OSHC vs OVHC: which cover do you need?
Australia has two main types of overseas health cover that are easy to confuse: OSHC and OVHC. Picking the wrong one can leave you without valid visa insurance.
OSHC — Overseas Student Health Cover
- For Student visa (subclass 500) holders
- Meets visa condition 8501
- Covers hospital, medical, ambulance and limited pharmaceuticals
- Five DHA-approved providers: Bupa, Allianz Care, Medibank, nib, ahm
OVHC — Overseas Visitor Health Cover
- For visitor, working-holiday and some other temporary visas (e.g. subclass 600, 417, 462)
- Not a student product; different providers and pricing
- Used when you are in Australia but not studying on a student visa
Why the difference matters
If you hold a student visa, you generally must hold OSHC — OVHC will not satisfy condition 8501. If you arrive on a working-holiday or visitor visa, OVHC is the relevant product. Some people switch from OVHC to OSHC when they move onto a student visa, and should line up continuous eligible cover.
Quick check
| You are… | You need |
|---|---|
| Studying on a Student visa 500 | OSHC |
| Visiting or on a working holiday | OVHC |
| Moving from visitor to student visa | OVHC → OSHC |
Need OVHC instead? It is a separate product with its own providers — compare it the same way you would compare OSHC.