medical provider that specifies they can direct bill.
You may incur an out-of-pocket fee (known as a gap fee) if the amount the medical provider charges is more than the benefit you’re entitled to under your cover. You’ll need to pay the gap fee yourself and won’t be able to claim that amount. We recommend you call your doctor or hospital before visiting to get an idea of what it will cost you.
Get the My OSHC Assistant app and submit your claim on your phone at any time, wherever you are.
A pre-existing condition is a medical condition (e.g. ailment, illness or symptom) that started before you purchased your health insurance policy with us.
Depending on your cover, you may need to wait 12 months before making a claim related to any pre-existing condition.
If you have a pre-existing psychiatric condition, you’ll only need to wait 2 months.
Learn more about pre-existing conditions.
Overseas Student Health Cover by Allianz Global Assistance was reviewed on 8 August 2017 on Product Review and rated 4.1 stars
