All student visa holders must have medical insurance or Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their student visa.
It is a Department of Immigration and Citizenship direction that all international students applying for a student visa must have Overseas Student Health Cover for the entire duration of their student visa.
Australian Government visa regulations require you to be certified medically fit and possibly vaccinated against some diseases before you leave your country.
The Australian High Commission or Embassy in your country can advise you on this.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
You must organise your health cover before you apply for a visa.
UWA has a 'preferred provider' agreement with OSHC Worldcare. UWA receives a 12.5% administration fee from OSHC Worldcare. Students may obtain Overseas Student Health Cover from the provider of their choice.
Overseas Student Health Cover is offered by a number of providers. To obtain health cover from another insurer, please refer to Australian Education International's Study in Australia website for options available to you.
You are strongly encouraged to read the relevant health cover policy documents for information regarding what is and is not covered.
It is recommended that you have your eyes and teeth checked before departure. Dental work and spectacles are not covered under Overseas Student Health Cover and are relatively expensive in Australia. You can purchase cover for these ancillary services at an extra cost.
Purchasing your health cover
The University can arrange health insurance cover through OSHC Worldcare for international students joining for the first time. You pay the insurance cover at the same time as your first semester tuition fee.
You can order your membership card through the OHSC Worldcare website approximately two weeks after you have completed your student enrolment process.
Renewal of Cover
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their health cover is current at all times for the full length of their visa. To renew your health insurance, you must contact your health insurance provider directly. You can renew your OSHC Worldcare insurance online.
Enquiries and claims
A dedicated Worldcare representative attends the International Centre Office each day of the week.
- Monday
- 9:30am to 12:30pm
- Tuesday
- 9:00am to 1:00pm
- Wednesday
- 1:00pm to 4:00pm
- Thursday
- 10:00am to 2:00pm
- Friday
- 9:30am to 1:30pm
It is your responsibility to ensure that your health insurance is current at all times. Expired health cover is a violation of your Student Visa and exposes you to potentially high medical costs.
Exemptions for Norwegian and Swedish Students
Norwegian students do not have to purchase compulsory health cover as they are provided with health insurance by the Norwegian government.
Swedish students whose insurance is provided by CSN International (the Swedish National Board of Student Aid) will not need to take out Overseas Student Health Cover. If you are not covered by CSN you will need to take out OSHC.