If you are coming to Australia on a student visa, you need to arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). If you are bringing your spouse or children, they also need to be covered under your OSHC.
Your OSHC ensures you can access healthcare services in Australia, such as hospitals and doctors. Healthcare providers can charge different prices for their services, so be sure to check whether your OSHC provider will cover some or all of the cost. Deakin’s on-campus medical centres and services are free under your OSHC. You may also be covered for medical care under your own national schemes.
Find out if your country has an OSHC agreement
Deakin partners with Australian insurance company Bupa to offer students pre-arranged OSHC. The cost is included in your Letter of Offer. You can choose to pay your OSHC fee with your tuition fees so you will automatically be covered by Bupa’s overseas student health cover while you are enrolled at Deakin. Review the policy details to check whether this policy is right for you or choose your own OSHC provider.
Your OSHC must cover the entire duration of your student visa. Your Bupa policy becomes active from the date you arrive in Australia. You can change your OSHC start date by contacting Bupa directly. If you have paid for days when you were not yet in Australia, a refund will be provided at the completion of your policy. You will need to provide supporting evidence of your arrival date, such as a new visa grant notice.
Coming to Australia to study can be the adventure of a lifetime. From orientation and welcome sessions to academic support and social activities, we are here to support you every step of the way.
The length of your OSHC is based on your course length and advice from the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, which outlines the typical visa end dates. The start and ends dates of your degree can be found on your Confirmation of Enrolment. The length of stay for postgraduate research students is generally six months longer than the usual relevant period set out in the table below.
| Length of course | Length of stay |
|---|---|
| 10 months or longer, finishing at the end of the Australian academic year (November to December) | You will usually be granted a visa stay period to 15 March of the following year |
| 10 months or longer, finishing from January until October | You will usually be granted a visa stay period of two months longer than your course |
| Less than 10 months | You will usually be granted a visa stay period of one month longer than your course |
No matter which Deakin campus you choose to study at, you will have access to health care, provided by qualified and experienced medical doctors and nurses, and a range of clubs and gyms.
Whether you need a general check-up or medical advice, our on-campus medical centres are available to you. Our doctors and nurses provide the highest level of care to all Deakin students and staff – and consultations are free under your OSHC. We also offer a free and confidential counselling service.
Settling into a new country can change your normal health and fitness routine. At Deakin, there are many ways you can stay healthy – with a wide range of sporting clubs, gyms and food options on campus, it’s easy and enjoyable to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Australia is generally a safe place to live and study, but there are some risks you should be aware of. Study Australia has a useful guide to staying safe, such as travelling on public transport. On campus, our security guards work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can contact them directly by phone or via our SafeZone app. This can be downloaded to any iOS or Android device and works on any of our campuses.
It’s important to know what to do if you experience or witness an emergency. You can call 000 for free anywhere in Australia and be connected to police, fire and ambulance services. If you are not sure which service you need, tell the operator the situation and they will guide you. If you are not confident explaining in English, tell the operator your language and you will be connected to a translator who can help.
*2021 Student Experience Survey, Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)
Our friendly advisers are available to speak to you one-on-one about your study options, support services for international students and how we can help you study at Deakin in Australia.
Phone: +61 3 9918 9188
