The Ins and Outs of Overseas Student Health Cover in Australia

• byBudgetpolicy
• 2024-03-13

Overseas Student Health Cover or OSHC in Australia is a health insurance cover carefully designed for international students to help them with their medical expenses and hospital bills during their stay in the country.

Having an OSHC policy is a very important visa requirement for every international student and one must ensure keeping it handy before leaving his or her home country. The following blog will teach you everything about OSHC in Australia.
This will help you know why it is important, what it covers for you, and so on. Keep reading!

Who Requires Overseas Student Health Cover?
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship in Australia requires all international students with a student visa along with their dependents they must have an OSHC policy for their entire stay in the country. However, there is an exception to everything and it applies here. In the following cases, there is no requirement of OSHC:

•    Students from Belgium are covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement.
•    Students from Swedish are covered under the National Board of Student Aid.
•    Students from Norwegian are covered under the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.

How much does it Cost to get OSHC as an International Student?
You have two ways to buy OSHC as an international student. First, you can let your university do the needful where they get OSCH from their preferred providers and provide it to you. Second, you can find a suitable OSHC provider yourself and buy the policy that fits your needs perfectly. Lastly, the cost of your OSHC will depend on various factors such as the provider you are buying it from, type of cover, duration, and so on.

Who are the Top OSHC Providers?
There are n number of OSHC providers in Australia however, it is not necessary whether their plans are worth it or not. Which is why, you should only consider buying from top providers. Speaking of which, here are the most popular OSHC providers:

•    NIB
•    BUPA
•    Allianz
•    AHM
•    Medibank

What Information is Necessary to Apply for OSHC in Australia?
After deciding which provider to buy from, you will have to fill out an application form and provide the following information:

•    Your residency status
•    What type of cover you are buying - single, couple, family
•    Your date of birth
•    Australian city you are enrolled in
•    The country of citizenship
•    Your visa’s subclass
•    Your course’s length or duration of stay
•    Your contact details

•    Your medical information (history and current)
You will get a quote after providing all the necessary information and accordingly can pay for your OSHC policy.

What are the Benefits of OSHC?

Comprehensive Hospital Coverage
The key advantage of Overseas Student Health Cover is to provide coverage for Hospital and medical treatments. No matter if, you fall sick unexpectedly or meet with a sudden accident, you will be covered under your OSHC policy, allowing you to completely recover.

Pharmaceuticals Benefit
One often overlooks prescription medications and they can be expensive too. With OSHC, you can easily pay for your pharmaceuticals, without burdening yourself with expensive bills.

Emergency Ambulance Services
Emergencies can occur anytime and anywhere, and are stressful situations to handle, especially when you are away from your home. With OSHC, you get assistance and medical attention on the spot. Meaning, you get emergency medical coverage whenever needed.

Now, let us take an example to understand these benefits better. Consider yourself as an international student in Melbourne, Sydney, or anywhere you want to study. One morning, you twisted your ankle and got a fracture. Now, as challenging as it seems, you can rest assured knowing that with OSHC you are covered. Be it, you have to go through surgery (if needed), take an ambulance to the hospital, and have painkillers or prescribed medicines, everything will be covered under your OSHC policy.  You can rest and recover easily.

Summary
Overseas Student Health Cover is a comprehensive health insurance cover for international students in Australia. You can get coverage for various medical needs such as hospital treatments, prescription medications, emergency ambulance services, and more.