Overseas student health cover

Health Insurance – Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is health insurance for international students and their dependants travelling with them (for example, spouses and children under 18 years old).  OSHC helps to cover some medical costs while studying in Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs requires overseas students (and dependants travelling with them) to have purchased OSHC for the duration of their studies in Australia, before applying for an international student visa. Some exceptions may apply for students from Norway and Belgium under their country's Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia. Further information is available at the Department of Home Affairs website.

The cost of OSHC is additional to your tuition fees. You can organise your OSHC through TAFE Queensland when applying for your course. TAFE Queensland will receive an administration fee from Allianz Care Australia for arranging your OSHC. You may choose to obtain your OSHC through any other government-approved provider.

OSHC must be purchased before arrival in Australia and must be aligned with the student visa period. It is most important that your health cover does not lapse, an overseas student must never be without OSHC while in Australia.

Further information about OSHC in Australia is available here.

Students on Bridging Visa

Students who are currently in Australia and studying towards a qualification while on a bridging visa, may be unable to claim against the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy due to their bridging visa status and will need to make arrangement to obtain an Overseas Visitor Health Insurance (OVHC) policy.
OVHC insurance policy is vital to ensure you are covered for medical events while the student visa applications is being assessed. OVHC offers cover for those holding a bridging visa – it is generally able to be purchased by the month (and cancelled when a student visa is granted) – meaning there is no significant cash outlay.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) can only be used whilst on a student visa. Once a student visa is granted you can then start to claim on the OSHC policy. When a student visa is granted the student should contact the OSHC insurer (if students purchased OSHC via TAFE Queensland then the provider is Allianz Care Australia) and move the OSHC policy to begin from the date of the student visa grant.

OVHC plans have customisable cover levels – it is recommended at a minimum that you select a cover level which provides cover for the following items (these ensure the OSVC cover is the same as the OSHC policy).

• In Hospital Costs
• Ambulance Costs
• Doctor’s (GP) Appointments
• Out of Hospital Costs – Specialists and Medical tests etc.

The lowest levels of OVHC cover generally do not cover Doctor appointments – therefore it is recommended you select cover which includes access to Doctor Visits.

TAFE Queensland - Allianz Care Australia

Allianz Care Australia is TAFE Queensland’s preferred provider of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Allianz Care Australia is a part of the Allianz Group, which has a presence in over 70 countries and offers range of insurance products and services to 100 million customers worldwide. Experts in international health insurance, Allianz Care Australia is one of the largest OSHC providers in Australia.

Allianz Care Australia OSHC offers International Students cover for hospital admissions, ambulance, specialists, tests and prescription medicines*.

Students who purchase Allianz Care Australia OSHC through TAFE Queensland also get the following benefits:

• Allianz Care Australia Safety Services – powered by Sonder
• Access to Allianz Care Australia Telehealth Services - powered by Doctors on Demand
• No waiting period for pregnancy-related services and treatment of pre-existing mental health related conditions for our OSHC Essentials policy
• 24/7 emergency and medical assistance via our helpline
• Face-to-face support in dozens of locations across Australia (subject to COVID-19 regulations)

*This is a summary of information and benefits. For the full exclusions, limitations, waiting periods, terms and conditions please read the Policy Document which is available at Allianz Care Australia website.

Allianz Care Australia Safety Services (powered by Sonder) is an app that gives members access to a network of professionals that are always available to offer help, in a range of languages, whenever needed – day or night.

You can use the app when:

• You’re ill, injured or worried
• You feel unsafe and want reassurance
• You’re involved in an accident
• You’re concerned about your mental health
  
  

Further information about Allianz care Australia Overseas Student health Cover is available on their website.
 

How to obtain your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) membership card and information

When your OSHC has been organized by TAFE Queensland with Allianz Care Australia

You will be sent your policy information and documents in 24 - 48 hours after processing your Confirmation of Enrolment. Upon arrival in Australia, please create your online account on the Allianz website.

1. Go to: https://my.allianzcare.com/myhealth/2/login
2. Enter your details:
   

   - Policy number (Refer to your policy document)
   - Date of Birth
   - The first three characters of your Surname (Family name)

3. Enter your email address and create a password (at least 8 characters long include a number, a capital letter and a lower case letter)
4. Check your email inbox to verify your email address
5. Update your details: include Passport number, postal address and mobile number in Australia
6. Install the “MyHealth App” to access your E-membership card and access your online account (Android) (iPhone)

Early Arrival and OSHC: Students arriving in Australia more than one month prior to their start of study may not be sufficiently covered for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). In the case of early arrival, students will be required to organise additional OSHC. This will incur an additional cost.

Allianz Care Safety Services Package: As a TAFE Queensland student with Allianz Care Overseas Student Health Cover you get access to the Safety Services Package powered by Sonder, an on-demand app that offers you 24/7 phone or live chat that you can turn to whenever you need support. Soon after receiving this email, you will receive an activation link from hello@sondersafe.com. How it works: You can use your Safety Services Package powered by Sonder whenever you feel concerned or unsure about a situation.

• Check on me feature - If you’re meeting someone new or travelling to an unfamiliar destination, you can request to be contacted regularly to make sure you are okay.
• Geo-safety alerts - A 24/7 operations centre monitors events that could impact your safety. If you’re in or near a potentially unsafe location you’ll be notified immediately.
• Track your journey feature - Day or night, if you’re out and about, you can enable the journey monitoring feature until you feel secure and you’ve safely reached your destination.
  
  

When your OSHC has been organized with a different provider

You will need to speak to them about getting your membership card, what is included in your cover, and how to make a claim.

Purchase OSHC through another approved provider

If you don't want to use Allianz Care, you can organise your OSHC through any other government-approved provider.

If you do choose to arrange your own OSHC, make sure to compare what other providers offer – for example, some do not offer cover for pre-existing conditions.

Visit the provider websites to find out more about the cover they offer: Find approved OSHC providers

If you use one of these providers, you must contact them directly to organise and pay for your cover.

When you accept your TAFE Queensland offer, you'll need to provide evidence of your OSHC to us before we can send you a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).