One of the most common visas for international students wanting to pursue education in Australia is the Student Visa Subclass 500. For a smooth and hassle-free visa processing, it is important to understand the visa requirements as well as available health cover options, such as Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). The following blog will walk you through the top FAQs to help you understand student visa (subclass 500) better.

Top FAQs about Student Visa (subclass 500)

1. What is a Student Visa Subclass 500?

International students holding student visa (subclass 500) can study, live, and work in Australia for the duration of their curse i.e., 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, or even more. This visa is for students who want to pursue in different courses from undergraduate degrees to postgraduate degrees. It allows students to gain experience of pursuing education in top Australian universities and living a better life.

2. What Are the Eligibility Criteria for a Student Visa?

For applying Australian student visa (subclass 500), you must follow certain eligibility criteria such as:

· Enrolment in an Australian course: First and foremost, you need a formal offer from an Australian school listed under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

· Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE): Students must provide proof of visiting Australia for study purpose only and there is no hidden intention.

· Health insurance: You must have an adequate Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from a recognized provider in Australia.

· English proficiency: You need to provide proof of English proficiency through exams like PTE or IELTS.

· Sufficient funds: Students should also provide the proof of their funds that they enough to meet their expenses in Australia

3. What is OSHC, and why is It Important?

All international students wanting to study in Australia are must obtain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), a compulsory health insurance policy. Throughout the duration of their stay, OSHC makes sure that the students have necessity medical services without having to worry about out-of-pocket expenses such as access to hospital and medical care, doctor visits, hospital stays, and emergency ambulance services. Prescription medicines may also be covered by certain health cover plans. It is considered important for many reasons, few of which are, mandated by official authorities and second, protects you from paying hefty medical bills.

4. How Do I Get OSHC in Australia?

There are various OSHC providers providing OSHC plans in Australia. You can compare and choose the one that fits best with your health needs and budget. Top OSHC providers include:

· BUPA

· NIB

· Medibank

· Allianz Care

· AHM

Each provider has different levels of coverage priced differently. Therefore, it is important to compare OSHC Australia plans to ensure you buy the right health cover.

5. What Happens If I do not Have Valid OSHC?

Avoiding maintaining health insurance as an international student may have straight repercussions. OSHC is necessary for the duration of your student visa, remember, if you do not have one, your visa may be cancelled. Not only this, without OSHC, you will have to take care of all medical expenses by yourself, which means, paying expensive medical bills of the treatment availed.

6. How Do I Apply for a Subclass 500 Visa?

The Student Visa (subclass 500) involves various steps of application such as:

· First, get a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from your preferred university.

· Fill out the student visa application and create an ImmiAccount on the official website of the Department of Home Affairs.

· Gather necessary paperwork such as your passport, proof of identity, health insurance, financial records, and English proficiency test results.

· Pay the application fee for your student visa.

· Provide records of your health and character examinations.

· Sit back and wait for your visa outcome. You can check updates on your ImmiAccount.

Conclusion

International students wanting to study in Australia need to apply for Australian student visa (subclass 500). For which, they need to meet certain requirements, including maintaining a valid 500 student visa health insurance. Top providers of OSHC in Australia are BUPA, NIB, AHM, Medibank, and Allianz Care.

Compare benefits and prices offered by all the providers and choose the one that fits best with your expectations. Speaking of which, Budget Policy can help you in this regard by providing you a comparison tool for OSHC for subclass 500 so you can get the right health cover.

With us, you can also save big on your pocket. Give us a call or book an appointment with our team today. Let us explore right OSHC plans together!One of the most common visas for international students wanting to pursue education in Australia is the Student Visa Subclass 500. For a smooth and hassle-free visa processing, it is important to understand the visa requirements as well as available health cover options, such as Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). The following blog will walk you through the top FAQs to help you understand student visa (subclass 500) better.