From international student to graduate: how my health cover changed

Time to read : 6 Minutes

Switching from a student visa to a graduate visa in Australia doesn’t just mean a change to your immigration status – but your health cover too.

When I landed in Melbourne in 2017 on a student visa, I had Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). But once I moved to a Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485), I needed a different health policy: Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC).

Here’s what I found out during that transition:

OSHC ends when your student visa ends.
OVHC is required for most temporary visas, including the 485.
Costs and coverage vary depending on your provider and plan.

How do you go from OSHC to OVHC once your student visa expires?

When I boarded my flight from Mumbai to Melbourne in November 2017, I had a head full of dreams, a heart full of excitement – and absolutely no clue how Australia’s healthcare system worked.

But what I knew was this: I needed health insurance to get my student visa.

OSHC – just a box to tick (at first)

I arrived on a Student Visa (subclass 500), armed with OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) and ready to start my Master of Finance at La Trobe University.

Back then, OSHC felt like one of those admin chores you do without thinking.

Get OSHC… Done.

I didn’t bother asking what it covered and I didn’t know what I’d do if I actually got sick.

Coming from India, private health insurance wasn’t something I ever really thought about. But that changed quickly.

Be aware: in Australia, your visa determines your health cover. And what I eventually discovered is that not all cover is created equal.

Switching visas means switching cover

As my studies were wrapping up in 2019, I applied for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) – and learned my OSHC wouldn’t cover me anymore.

That’s when I took out OVHC (Overseas Visitors Health Cover) which was mandatory under visa condition 8501. And I also found out OVHC is for people who aren’t eligible for Medicare – which includes most new grads, like me.

Learning the language of health insurance

Switching to OVHC felt like learning a whole new system. Lots of jargon. Too many options. No clear roadmap.

Here are a few terms I had to get my head around:

Excess: The amount you pay upfront when you go to hospital.
Extras cover: Benefits like dental, physio or optical are not always included.
Waiting periods: How long you need to wait before claiming certain services.
Inpatient vs. outpatient: Whether you stay in hospital overnight or not.

It took a while, but I started to understand what I was paying for. And it made a difference.

From employer health cover to choosing my own

🎓 First job, first real cover

After finishing uni in late 2019/early 2020, I landed a role at one of Australia’s major banks. I was lucky because my employer included OVHC (Allianz Care) as part of the benefits package.

At the time, I didn’t think much about health insurance – it was taken care of. And because my visa (485) included a condition (being 8501), I was legally required to hold valid private cover. Thankfully, this policy met the mark.

✅On a company-sponsored health insurance plan?

If you’re on a temporary visa and your employer offers health cover, confirm it meets Department of Home Affairs requirements.

Ask your HR team or the insurer for written confirmation.
Keep your policy documents handy in case your visa is reviewed.

Note: not every job will include health insurance cover, but you can still get covered by applying directly or speaking to a health insurance expert.

They can help you:

Understand your visa requirements.
Compare providers, plans and benefits.
Avoid paying for extras you don’t need.

OVHC was my safety net

Until I became a permanent resident, OVHC was my only option. It gave me peace of mind and reassurance in a healthcare system I didn’t grow up with.

Depending on your policy, OVHC can cover:

emergency hospital stays
ambulance transport
GP or specialist visits
some medications and routine treatments.

“Healthcare can be very expensive if you’re not covered by Medicare in Australia. Overseas Visitors Cover helps with costs like hospital stays, doctor visits, and ambulance services – which can all add up quickly. No one expects to get sick or have an accident, but it can happen. Having cover means you avoid a second shock: a massive medical bill.”
Kate Browne, Head of Research & Insights, Compare Club

💍Life Changed – so did my… ‘our’ health cover

Four years in Melbourne flew by. I got married. My wife and I made plans to move to Sydney in 2024. Before relocating, I was granted Permanent Residency (subclass 190). That meant two big shifts:

I was now eligible for Medicare.
It was time to reassess our health insurance.

🩺 Why we upgraded health insurance – even with Medicare

Getting Medicare was a big milestone – but it wasn’t enough.

As we settled into life in Sydney and thought about the future, we realised we needed more. Medicare alone wasn’t going to cut it.

So we switched to a Couples Private Health Insurance policy with nib and took control of our health care. Here’s why it made sense for us:

Medicare doesn’t cover everything for example there’s no dental, physio, or prescription lenses and frames if you need them.
We wanted shorter wait times and choice of hospitals.
A couples policy gave us stability regardless of job changes or employer benefits.

💡 Medicare is a great base. But private health insurance can help you plan for real life… or come to the rescue when you really need it. It can be much more than a tick for a visa compliance.

Bottom line

Your OSHC ends with your student visa. If you’re staying in Australia, you’ll likely need OVHC to stay insured and visa-compliant.

OVHC can cover hospital stays, GPs, ambulances and more.
Health cover and the costs vary a lot so it’s worth shopping around.
If you don’t have Medicare or private health insurance, you’ll pay full price and it could cost you an arm and leg.

The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. Speak to the Compare Club experts to find a policy that suits your life stage, budget and visa requirements.

Go deeper:

Choose your life stage.

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