Health insurance

Student visa holders in Australia must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the whole period of their visa, and keep it active. OSHC is sold only by insurers approved by the Australian Government. It helps pay for doctor visits, hospital treatment, ambulance services and some medicines.

Many universities offer to arrange OSHC with your enrolment, but you are free to buy it from any approved insurer. Single, couple and family policies are available if dependants travel with you.

• Must start from your arrival and cover the full visa period
• Dental, optical and physiotherapy are usually excluded unless you buy extras cover
• Waiting periods may apply to pre-existing conditions and pregnancy

Students applying for a UK visa pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the visa application. It gives access to the National Health Service on broadly the same basis as UK residents. You will still pay for some services, such as most dental treatment and prescriptions in England.

Many students also buy travel insurance to cover the journey, personal belongings and emergency return travel, which the NHS does not.

Most US universities require international students to enrol in the university's own student health insurance plan, or to show a comparable private plan and apply for a waiver. Healthcare costs in the US are very high, so check deductibles, co-payments and the network of doctors carefully.

Health cover for international students depends on the province. Some provinces include students in their public health plan, sometimes after a waiting period; others do not, and universities enrol students in a mandatory private plan instead. Check your university's international student page for the rule in your province.

• Ireland: private medical insurance is required for your student permission; the university can advise on accepted policies
• New Zealand: acceptable medical and travel insurance is a condition of the student visa, and many institutions require their own designated policy
• Germany: health insurance is required to enrol; most students under 30 join a statutory public insurer, while others may use approved private cover

• Does it meet the visa or university requirement exactly?
• Hospital and outpatient cover limits
• Excess, deductible and co-payment amounts
• Waiting periods and exclusions, especially for pre-existing conditions
• Mental health and counselling cover
• Direct billing with hospitals, or pay first and claim later
• Cancellation and refund terms if your visa is refused

We explain the requirement for your destination and help you compare policies on cover, not just price. If you want, we will introduce you to providers; you choose and buy directly from them.