Health insurance

Health insurance for your visa

Most temporary visas require health insurance for your whole stay. Check what your visa needs, work out the exact dates, and get quotes from Australia’s approved insurers in one request.

OSHCOverseas Student Health CoverStudent (500) and Student Guardian (590) visas, and their family members OVHCOverseas Visitor Health Cover485, 482, working holiday, visitor, parent and other temporary visas NZNew Zealand student insuranceStudying in New Zealand Students abroadStudent insurance in another countryStudying outside Australia and New Zealand Visitors abroadVisitor insurance in another countryTravelling or visiting outside Australia

Does my visa need health insurance?

Visa condition 8501: “The visa holder must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance while the holder is in Australia.”

Your visa

Every visa with condition 8501

Visa	Name	Condition 8501	Usual cover
500	Student	Always (mandatory)	OSHC
590	Student Guardian	Always (mandatory)	OSHC
485	Temporary Graduate	Always (mandatory)	OVHC
482	Skills in Demand (listed as Temporary Skill Shortage)	Always (mandatory)	OVHC
407	Training	Always (mandatory)	OVHC
403	Temporary Work (International Relations)	Always (mandatory)	OVHC
870	Sponsored Parent (Temporary)	Always (mandatory)	OVHC
408	Temporary Activity	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC
417	Working Holiday	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC
462	Work and Holiday	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC
461	New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC
600	Visitor	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC
771	Transit	If the decision maker imposes it	OVHC

Mandatory (m) conditions apply by law when the visa is granted. Discretionary (d) conditions are imposed by the decision maker. Condition 8501 can only be imposed on a Visitor visa in certain streams or circumstances, and applies to some bridging visas in specific circumstances.

OSHC dates for a Student visa

Your cover must match your visa, which usually runs past the end of your course. Enter your dates to see the period to insure.

Home Affairs’ usual Student visa periods

Course	Visa usually granted
10 months or longer, finishing in November or December	usually to 15 March of the following year
10 months or longer, finishing January to October	usually 2 months longer than the course
Less than 10 months	usually 1 month longer than the course

You and your family members must have OSHC from an approved Australian provider for the whole of your stay, unless an exception applies.
Applicants outside Australia: cover must start the day you and your family arrive in Australia, not the day your course starts (generally 1 week to 1 month before the course).
Applicants in Australia: if your previous visa required health insurance, cover must be continuous, with no gap.
Studying with more than one provider: the second policy must begin as soon as the first expires.

You don’t need OSHC if you are a Norwegian students covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, Swedish students covered by Kammarkollegiet, Belgian students covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia.

Get quotes

One request, and our insurance desk emails you quotes from the insurers, usually within one business day. You choose whether to buy.

Who provides cover

Approved OSHC insurers

Allianz Care Australia
Bupa
Medibank
ahm (part of Medibank)
nib

The Department of Health’s current list. You can choose any of them, and switch later as long as there’s no gap in cover.

Overseas Visitor Health Cover

Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) products commonly provide the minimum level of private health insurance recommended for visitors.
OSHC and OVHC products may include an information notice saying whether the level of cover meets visa condition 8501. Check it before you buy.
Home Affairs strongly recommends private health insurance for every visitor who isn't eligible for Medicare, even when it isn't a visa condition.
Visitors from a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement country may be eligible for some Medicare cover.

Good to know

When should my OSHC start?

On the day you arrive in Australia, not the day your course starts. Home Affairs says this is generally 1 week to 1 month before the course. If you’re already in Australia and your previous visa required health insurance, the new cover must follow on with no gap.

How long does my OSHC need to last?

For your whole stay on the visa. Home Affairs usually grants a Student visa until 15 March of the next year for courses of 10 months or longer that finish in November or December, 2 months past the course for longer courses finishing at other times, and 1 month past the course for courses under 10 months.

Do 485 and 482 visa holders need health insurance?

Yes. Condition 8501 applies by law to the Temporary Graduate (485) and the 482 visa, so you must keep adequate health insurance for your whole stay. Overseas Visitor Health Cover is the usual product. Check the policy’s information notice says it meets condition 8501.

Can I change insurer?

Yes. You can switch insurers while you’re in Australia. Make sure the new policy starts the day after the old one ends, so there’s no gap in cover.

Do you get paid when I buy?

If you buy through us, we may receive a commission from the insurer or our distribution partner. We tell you before you buy, and you can always buy directly from the insurer instead.

Sources and method

Condition 8501: Home Affairs, Visas subject to condition 8501 and Adequate health insurance, checked 20 October 2026.
Student visa health insurance and grant periods: Student visa (subclass 500) and Student visa grant periods.
Approved OSHC insurers: Department of Health, OSHC fact sheet.
General information only, not migration, legal or financial advice. Your actual visa grant date decides the cover you need.