Health requirements

To help look after your health and safety while studying in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs requires all international students to have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the entire duration of your student visa. You must arrange OSHC through an approved Australian health insurance provider before you can apply for your visa.

What is OSHC?

OSHC helps cover the cost of medical and hospital care while you’re in Australia. It may include ambulance cover and limited pharmaceuticals, with some policies offering extra support like mental health services or pregnancy care.

Please note that waiting periods apply for certain services (like pregnancy or pre-existing conditions) so you can only claim benefits after the waiting period ends.

Who needs OSHC?

All international students on a student visa must maintain OSHC, unless you are a:

Students from countries with reciprocal Medicare agreements (e.g. UK, New Zealand, Italy) may access Medicare but still need OSHC. 

UWA’s preferred provider: Medibank

UWA has a preferred partnership with Medibank, which offers Comprehensive OSHC tailored for UWA students.

Benefits include:

  • Market-leading pharmacy cover
  • Exceptional mental health coverage
  • 100% cover for emergency ambulance services
  • Waived waiting periods for pregnancy & birth (for UWA students only)

Refer to the full cover summary for more details.

International students who are not on a student visa are strongly encouraged to purchase visitors health cover for their time in Australia. Further details about health cover options are available from Medibank's Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

While you can choose any approved OSHC provider, UWA-arranged Medibank OSHC offers extra support and simpler visa processing. 

How to purchase OSHC

Purchase through UWA

Let us organise your OSHC and enjoy extra benefits. After you accept your offer and pay your first tuition and OSHC fees, UWA will arrange your health cover with Medibank for the expected length of your student visa.  

Medibank exclusively offers Comprehensive OSHC to students at partner education providers, meets all student visa health insurance requirements (for all course types), helps towards your hospital and medical needs and provides a range of added value services above the government minimum requirements.  

Refer to the full cover summary for further details.  

Purchase through an external provider

You can also purchase your OSHC directly through an external private health insurance provider or your agent. Make sure to check the level of coverage you’ll receive under their policies, and understand what is and isn’t covered.


We do recommend that you have your eyes and teeth checked before you arrive in Australia as dental work and glasses are generally not covered under OSHC and are relatively expensive in Australia. You can purchase cover for these extra services at an additional cost. 

Extending or renewing OSHC

It’s your responsibility to ensure cover is current for the full length of your visa. Expired health cover is a violation of your student visa and exposes you to potentially high medical costs. To renew your health insurance, contact your health insurance provider directly. 

Medibank OSHC members can renew their cover:

Transferring to Medibank

If you would like to transfer your cover to Medibank from any other Australian OSHC insurer, your period of membership will count towards any waiting periods you may need to serve with Medibank OSHC. As UWA has a ‘preferred provider’ agreement with Medibank, the waiting periods for Pregnancy and birth and associated services are waived for UWA students.

If you transfer to Medibank OSHC, you will need to provide proof of your previous OSHC (a transfer certificate). Any waiting periods you have already served with your previous insurer will also be transferred to your Medibank OSHC. If your cover with your last insurer has lapsed or expired, other conditions apply

Refunds

If you withdraw, complete your studies early, depart Australia or change visa status, contact your OSHC provider to see if you’re eligible to receive a partial refund of any prepaid fees.  

If you become a temporary or permanent resident and no longer require OSHC, you will need to provide your visa information to the Fees team via askUWA and to Medibank.

Medibank support

On campus support

Medibank has a dedicated representative at Student Central, Monday to Friday, 11am–4pm. 

24/7 Support Helpline

All UWA international students with Medibank OSHC have access to a 24/7 helpline:

Within Australia: 1800 887 283  

Outside Australia: +61 3 9862 1095  

Assistance includes:

  • Medical advice (nurse support)
  • Counselling and mental health support
  • Emergency legal help
  • Interpreter services
  • Travel documents & communication assistance