Country information Australia

Health insurance for foreign language students in Australia

Language students in Australia benefit from the countries high quality English teaching in universities and colleges. The language school system in Australia runs under the name “ELICOS” which stands for English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students”. ELICOS includes many language courses depending on what your interest is: general English, business English, academic English and many more.

Many language students visit Australia in order to improve their language skills. Beside the quality of teaching Australia’s popularity is caused by the rich culture and nature. Many language students in Australia are planning to extend their stay in “Down under” and to start studying in Australia.

Eligible group

In order to enter Australia as a language student you have to apply for a visa. There are different visas that are adequate for language students in Australia.

The Working Holiday visa entitles young people to holiday and work in Australia for up to a year. It allows you to study for up to four months during you stay. You have to meet following requirements:

• you must be between 18 and 30 years of age
• you do not have a dependent child with you during your stay in Australia
• you must heave sufficent funds to support yourself during your stay in Australia
• you must have sufficent funds to buy a return ticket to your home country
• you must meet character and health requirements
• you must have a passport from an eligible country (Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (including British National Overseas passport holders), Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom)

Here you can get further informations on the Working holiday visa.

The Working Holiday visa is like the Work and Holiday visa designed for young people who want to holiday and work in Australia for up to a year. It entitles you to study for up to four months during you stay. You have to meet following requirements:

• you must be between 18 and 30 years of age
• you do not have a dependent child with you during your stay in Australia
• you must have sufficent funds to support yourself during your stay in Australia
• you must have sufficent funds to buy a return ticket to your home country
• you must meet character and health requirements
• you must meet the educational requirements (Depending on the passport you hold, the education requirements could be slightly different.)
• you must have functional English language skills
• you must have a letter of support from your government
• you must have a passport from an eligible country (Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, People's Republic of China, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Uruguay, Vietnam)

Here you get further informations on the Work and Holiday visa.

The Student visa is designed for students in Australia who want to study at a registered education institution. The visa allows you to stay in Australia as a student for the duration of your course. You might extend your stay for a further study, for graduation, for a holiday, for work and for migration. You have to meet following requirements:

• you must been accepted to study full-time at an educational institution in Australia
• you must have sufficent English language skills
• you must prove sufficent funds to support yourself and acompanying family members during your stay abroad (course fees, travel costs, living costs)
• you must meet the health and character requirements
• you must have adequate health insurance cover

Here you can find further information on the Student visa.

Legal basics about health insurance for language students in Australia

The Working Holiday and the Work and Holiday visas do not require a prove of travel health insurance. Still, you are responsible for all your health costs appearing during your stay as a language student in Australia. Taking out an adequate international health insurance is very reasonable.

The student visa sets a health insurance requirement. Overseas students who undertake formal studies in Australia must take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). There are only a few insurers that offer the OSHC.

There are some exeptions for students from Belgium, Norway and Sweden. Here you can find further informations on the OSHC exeptions.

Please read our article about studying in Australia for further informations.

Insurance advice

Every country has its own healthcare system. On the basis of characteristics like your home country, the duration of your stay, the reason of your stay and the destination of your trip different needs for health insurance appear. Our organistion recommends Care Concept AG from Germany for health insurance solutions abroad. Click here for further informations about Care Concept AG.

For language students in Australia we recommend taking out a travel health insurance, since you are responsible for all medical costs that occur during your stay and you will not be insured through the statutory health insurance in your home country. If you want to enter Australia as a language student with the Work and Holiday visa or the Working holiday visa we recommend the Care Discover insurance for language students in Australia, at 1.39 € per day. Click here for more information about the health insurance Care Discover.

Language students in Australia that will enter the country with a Student Visa must take out special international health insurances called OSHC. Please contact us via EMAIL for detailed informations and insurance recommendation.

There are some exeptions for students from Belgium, Norway and Sweden. Here you can find further informations on the OSHC exeptions.

Topics about Australia

Au-pair in Australia

Working in Australia

Language pupils in Australia

Interns in Australia

Students in Australia

Guests in Australia