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Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is compulsory for Student visa holders in Australia. Compare the price of basic OSHC from Allianz Care, AHM OSHC, Bupa and Medibank for your cover type and visa length, then get your exact quote on OSHC Australia.
Basic OSHC for 12 months (1 November 2026 to 31 October 2027), by cover type, cheapest first.
The cheapest basic OSHC for common policy lengths, starting 1 November 2026. Use the calculator above to see every provider for any length from 1 to 60 months.
The basic (minimum) OSHC policy that meets the Student visa requirement usually covers:
Waiting periods usually apply, for example for pre-existing conditions and pregnancy-related services. Basic OSHC does not cover dental, optical or physiotherapy treatment. You can read more in the Department of Health OSHC fact sheet and in our guide OSHC meaning: what is OSHC?
If you hold or apply for a Student visa (subclass 500), the Department of Home Affairs requires you to have adequate health insurance for your whole stay in Australia (visa condition 8501). Family members included in your visa need cover too, so couples and families buy a couple, single-parent or family policy. Certain Belgian, Norwegian and Swedish students are exempt; check the Home Affairs Student visa page for the current rules.
You can switch to a different OSHC provider while you study in Australia, as long as there is no gap in your cover. Check waiting periods and refund rules first. If you apply for a new Student visa from inside Australia, for example to start a new course, your OSHC must cover the new visa period as well, so extend your policy or buy a new one before you lodge your application. See also how much the onshore Student visa extension costs.
OSHC is only for Student visa holders. If you move to a different visa, such as the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), you will usually need Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) instead.
Couple and family cover costs much more than single cover, and prices vary more between providers. For 12 months, a couple or single-parent policy costs from $5,351 (Allianz Care) to $6,686 (AHM OSHC), and a family policy from $9,515 (Allianz Care) to $14,121 (Medibank). When we checked, a single parent with one child paid the same as a couple, and the family price was the same for one, two or three children.
For 12 months of basic cover starting 1 November 2026, OSHC costs from $665 to $719 for a single student, from $5,351 to $6,686 for a couple or single parent, and from $9,515 to $14,121 for a family. These prices were checked on OSHC Australia on 28 October 2026. Use the calculator above for other policy lengths.
For a 12-month policy, the cheapest basic OSHC is Allianz Care for a single student ($665), Allianz Care for a couple or single parent ($5,351) and Allianz Care for a family ($9,515). For couples, the cheapest provider depends on the length of cover: Bupa for 1–8 months, Allianz Care for 9–60 months. Prices checked on 28 October 2026.
Student visa (subclass 500) holders must have adequate health insurance for their whole stay in Australia, and so must family members included in the visa. This is a visa requirement of the Department of Home Affairs (visa condition 8501), and OSHC is the insurance designed to meet it. Certain Belgian, Norwegian and Swedish students are exempt.
Your OSHC must cover the whole period of your Student visa, not only your course. The Department of Home Affairs usually grants a Student visa for 1 month longer than the course if the course is shorter than 10 months, and for 2 months longer if the course is 10 months or longer and ends between January and October. If a course of 10 months or longer ends in November or December, the visa usually runs until 15 March of the following year, so your OSHC should too. The calculator above suggests the number of months from your course length. Read our guide to choosing the right OSHC length.
Yes. You can change your OSHC provider while you study, as long as there is no gap in your cover; check waiting periods and refund rules before you switch. If you apply for a new Student visa in Australia, your OSHC has to cover the new visa period too, so extend your policy or buy a new one before you apply.
Basic OSHC usually covers visits to a doctor (GP), some hospital treatment, emergency ambulance and limited prescription medicines. Waiting periods usually apply for pre-existing conditions and pregnancy. Basic OSHC does not cover dental, optical or physiotherapy treatment. See the Department of Health OSHC fact sheet for details.
No. We check the prices on OSHC Australia and update this page regularly. The prices here were checked on 28 October 2026 for cover starting 1 November 2026. They are estimates only; your final price is shown when you get a quote from the provider.
No. Study Anywhere may earn a commission if you buy OSHC through our partner link, at no extra cost to you. Prices through our link were the same as on OSHC Australia’s own website when we checked on 28 October 2026.
Disclosure: Study Anywhere may earn a commission if you buy OSHC through our partner links, at no extra cost to you. Prices through our link are the same as on OSHC Australia's own website.
Source: OSHC Australia (oshcaustralia.com.au). On OSHC Australia, Allianz Care’s basic policy is shown under the Worldcare logo. nib also sells OSHC but is not listed on OSHC Australia, so it is not included here.