Overseas Student Health Care (OSHC) is a requirement for most international students. Migration policy states students need an insurance policy for the length of their student visa. Students will need to have their OSHC policy in order to apply for the visa.
Please note this post does not provide advice on which policy you should select. Instead, I hope this will clarify what Australian Immigration’s policy is on OSHC. If you are seeking insurance advice, feel free to contact the relevant insurance providers or insurance professionals or contact immigration.
In 2026, OSHC costs have increased compared to previous years.
As a general guide:
– Single students can expect to pay around AUD $600 to $850 per year
– Couples may pay between AUD $3,200 to $5,500 per year
– Families can range from AUD $5,500 to $11,000+ per year
Please note that the exact cost depends on your provider, coverage type, and visa duration. Prices are updated regularly, so it’s important to get a quote based on your specific situation.
Many students ask if it is possible for them to purchase 2 individual policies. Immigration and OSHC providers have a different policy on this:
The Australian Office of Home Affairs (Aus Immigration) policy states: “Please note that evidence of cover for couples or families does not need to be combined and each applicant can take out cover separately. For example, couples can take out cover separately as two single premiums.” (PAMS: GenGuide G – Student visa). Based on client experience, we have had many applications successfully approved with two individual policies.
However, insurance companies’ policy differs: Insurance companies state a couple is not allowed to have two single policies. Instead, the couple must have a couple’s insurance. This is the policy of Bupa, Medibank, Allianz, NIB and AHM. What’s more, there is no specific reason given for the large increase in price. Each insurance company provides you with a different explanation. To be honest, this feels like it’s just a cash grab by the insurance companies.
So what should students do?
Unfortunately, there’s no sure answer that we can provide you. Please feel free to speak to the OSHC providers, do your own research with immigration policy or you can chat with family and friends.
However, if you are looking at OSHC, we would recommend BUPA as a company. In our experience, BUPA has been relatively easy to deal with compared to other providers. You can check out their prices and purchase insurance here.
If you have plans of living, working, and migrating to Australia, book a consultation with one of our expert agents today.
