Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
All international students holding an Australian student visa are required to maintain valid Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) with an approved OSHC provider.
You will not require OSHC if you are:
- a Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
- a Swedish student covered by the National Board of Student Aid or by Kammarkollegiet
- a Belgian student covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia
- studying for less than three months on a visitor or tourist visa. You will not be eligible for OSHC and are advised to purchase Overseas Visitors Health Cover or comprehensive travel insurance
- an Australian government scholarship student.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has implemented mandatory Visa Length Cover (VLC) as a requirement for all student visa applications from 01 July 2010. This means you must show DIAC that you have OSHC for the entire proposed duration of your student visa.
Masters by research and PhD students
Effective 5 November 2011, DIAC will provide an 'increased visa period' to all international students applying for a new visa subclass 574 (Masters by research or PhD). The visa period will be increased by a further six months. If you have lodged a sub class 574 visa application on or after 5 November 2011, you will need to ensure you have valid OSHC for the full increased visa duration.
Details are available on the Knight Review webpage
Medibank Private Membership
RMIT will arrange visa-length cover with our preferred OSHC provider, Medibank Private and payment of OSHC needs to occur at the time of accepting an offer. However, you can also arrange cover through other approved OSHC providers
International students who purchase Medibank OSHC (new members or renewals) through RMIT International will be able to order their membership cards online.
You will need to enter your last name, date of birth and student ID to verify your membership and update the mailing address within Australia. Once you have completed the registration, your OSHC membership card and welcome pack will be sent directly to your mailing address.
Current RMIT international students who require a replacement card can also order membership cards online.
Further information
If your OSHC has expired or is due to expire, you can speak to staff at the International Desk at Info Corner located on Level 1 in RMIT Building 22, 330 Swanston Street, Melbourne.