It is a requirement for any student studying in Australia that they retain OSHC during the course of their education. To comply with visa requirements, all overseas students must possess OSHC and maintain it while studying abroad in Australia.
When studying abroad in Australia, OSHC aids students with paying for potential medical costs, ambulance services, restricted prescriptions, and hospital treatment. One can select a policy that works for them based on the needs of the learner.
The Overseas Visitor Health Cover, or OVHC, is required of all foreign applicants who intend to visit or work in Australia. This policy applies to a number of visa types, including:
- Visitor Visas: Subclasses 300, 580, 590, 600, 601
- Bridging Visas
- Working Visas: Subclasses 482, 485, 400,401, 476, 489, etc.
- Working Holiday Visas: Subclasses 417 & 462
If you are a recent international graduate and are applying for your Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), you will need to switch from OSHC to OVHC to meet the health requirements. The different types of OVHC policies differ in costs, eligibility, and benefits. Most of these policies will cover medically-required hospital admissions and a portion of the doctor’s fees.
Unlike the OSHC, the OVHC enables you to purchase a general treatment cover. This cover pays benefits for the services of health care providers in private practice such as dentists, optometrists, and physiotherapists. The insurance can cover a part of these costs, while you can cover the rest.