Coming to Australia for a short English course or a single semester? OSHC for a short stay is far cheaper than a full degree’s worth of cover, but it’s easy to buy the wrong length. Too short and your visa application can stall. Too long and you’ve paid for months you’ll never use. Here’s how to work out how many months you need, with real prices for 3 to 9 months of cover. Prices updated 2 November 2026.
Disclosure: Study Anywhere may earn a commission if you buy OSHC through our partner links, at no extra cost to you. Prices through our link are the same as on OSHC Australia’s own website.
Do you need OSHC for a short course?
It depends on your visa, not on the course itself.
- Student visa (subclass 500): yes. OSHC is a condition of the visa, whether your course is 12 weeks of General English or a four-year degree. You need cover for the whole time your visa is valid.
- Visitor visa: a visitor visa generally lets you study for up to 3 months in total. OSHC isn’t a visa requirement here, but you should still have travel or visitor health insurance.
- Working Holiday visa: this generally allows up to 4 months of study. Again OSHC isn’t required, though good travel insurance is a smart idea.
Visa rules change, so always check the conditions on the Department of Home Affairs website or ask a registered migration agent. If you’re planning to stay longer than a visitor or Working Holiday visa allows, a Student visa is usually the way to go, and our team can help you find a course on the Study Anywhere courses page.
How many months of OSHC do you need?
This is where most short course students get caught out. Your OSHC needs to cover your visa period, not just your course dates, and the visa usually runs a little longer than the course.
As a general guide, if your course is 10 months or shorter, the Student visa is often granted for about one month after the course ends. So a 6-month English course usually means around 7 months of OSHC. Longer courses get a longer buffer after the course end date, especially if the course finishes late in the year.
The exact dates come from Home Affairs, so treat this as a starting point. Before you apply, check your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) dates, and once your visa is granted, make sure your policy end date matches or goes past your visa expiry. If it doesn’t, you can extend your policy.
OSHC prices for 3 to 9 months
Here’s what basic single OSHC costs for common short course lengths, for cover starting 1 December 2026.
| Cover length | Allianz Care | AHM OSHC | Bupa | Medibank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | $166 | $165.07 (cheapest) | $179 | $170.76 |
| 4 months | $221 | $220.06 (cheapest) | $238 | $227.67 |
| 5 months | $276 | $275.10 (cheapest) | $297 | $284.57 |
| 6 months | $334 | $330.14 (cheapest) | $357 | $341.53 |
| 7 months | $389 | $385.13 (cheapest) | $416 | $398.43 |
| 9 months | $500 | $495.16 (cheapest) | $535 | $512.29 |
So for a typical 6-month English course with around 7 months of cover, you’re looking at between $385.13 (AHM OSHC) and $416 (Bupa). The difference between the cheapest and dearest option is about $31 for exactly the same visa-compliant basic cover.
The AHM and Medibank prices include a limited-time discount for eligible policies bought through OSHC Australia by 28 February 2027. T&Cs apply. Without it, Allianz Care would be cheapest at these lengths. Our AHM and Medibank discount guide has the details.
Short courses
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Enter your visa dates and compare every insurer for your exact length.
Get my quote →Partner link to OSHC Australia. Prices updated 2 November 2026.
Doing English first, then a diploma or degree?
Lots of students do a few months of ELICOS before moving into a VET or university course. If both courses are on the same CoE package, your visa usually covers the whole package, and your OSHC needs to match that full visa period.
That can push you well past 12 months. In that case it’s worth checking longer lengths in our OSHC price calculator, which shows prices for 1 to 60 months. Our cheapest OSHC guide covers 12-month prices in detail.
Extending your stay later
If you decide to stay on for another course, you’ll need a new Student visa and OSHC that covers it. You can extend with your current insurer or switch to a different one. Either way, make sure the new cover starts the day after your old cover ends so there’s no gap. Switching insurers is fine as long as there’s no break in cover.
Quick checklist for short course students
- Check which visa you’re on and whether OSHC is required.
- Work out your likely visa end date, not just your course end date.
- Compare prices for that exact number of months.
- Remember basic OSHC doesn’t include dental, optical or physio.
- Buy before you lodge your visa application, as you’ll need the policy details.
Bringing your partner along? Have a look at our guide to OSHC for couples and families, because couple prices work quite differently.
OSHC for short courses: frequently asked questions
For cover starting 1 December 2026, basic single OSHC for 6 months costs $330.14 with AHM, $334 with Allianz Care, $341.53 with Medibank and $357 with Bupa on OSHC Australia. Prices updated 2 November 2026.
Usually around 7 months, because the Student visa for a course of 10 months or less is often granted for about one month after the course ends. Check your visa grant and make sure your OSHC covers the full visa period.
No, OSHC is a Student visa requirement. A visitor visa generally allows up to 3 months of study, and you should have travel or visitor health insurance instead. Check current visa conditions with Home Affairs.
Generally yes. A Working Holiday visa usually allows up to 4 months of study and doesn’t require OSHC, but travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Extend your policy or buy a new one so your cover lasts until your visa ends. Make sure the new cover starts the day after the old one finishes so there’s no gap.
Related OSHC and Student visa guides
- OSHC price calculator: compare OSHC for 1 to 60 months
- Cheapest OSHC in Australia: 2026 prices compared
- OSHC for couples and families
- AHM and Medibank OSHC discount
- How to compare OSHC providers
- What is OSHC and how long should your cover be?
- How much does an Australian Student visa cost in 2026?
Source and method: prices are totals in Australian dollars for basic OSHC, quoted on OSHC Australia on 2 November 2026 for cover starting 1 December 2026. Prices can change, so always check your quote before you pay. Visa length guidance is general and based on Department of Home Affairs information; your visa grant letter is what counts. Cover details come from each insurer’s policy summary and the Department of Health OSHC fact sheet. This guide is general information, not insurance or migration advice.
