Health Related Requirements for Student Visa Holders

Australia is said to be one of the top destinations in the world for studying alongside the US and UK. Not only are there world class education institutions available, but the lifestyle is second to none. Visit any state in the country and each will have its own university, college and TAFE options, but also affordable housing, stunning scenery and a great way of life.

But before all of that is at your finger tips, you must obtain the appropriate visa. Australia has very strict rules on obtaining a visa for many reasons. One of those particular rules is that while studying in Australia, a student visa holder must maintain form of private health insurance called OSHC (aka overseas student health cover).

The reason that this is a requirement of a student visa is because students holding it are not covered by the public health system. Therefore, if you do happen to fall ill while in Australia, you could be up for thousands of dollars for even a short stay in hospital. Now while this may sound quite steep, it is actually the real cost of treating a person for illness or injury.

Now that you know it is a mandatory requirement of a student visa, the next step is finding the right OSHC provider, which can be tricky if you don't know where to start.

Luckily, there are three easy steps you can take to secure your overseas student health cover and be on your way to studying in Australia!

1. "Research" is your first step: There are many places you can learn about OSHC providers. Start with your friends and family - some of them may know people who have studied abroad before, or they may have done so themselves. Word of mouth is often the best place to get real life experience and information. The next stop in your research quest is the trusty old internet. There are some fantastic sites that will give you loads of information on OSHC and also allow you to compare providers side by side.

2. "Review" is your second step: Reviewing your options is a bit different to comparing providers. Reviewing means narrowing down potential providers to 2 or 3 and really going over each policy with a fine tooth comb.

3. "Purchase" is your third step: Now you've narrowed down all the options and found one that suits your circumstances, all you have to do is visit their website!

Moving to another country is exhilarating, but health insurance is an important factor that should not be forgotten under any circumstance. By purchasing OSHC you will not only be meeting a requirement of your student visa, but also ensuring should you get ill or injured, you won't have a huge debt from expensive medical bills!

Medibank Private is one of Australia's leading providers of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).