Travel insurance for overseas students

What insurance do overseas students need in Australia?

There are 2 kinds of insurance that overseas students might take out in Australia. overseas student health cover (oshc) and inbound travel insurance.

Overseas student health cover

All students studying in Australia are required to have adequate health cover for the duration of their stay. For most students, this means Overseas Student Health Cover. The only exception is if you are a citizen of a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia

Inbound travel insurance

Inbound travel insurance is a form of travel insurance sold to non-Australians visiting Australia. It covers some medical costs, but can also cover lost luggage, cancelled flights and other travel related costs associated with travel insurance.

If you've been living in Australia for more than 3 months, you'll likely be eligible for a normal travel insurance policy, which will probably offer better value. If that's you, you should compare regular travel insurance quotes here.

What is Overseas Student Health Cover?

Overseas student health hover is health insurance for people in Australia on a student visa. Australia’s public health care system (Medicare) is only available to Australian citizens and permanent residents, so visitors need to have health cover in case they are ill or injured and require medical treatment.

OSHC provides cover for hospital and general medical treatment, emergency ambulance assistance and prescription medicines covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The Australian Government requires all overseas students to have OSHC as a condition of their student visa. It must be maintained for the duration of their stay and extended if their stay is extended, otherwise their visa may be cancelled.

You can compare OSHC policies for free here.

What is Inbound travel insurance?

Inbound travel insurance, also known as visitor insurance, is designed for non-residents traveling to a specific country, such as Australia. It provides coverage for various unforeseen events, including medical and dental expenses, lost luggage, travel document loss, accidental death, and personal liability. In the context of overseas students coming to Australia, inbound travel insurance can offer protection from the moment they start planning and traveling to their safe return home, covering aspects not included in Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). You can compare a couple of policies in the table below.

Brand	Policy Name	Maximum policy duration	Medical cover	Cancellation cover	Apply
	Inbound Travel Insurance	1 year	Unlimited	Benefit limit chosen	Bonus Get quote How to apply
	Inbound Plan	1 year	Unlimited	Benefit limit chosen	Get quote How to apply

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's the difference between inbound travel insurance and regular travel insurance?

  Inbound travel insurance is designed for non-residents traveling to a particular country, such as Australia. It give you coverstuff like medical and dental expenses, lost luggage, travel document loss and accidental death. On the other hand, regular travel insurance is a more general policy that covers you when traveling from your home somewhere else. It typically includes a wider range of benefits and offers better value.

• Can non-residents get a normal travel insurance policy in Australia?

  Yup, you can still get Aussie travel insurance as a non-resident, as long as you've been living down under for at least 3 months or so. At that point you're almost always ebtter off getting a normal policy than an inbound policy.

• Do I need OSHC or inbound travel insurance

  Okay so OSHC and inbound travel insurance are different, in important ways. You'll need OSHC to travel to Australia on a student visa, unless your home country as a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia (like the UK does, for eaxample). Inbound travel insurance is something extra, probably for when you first arrive, especially if you're going traveling first. It covers stuff like lost luggage, trip delays, typical travel insurance stuff.

• How much is international student insurance in Australia?

  The cost of international student insurance in Australia varies depending on the provider and the level of coverage. On average, OSHC costs between $500 to $2,000 per year for a single student. Premiums are more expensive if you require cover for a couple of a family.

• What does OSHC student cover?

  OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) typically covers international students for a range of healthcare services in Australia, including doctor visits, hospital care, emergency ambulance services and limited prescription medications. Some policies may also cover extras like dental, optical and physiotherapy, depending on the provider and the plan you choose.

• Which insurance is best for international students in Australia?

  For international students in Australia, Allianz Global Assistance, Medibank and Bupa are among the top choices for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). These providers offer policies that meet visa requirements and provide coverage for medical emergencies, hospital visits and other essential healthcare services while studying in Australia.

Written by

Tim Bennett

Insurance expert

Tim Bennett is a Finder insurance & utilities expert. For over 10 years he's reported on news, politics, finance and other topics as a journalist and radio presenter. Tim's roles have included radio news reader and breakfast at the ABC, news producer for SBS and producer for Fairfax Media. Tim regularly appears as a health insurance expert on programs like Sunrise and SBS news, as well as in the Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. See full bio

Tim's expertise

Tim has written 122 Finder guides across topics including:

• Personal finance
• Financial comparison
• Health insurance
• General insurance
• Life insurance