Get health cover for international students

Why do I need Health Cover? 

If you are an international student wanting to study at UQ, you are required to have a valid OSHC policy for the duration of your Student Visa.

OSHC is available from any government-approved OSHC provider and it will provide you with basic cover for medical and hospital care costs while in Australia.

If you are a student from Norway or Belgium, you are considered to have health insurance comparable to OSHC through the reciprocal arrangements between the Norwegian, Belgium and Australian Governments.

If you are a Swedish student who holds a valid CSN International or Kammarkolleit Health Insurance policy for the duration of your Student Visa, you are considered to have health insurance comparable to OSHC. If you do not have either of these health insurance policies, you will be required to purchase OSHC through a DIAC/DHA approve provider. 

OSHC will cover you from the time you arrive in Australia only. Travel insurance is also strongly recommended to provide cover during transit. More information about the Australian health system and health insurance will be provided during Orientation.

Further general information about OSHC is available on the Department of Health and Ageing website.

Where can I buy my OSHC?

The University of Queensland’s preferred OSHC provider is OSHC Worldcare Product at Allianz Global Assistance and the University can accept payment on their behalf.

Students that purchase their OSHC through Worldcare, are covered under the OSCH Worldcare Essentials Cover [PDF]. This is an arrangement that is only available through the University and it provides students with benefits above the minimum cover required by the Australian Government.

If you have indicated that you would like to have OSHC Worldcare Product at Allianz Global Assistance as your health insurance provider, your letter of offer will show the OSHC Worldcare fee for the length of your visa along with the program deposit amount you need to pay as part of your tuition fees.

When the deposit and OSHC have been paid and the signed Agreement and Response to Offer (ARO) is returned, the University will indicate on your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) that you have paid the OSHC. This is sufficient to apply for your student visa. 

OSHC Worldcare contact details:
Web address: www.oshcworldcare.com.au
Telephone: 13 OSHC or 13 67 42

What does OSHC Worldcare cover?

The OSHC Worldcare essential package covers:

• 24-hour emergency assistance and medical advice
• medical services provided by doctors (GP Services)
• medical services such as pathology and radiology
• some prescription medicines
• emergency ambulance services
• out of hospital medical treatment and in hospital medical treatment

For more information view the OHSC Worldcare essenstials policy brochure (PDF).

What does OSHC Worldcare not cover?

For non-emergency hospital care, including maternity (pregnancy) services, access to some medical services in some public hospitals may be limited. This means that public hospital services for non-emergency care, including maternity (pregnancy) services, may not be available to you when you need them.

In these instances, you may be required to access medical services through a private hospital. Private hospital health care will typically incur some out of pocket costs that are not covered by your Overseas Student Health Cover policy and will be your responsibility.

Please note that for maternity (pregnancy) services, these out of pocket costs could range from $4,000 to $10,000, depending on the level of maternity service/care provided. Therefore, if you are considering falling pregnant whilst studying in Australia, it is recommended that you discuss this further with your GP and OSHC health provider to look at the services available and the anticipated costs involved.

If you suffer from a pre-existing condition, you will not be able to claim for costs arising from this condition during the waiting period. The waiting period is calculated as 12 months commencing from: 

• the date you arrive in Australia, or 
• if you are an on-shore applicant who previously did not hold a student visa, the date your student visa is granted.

A pre-exisitng condition includes the signs or symptoms of an ailment, illness, disability or condition which in the opinion of an approved medical practitioner, existed prior to your arrival in Australia or the day your student visa was granted (on-shore applicants only).  

How much does it cost?

The OSHC Worldcare website contains full information on prices, options and what is and is not covered by this form of health insurance.

See table below for the OSHC premiums for individuals and families. Note that there is a waiting period for claims relating to pre-existing conditions.

What's my policy number?

UQ will arrange and establish your policy for you as part of your admission process. Your policy number is your student number, with UQ as the suffix. Eg: 42123456UQ

How do I apply for a OSHC card?

After you arrive in Brisbane and have a local address, you can apply for your OSHC card. It is a simple 5 step process that can be completed online through the OSHC Worldcare Product at  Allianz Global Assistance website. Read the How to order you card online (PDF) information sheet.

Can I get a refund?

If you cancel your OSHC prior to arrival in Australia, OSHC Worldcare will refund the OSHC amount you paid. If you cancel your OSHC after arrival in Australia, OSHC Worldcare will refund the OSHC amount paid, less a minimum cover of three months.

Other OSHC providers

The University has no relationship with any other government-approved OSHC providers and cannot accept payment from students for any provider other than OSHC Worldcare. However, students can insure with any other OSHC provider by contacting them directly:

• Australian Health Management
• BUPA Australia
• Medibank Private
• Nib OSHC

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