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Select Your Health Cover

What is a Student Health Cover?

Most universities overseas require students to hold some form of health insurance. For some countries, like Australia, getting insurance is a necessary requirement for your student visa.

Why is health insurance so important for international students? Especially as a student living in a foreign country, away from home, a student health cover gives you a measure of security by covering medical expenses, such as:

  • Hospital stays
  • Doctor visits
  • Medical emergencies (such as ambulance services)
  • Prescription medicine bills

Health Insurance in Key Study Abroad Destinations

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)- Australia

The Australian government mandates the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) as a requirement for your student visa application. At minimum, the OSHC must cover:

  • Doctor visits
  • Some treatments at a hospital
  • Ambulance costs
  • Prescription medicine bills for certain medicines

You can supplement your basic OSHC with other items that may cover things like dental and optical treatments.

The Australian government registers a series of health insurers for you to choose from. To understand the ins and outs of choosing the right OSHC package, contact one of our Student Success Consultants today.

National Health Services (NHS) – UK

As an international student in the UK, you don’t need to apply for private health insurance. You are eligible for free healthcare services under the National Health Service (NHS), the UK’s state provider for healthcare!

Students who are applying for visas to study in the UK for six months or longer pay an immigration health surcharge of £470 annually. This entitles you to NHS service at no additional cost. These services cover doctor visits and medical treatments. So, be sure to register with a GP as soon as you can after arriving in the UK.

To understand your healthcare rights under your UK student visa, get in touch with Gradstar Global today.

Student Health Insurance in Canada

In Canada, the public healthcare system is administered at the provincial level. As such, how you access healthcare as an international student will depend on the province you are studying in. Some provinces extend access to public health care services by issuing international students the relevant health card.

In other provinces, the student has to arrange for their own private health insurance. Universities in the latter may have specific arrangements for international students to access healthcare insurance. For example, in Manitoba, students at the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, and Brandon University can access the Manitoba International Student Health Plan (MISHP).

Canadian provinces where international students are eligible for public healthcare insurance
Canadian provinces where international students need to arrange for private health insurance
Alberta: Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP)
Manitoba: Manitoba International Student Health Plan (MISHP)
British Columbia: Medical Services Plan (MSP)
Ontario: public universities offer insurance through the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)
New Brunswick: Medicare
Quebec:
  • public health insurance if you are from one of the countries with a social security agreement with Quebec
  • for all other students, private health insurance (could be offered through the university)
Newfoundland and Labrador: Medical Care Plan (MCP)
Northwest Territories: NWT Health Care Plan
Prince Edward Island: Temporary PEI Health Card
Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Health Card

To understand your eligibility for health insurance in Canada and understand the steps to access it, contact Gradstar today!

Student Health Insurance in the USA

International students don’t have access to universal healthcare in the USA. As a result, US universities often require their students to arrange for their own health insurance. In some cases, universities may offer group plans for international students to purchase basic private healthcare coverage.