Key takeaways
- OSHC is a student visa condition: it must cover you and your family from arrival to departure, from an approved insurer.
- Only six insurers are approved: ahm, Allianz Care, Bupa, CBHS International, Medibank and nib.
- Basic cover includes GP, hospital, ambulance and limited medicines (up to A$50 per item, A$500 a year for a single); dental, optical and physiotherapy are excluded.
- The standard pregnancy waiting period is 12 months; at Bupa it is removed from 30 June 2026 for policies of 24 months or more.
- Price follows policy length, type and insurer; Medibank advertises single cover from A$79.10 a month, and family cover costs much more.
- Saudi scholarship students get cover arranged through the university to the visa end date, with a medical financial guarantee for anything not covered.
In this article
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a condition of the Australian student visa: it must cover you and any accompanying family members from the day you arrive until you leave, and it must come from an approved Australian insurer (Department of Home Affairs). It covers the doctor, hospital, ambulance and some medicines; it does not cover dental, optical or physiotherapy. For Saudi scholarship students, the university arranges cover to the end of the visa.
What is OSHC and why is it compulsory?
OSHC is health insurance specific to student visa holders. The Department of Home Affairs requires that "you and your family members must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia", from a provider approved to offer OSHC; the only exceptions are for students from Norway, Sweden and Belgium under specific arrangements (Department of Home Affairs – Student visa). The Australian Government adds that insurance not approved for OSHC will not meet the visa requirement (Study Australia).
When must cover start and end?
If you apply from outside Australia, "your cover must start from the day you and your family arrive in Australia, not the day your course starts"; you may be refused entry if you cannot show cover on arrival, and you must maintain it until you leave (Department of Home Affairs). Universities build this in: the University of Sydney starts the Bupa cover it arranges "one week before your course starts" (University of Sydney).
Does it cover a spouse and children?
Yes. The Australian Government states that international students "and their dependents (including spouses and children under 18)" must hold cover for the whole period of study (Study Australia). For a new baby, the Saudi Cultural Mission advises telling the insurer before the birth and registering the child’s details afterwards (Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia).
What does OSHC cover, and what does it not?
The minimum cover is set by the OSHC Deed administered by the Australian Department of Health (Department of Health). The outline from government sources:
| Item | Basic OSHC | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GP visits | Covered | Study Australia |
| Hospital treatment | Covered (within policy limits) | Study Australia |
| Ambulance | Covered | privatehealth.gov.au |
| Prescription medicines | Limited: up to A$50 per item, maximum A$500 a year for a single and A$1,000 for a family | privatehealth.gov.au |
| Dental, optical, physiotherapy | Not covered | Study Australia |
Cover differs between insurers above the minimum
Insurers add to the minimum in different ways. Bupa Success pays up to A$60 per script after the PBS co-payment, capped at A$600 per person and A$1,200 per policy a year, with unlimited emergency ambulance and up to A$80 per psychology consultation . Allianz Essentials pays GP visits at 100% of the Medicare fee, hospital at 85%, and medicines up to A$50 per item to A$750 a year for a single . Medibank Essentials pays up to A$70 per script, capped at A$500 per member . Read the policy document before buying; the differences are in medicines, mental health and medical repatriation.
Waiting periods
Insurers apply waiting periods to some services. The one that matters most for families is pregnancy. Bupa states the standard pregnancy waiting period is 12 months, and that "as of 30 June 2026, there is no waiting period if the duration of your cover is 24 months or more" . If you plan to have a baby in Australia, buy a policy for the length of your visa, not a single year.
What no OSHC covers
Treatment outside Australia, extras such as dental and optical unless you add an extras policy, and services Medicare itself does not cover. That is why the Australian Government recommends separate travel insurance, and Extras OSHC if you want dental and optical (Study Australia).
Who are the approved OSHC providers?
The six insurers approved by the Australian Government are ahm OSHC, Allianz Care Australia (Peoplecare), Bupa Australia, CBHS International Health, Medibank Private and nib OSHC (privatehealth.gov.au). Any name outside this list does not satisfy the visa condition.
How much does OSHC cost?
Price depends on three things: policy length, policy type (single, couple, family) and insurer. Insurers publish quote calculators rather than a single price table. The one explicit published figure: Medibank advertises its Essentials cover "from A$79.10 a month" for a single (, as at September 2026). Couple and family policies cost considerably more; check the current figure in the insurer’s calculator for your full visa length.
How to compare prices properly
- Work out your likely visa length (a student visa can be granted for up to 6 years in line with your enrolment (Department of Home Affairs)) and get quotes for that same period from more than one insurer.
- Quote the right policy type: single, couple or family.
- Compare medicine caps, mental health benefits and the pregnancy waiting period, not just price.
- Confirm the insurer is on the approved list of six.
How does a Saudi scholarship student get OSHC?
The Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia (الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا) states it has coordinated with Australian universities "the compulsory health insurance for scholarship students", that cover is issued "to the visa end date", and that the university issues the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) showing the student is covered for the whole study period (Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia). The Mission names the insurers its students deal with: Medibank, Allianz, Bupa, nib and ahm (Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia).
What if you need treatment the insurance does not cover?
According to the Mission, the student submits the treatment plan to the compulsory insurer for a "medical financial guarantee" showing what is covered, and if you attend a clinic the insurer has no agreement with, you may pay first and claim back (Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia). Each scholarship track is explained in our guide to Saudi scholarship programs, and the Ar-Ruwad track has its own article.
How to buy OSHC, step by step
- Accept your offer; the offer letter shows an indicative OSHC amount from the university’s preferred insurer, as the University of Sydney does with Bupa (University of Sydney).
- Choose whether the university arranges cover or you buy it yourself from an approved insurer. Either way you need the insurer’s name and the policy start and end dates, which the university records on your CoE (Department of Home Affairs).
- Set the start date to your arrival date, not your course start date (Department of Home Affairs).
- Add your spouse and children to the same policy before lodging the visa.
- Keep the insurance certificate for your visa file and activate your membership card on arrival.
- Update your address and phone with the insurer whenever they change; scholarship students also update the Safeer portal (Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia).
What if the policy expires while you are in Australia?
Bupa warns that letting the policy expire while you remain in Australia "may be a breach of your visa conditions" and leaves you uncovered for any hospital or medical service . Renew weeks before expiry, and if you extend your studies, extend the cover first.
How KD International can help
We guide you through visas and help with university admissions; our admission service is free for students applying to scholarship-program disciplines at universities recognised by the Saudi Ministry of Education. When your offer arrives, we go through the OSHC line and its duration with you before you pay.
See our process steps for where OSHC sits between the offer and the visa, then submit your application or contact us so we can check the policy length and type with you before payment.
Frequently asked questions
Compulsory health insurance for student visa holders in Australia. The Department of Home Affairs requires it to cover you and your family for your whole stay, from an insurer approved to offer OSHC, starting on the day you arrive rather than the day your course starts.
There is no single price; it depends on policy length, type (single, couple, family) and insurer. Medibank, for example, advertises basic single cover from A$79.10 a month. Get quotes for your full visa length from more than one insurer.
Dental, optical and physiotherapy under basic cover, treatment outside Australia, and services Medicare does not cover. You can add Extras OSHC for dental and optical, and the Australian Government recommends separate travel insurance.
Yes, but after a standard 12-month waiting period. At Bupa, from 30 June 2026 there is no waiting period if your policy is 24 months or longer. Read your insurer’s policy document, as application varies.
The Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia has coordinated compulsory cover for scholarship students with the universities; it is issued to the visa end date and the university records it on the CoE. Check your track’s details on the Safeer platform and with the Mission.
From the day you arrive in Australia, not the day your course begins, and you may be refused entry without proof of cover. The University of Sydney, for example, starts the cover it arranges one week before the course begins.
It may be a breach of your visa conditions and you will not be covered for any treatment. Renew before expiry, and if you extend your studies, extend the cover first so there is no gap.
Official sources
- Student visa (subclass 500) – Have adequate health insurance — Australian Department of Home Affairs
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- Overseas Student Health Cover — privatehealth.gov.au (Australian Government)
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) resources – OSHC Deed — Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- الأسئلة المتكررة – الشؤون المالية والتأمين الطبي — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا (وزارة التعليم)
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) — The University of Sydney
Ready to start?
KD International helps you choose a university, prepare your admission and visa file, and answers your questions about Saudi scholarships and studying in Australia. Apply now or message us on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
