Switching from OSHC to OVHC
If you plan to stay in Australia after finishing your studies, your health insurance may need to change.
While studying, international students usually hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Once you complete your studies, or your student visa expires, to remain in Australia you will need to apply for either a temporary work or visitor visa and will no longer be eligible for OSHC.
Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) is health insurance designed for people visiting or working in Australia on a temporary visa.
Depending on the policy you choose, it can help cover services such as:
Many Australian visas require you to maintain adequate health insurance during your stay. This is referred to as visa condition 8501. You can check if your visa type is subject to condition 8501 using the Department of Home Affairs Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) tool. Even if your visa doesn’t have this condition, purchasing OVHC is recommended as medical treatment in Australia can be expensive.
Once you have finished full time study, or your student visa has expired you are no longer eligible for OSHC. OVHC provides coverage for temporary work and visitor visas should you choose to stay in Australia.
We offer several OVHC products designed for different visa types and levels of cover. Generally speaking our products are split into 3 streams: workers, visitors and then health cover for those under 50 who don’t need 8501 compliance for their visa. We offer a range of products with different inclusions, here’s a general summary:
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| Coverage level | What’s included |
| Admitted hospital only | These policies cover hospital treatment only when you are admitted. This means if you attend a hospital but are not admitted, you will need to pay the full cost of your treatment. To avoid this, you will need to purchase a policy that includes outpatient benefits. |
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Hospital and outpatient |
These policies cover in-hospital and outpatient treatment, like visiting a local doctor. Depending on the policy you choose, there may be limitations in the hospital and outpatient coverage included. It’s important to carefully check the policy document. |
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Policies which include extras |
These policies generally include in-hospital treatment, all outpatient benefits and extras benefits as part of the OVHC policy, including general dental, optical and physiotherapy. |
Choosing the right policy will depend on your visa requirements and the level of cover you need. Check our Visas we cover page for more information.
You should organise OVHC before your student visa expires to ensure you maintain continuous health cover.
If you are planning to stay in Australia after graduation, reviewing your health cover options early can help you avoid gaps in your insurance.
Helpful resources: