About Overseas Student Health Cover

Once you have been successful in your application to study at Swinburne, you will need to organise OSHC – a requirement of your student visa. This cover must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Australia, including before you start and after you finish your studies.

If you get sick or injured and need medical or hospital assistance while in Australia, OSHC can help to cover some of the healthcare costs that you may incur. The costs covered often include doctor visits, some hospital treatments, ambulance, and limited pharmaceuticals (medicines).

You must be able to show the Department of Home Affairs that you have OSHC. Breaches of this condition may incur serious consequences, including cancellation of your student visa. Any dependants must also be included in your OSHC as a requirement of their student dependant visas.

Exemptions for OSHC

You do not need OSHC if you are:

  • a Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
  • a Swedish student covered by Kammarkollegiet
  • a Belgian student covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia.

Duration of OSHC

Your OSHC will start from the date you arrive in Australia. The cover duration generally matches your visa duration, which is determined by your course duration.

After your course finishes, your visa normally allows you to remain in Australia for some time. If you would like to stay in the country during that period (e.g. if you're waiting for your graduation), please make sure your cover is still active.

If your cover is due to expire before you finish your studies, you will need to renew it. If your OSHC expires, the Department of Home Affairs may cancel your student visa.

Cover with Medibank

Swinburne is pleased to partner with Medibank to offer international students the opportunity to purchase Medibank’s Comprehensive OSHC, giving you access to additional benefits compared to the Essentials OSHC.

These include higher annual limits and 100 percent rebate for eligible prescription medicines, mental health support, repatriation and in-hospital family benefit.

If you choose Medibank’s Comprehensive OSHC, Swinburne will organise the cover on your behalf as either a single, couple, single parent or family policy.

Why choose Medibank?

Medibank provides access to a range of services designed to help support your health and wellbeing as an international student in Australia. Through Medibank’s Comprehensive OSHC, you’ll get access to a number of benefits, including:

  • on-campus support
  • 24/7 Student Health and Support Line
  • Medibank OSHC app (including the Online Doctor function)
  • unlimited emergency ambulance cover
  • 100 percent rebate on eligible prescription medicines
  • access to Direct Billing Network (i.e. bills go directly to Medibank)
  • access to Medibank Student Rewards Plus (including discounts for students)
Learn more about the benefits

Having an OSHC will help ensure you and your dependants stay healthy and happy in Australia.

Need help from a Medibank representative?

In person

Room 1, StudentHQ, Hawthorn campus

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (10am–4pm)

Check out our campus map

Virtual

Zoom – Meeting ID 657 4335 1956*

Tuesday and Thursday (3.30–4.30pm)

*Please wait in the virtual lobby for a representative.

How to get a Medibank cover

Getting Medibank’s Comprehensive OSHC is easy! All you need to do is indicate your chosen cover on your offer acceptance form and include payment in your university deposit – Swinburne will organise the rest. If you choose to purchase your cover elsewhere, be sure to contact your provider directly.

  • Step 1

    Select your policy

    Your letter of offer from Swinburne will specify the costs for a single, couple or family policy.

  • Step 2

    Pay for your cover

    Indicate your chosen policy on your offer acceptance form and include the payment with your deposit.

  • Step 3

    Activate your membership

    Check your Swinburne student email for instructions on how to activate your cover after you arrive in Australia.

  • Step 4

    Get your membership card

    Once you have activated your membership, you will receive an email with a link to download your digital membership card.

Frequently asked questions

Your letter of offer from Swinburne will list how much your OSHC will cost based on the duration of your course.

You must renew your cover (with Medibank or another provider) before it expires.

Be mindful of your cover expiry date especially if you:

  • took a leave of absence from study
  • had to redo a unit
  • transferred from another institution to Swinburne
  • transferred to another course within Swinburne


Your Medibank OSHC membership card will show your cover expiry date.

If your cover is due to expire before you finish your course, you must renew it before the expiry date.

To renew your Comprehensive OSHC with Medibank, you can submit your request through the website or mobile app, call 131 148 or speak to a representative on campus.

Remember to have your OSHC membership card with you when you renew.

Your Swinburne student email is your 9-digit student ID followed by "@student.swin.edu.au".

The different policies cover a different number of people accompanying a student on their student visa:

  • the single policy is for the student only
  • the couple policy is for the student plus their spouse or de facto partner
  • the single parent policy is for the student plus their children under 18 years of age
  • the family policy is for the student, their spouse or de facto partner, plus their children under 18 years of age

Once you have activated your membership, Medibank will send a physical membership card to your Australian home address.

You can call the 24/7 Student Health and Support Line at 1800 887 283 any time. Interpreter assistance is available in 160 languages.

Yes, you can purchase your cover from an approved provider. Please contact your provider directly for any queries.