Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Do you need OSHC?

The Department of Home Affairs requires almost all student visa applicants to have OSHC. There are a few exemptions for students from Sweden, Norway and Belgium, who may already have special arrangements under their own national schemes.

Your OSHC must be supplied by an Australian insurer, and the insurer must have an agreement with the Australian Government to offer OSHC. Health insurance that isn’t approved by the Australian Department of Health will not meet the OSHC criteria for getting a student visa.

Only applicants for or holders of a student visa are eligible for OSHC.

You can find out more about OSHC by visiting the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman website.

Choosing OSHC

Arranging OSHC through the University

The University of Melbourne can arrange visa-length coverage for you, provided by Bupa.

This policy is designed for University of Melbourne international students, and you benefit from having a Bupa representative on campus to answer your health cover questions. The policy is approved by the Department of Home Affairs and can be the most convenient option for students. Review the Success policy details (PDF 65.0 KB) to check whether this policy is right for you. (For information on policies purchased through the University prior to 1 March 2022, please refer to the Advantage Policy (PDF 64.8 KB) details.)

To arrange this cover, simply indicate on your Student Acceptance and Payment Agreement form that you'd like the University to arrange a visa-length OSHC policy for you. You'll also need to pay the OSHC premium along with your tuition fee deposit.

Once you've done this, we will create a policy document for you. The policy start and end dates will be indicated on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), and you’ll be covered from the date that you arrive in Australia.

Remember to order your OSHC membership card as soon as you arrive in the country.

The Success policy includes Singles, Couples, Single Parent and Family membership choices. A singles membership covers the student only. A couples membership covers the student and their partner on the student's dependent visa. A single parent membership covers the student and their dependent children under 18 on the student's dependent visa, living in Australia. A family membership covers the student, their partner, and their dependent children under 18 on the student's dependent visa, living in Australia. 'Student' refers to the primary student visa holder.

If you need further assistance to arrange your cover or to find out what you are covered for, please contact the Bupa on-campus consultant by booking an appointment via email at students@bupa.com.au or via the my.unimelb student portal. Simply choose “Stop 1” and then “Book an Appointment”.

For information about Bupa OSHC cover and COVID-19, please visit the BUPA website.

The University receives a benefit for BUPA OSHC policies purchased by students through the University.

Arranging OSHC through an alternative provider

Alternatively, you can choose to purchase OSHC from an approved Australian health insurance provider. You’ll need to contact the provider directly to set up your policy with them.

When you complete your Student Acceptance and Payment Agreement form, you must indicate that you’ve already purchased OSHC for the duration of your visa.

Length of cover

You need to ensure that you have OSHC coverage for the entire duration of your student visa, as well as any time you plan to spend in Australia once you finish studying. If your OSHC lapses, the Department of Home Affairs will automatically cancel your visa.

To extend your OSHC, please email students@bupa.com.au from your student email address, quoting your student number, Bupa membership number, full name, date of birth and the new OSHC end date.

You can also make an online Bupa appointment by submitting an enquiry with Stop 1.

The tables below indicate how long your policy should be.

Undergraduate and Masters by coursework students

Length of Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)	Ensure OSHC lasts until
10 months or longer, finishing in November to December	15 March the following year
10 months or longer, finishing from January until October	An additional two months on top of the CoE end date
Other	1 month after your course end date

Study Abroad and Exchange coursework students

Study period listed in Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)	Ensure OSHC lasts until
Semester 1, finishing in June	31st July (the same year)
Semester 2, finishing in December	31st January (the following year)

Masters by research and PhD students

The length of stay for graduate research students is generally six months longer than the usual relevant period set out in the table above to account for the thesis examination period.

If your research scholarship only covers single-level OSHC and you need couples, family, or single parent level cover, you will need to pay the additional amount for the higher level of cover yourself when accepting your offer. Alternatively, you can arrange your own OSHC with another approved Australian provider and apply for reimbursement equivalent to the cost of the single policy.

Graduate OVC Discount

The university has organised, in conjunction with Bupa, a 10% ongoing discount for UoM graduates on their OVC health insurance required for graduate visas. The offer is open to all graduates transitioning from OSHC to OVC.

Healthcare for other visa types

Only student visa holders require OSHC. It is recommended (and often a visa requirement) that you have adequate health insurance when travelling on a different type of temporary visa.

If you or your family are visiting, working, or working and holidaying in Australia, there are other Bupa insurance options available to you. You can also contact Bupa at students@bupa.com.au for support.

Reciprocal arrangements

Australia has reciprocal health care arrangements with several countries, including Great Britain, Finland, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Malta and the Netherlands. Visitors from these countries are entitled to limited subsidised health services.

Permanent visas

Most applicants for or holders of a permanent visa are eligible to enrol in Medicare, Australia's health care system.