Overseas students

If you are an international student studying in Australia and have a student visa, you must purchase an approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy from a registered health benefits organisation - commonly referred to as health funds. You will need to buy OSHC before you come to Australia, to cover you from when you arrive. You will also need to maintain OSHC throughout your stay in Australia.

All foreign students studying in Australia, with the exception of students from New Zealand, Sweden and Norway, must take out OSHC.

Norwegian Students

As a result of an agreement between the Australian and Norwegian governments, all Norwegian students are provided with adequate health insurance by the Norwegian government and are waived the compulsory OSHC visa requirement

Swedish Students

Swedish students may be waived the compulsory OSHC visa requirements. Swedish students whose insurance is provided by CSN International (the Swedish National Board of Student Aid) will not need to take out OSHC.

New Zealand Students

New Zealand citizens who are residing in Australia are ‘eligible persons’ who can access Medicare Benefits. Otherwise, New Zealanders are covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement between Australia and New Zealand, which provides access to free ‘immediately necessary treatment’. That is free treatment as a public in-patient or out-patient at a public hospital and access to subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Overseas students should contact us to ensure they are covered from their date of arrival and throughout the duration of their stay in Australia. Our service is available to overseas students studying in Australia without cost.

To enquire about HICA’s services for overseas students simply contact us or complete the online enquiry form.