ahm OSHC
~AUD 52/mo
Cheapest single cover
- Lowest single price (AUD 623/yr)
- Same hospital network as Medibank
- Simple, student-friendly portal
- No extras cover available
- 2-month mental health waiting period
- Lower medication cap (AUD 300/yr)
OSHC Comparison 2026
Compare All 5 OSHC Providers in Australia
There are exactly 5 government-approved Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) providers in Australia. All meet the same minimum standards — the difference is in price, service, and extras.
5 approved providers AUD 52-67/month Visa 500 compliant
Compare Providers Every international student on a Student Visa (subclass 500) must have OSHC for the entire visa duration. The Australian government approves only 5 providers: Medibank, Bupa, Allianz Care, ahm, and nib. Single cover costs between AUD 623 and AUD 806 per year (2026 rates). Below is a detailed comparison to help you choose.
Side-by-Side Comparison
All 5 providers compared — price, coverage, and features.
| Feature | ahm | Allianz Care | Bupa | Medibank | nib |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||
| Monthly price (single) | ~AUD 52 Better | ~AUD 67 | ~AUD 63 | ~AUD 64 | ~AUD 57 |
| Annual price (single) | AUD 623 Better | AUD 806 | AUD 760 | AUD 769 | AUD 680 |
| Couple (annual) | AUD 5,400 | AUD 4,597 Better | AUD 5,026 | AUD 4,856 | AUD 5,335 |
| Family (annual) | AUD 11,000 | AUD 8,917 Better | AUD 11,500 | AUD 11,163 | AUD 13,895 |
| Out-of-Hospital | |||||
| GP visits % of Medicare Benefits Schedule | 100% MBS | 100% MBS | 100% MBS | 100% MBS | 100% MBS |
| Specialist cover % of Medicare Benefits Schedule | 85% MBS | 85% MBS | 100% MBS Better | 85% MBS | 85% MBS |
| Pathology & X-rays % of Medicare Benefits Schedule | 85% MBS | 85% MBS | 100% MBS Better | 85% MBS | 85% MBS |
| In-Hospital | |||||
| Hospital A&E Which hospitals covered | All hospitals | Public/agreement only | Public/agreement only | All hospitals | Public/agreement only |
| Ambulance | | | | | |
| Prostheses Surgically implanted | | | | | |
| Prescriptions | |||||
| Medication limit Per prescription item | AUD 50/item | AUD 50/item | AUD 50/item | AUD 70/item Better | AUD 50/item |
| Annual medication cap | AUD 300/yr | AUD 500/yr | AUD 500/yr | AUD 500/yr | AUD 500/yr |
| Waiting Periods | |||||
| Mental health (pre-existing) | 2 months | None | Waived | None | 2 months |
| Pre-existing conditions | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| Obstetrics | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months |
| Extras & Digital | |||||
| Online doctor | | | Blua (free) Better | | |
| Dental/Optical extras Optional add-on cover | | | Optional add-on (dental, optical) Better | | |
| Claims portal | Online portal | Online + Phone | Online + App | Online + App | App + Online |
| Hospital network | Same as Medibank (subsidiary) | Good national coverage | Wide network — many uni partnerships | Largest hospital network | Good national coverage |
| Visit ahm → | Visit Allianz Care → | Visit Bupa → | Visit Medibank → | Visit nib → | |
ahm
Allianz Care
Bupa
Medibank
nib
Pricing
Monthly price (single)
~AUD 52 Better
~AUD 67
~AUD 63
~AUD 64
~AUD 57
Annual price (single)
AUD 623 Better
AUD 806
AUD 760
AUD 769
AUD 680
Couple (annual)
AUD 5,400
AUD 4,597 Better
AUD 5,026
AUD 4,856
AUD 5,335
Family (annual)
AUD 11,000
AUD 8,917 Better
AUD 11,500
AUD 11,163
AUD 13,895
Out-of-Hospital
GP visits
% of Medicare Benefits Schedule
100% MBS
100% MBS
100% MBS
100% MBS
100% MBS
Specialist cover
% of Medicare Benefits Schedule
85% MBS
85% MBS
100% MBS Better
85% MBS
85% MBS
Pathology & X-rays
% of Medicare Benefits Schedule
85% MBS
85% MBS
100% MBS Better
85% MBS
85% MBS
In-Hospital
Hospital A&E
Which hospitals covered
All hospitals
Public/agreement only
Public/agreement only
All hospitals
Public/agreement only
Ambulance
Prostheses
Surgically implanted
Prescriptions
Medication limit
Per prescription item
AUD 50/item
AUD 50/item
AUD 50/item
AUD 70/item Better
AUD 50/item
Annual medication cap
AUD 300/yr
AUD 500/yr
AUD 500/yr
AUD 500/yr
AUD 500/yr
Waiting Periods
Mental health (pre-existing)
2 months
None
Waived
None
2 months
Pre-existing conditions
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
Obstetrics
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
12 months
Extras & Digital
Online doctor
Blua (free) Better
Dental/Optical extras
Optional add-on cover
Optional add-on (dental, optical) Better
Claims portal
Online portal
Online + Phone
Online + App
Online + App
App + Online
Hospital network
Same as Medibank (subsidiary)
Good national coverage
Wide network — many uni partnerships
Largest hospital network
Good national coverage
Provider Details
Pros, cons, and key highlights for each OSHC provider.
Allianz Care OSHC
~AUD 67/mo
Cheapest family cover
- Cheapest couple plan (AUD 4,597/yr)
- Cheapest family plan (AUD 8,917/yr)
- 24/7 support hotline
- No mental health waiting period
- No extras cover
- Highest single price (AUD 806/yr)
- Smaller local network than Medibank
Bupa OSHC
~AUD 63/mo
Best coverage & extras
- ONLY provider with extras (dental/optical)
- 100% specialist & pathology cover (others 85%)
- Free online doctor (Blua)
- Mental health wait waived
- Higher single price
- Extras cost extra on top of base OSHC
Medibank OSHC
~AUD 64/mo
Largest provider, highest medication limit
- Largest hospital network in Australia
- All hospitals for A&E (not just public)
- Highest medication limit (AUD 70/item vs AUD 50)
- No mental health waiting period
- Higher single price
- No extras cover available
nib OSHC
~AUD 57/mo
Best app experience
- Best app experience
- Second cheapest single price
- Fast claims processing
- Most expensive for families (AUD 13,895/yr)
- 2-month mental health waiting period
- No extras cover available
Frequently Asked Questions
ahm OSHC is the cheapest for single students at AUD 623/year (AUD 52/month). For couples and families, Allianz Care is cheapest at AUD 4,597/year (couples) and AUD 8,917/year (families). ahm is a subsidiary of Medibank and shares the same hospital network.
No — while all 5 providers meet minimum OSHC standards, there are important differences. Bupa is the ONLY provider offering optional extras (dental, optical) and covers specialists at 100% of MBS (others only 85%). Medibank has the highest medication limit at AUD 70/item (others AUD 50). ahm and nib both have a 2-month mental health waiting period. Annual medication caps vary: ahm AUD 300, nib AUD 500, others AUD 500.
Yes, you can switch OSHC providers at any time. Contact your new provider, and they will arrange the transfer. Your coverage continues without gaps. No waiting periods apply when transferring between OSHC providers.
Standard OSHC does NOT cover dental or optical. Bupa is the only OSHC provider that offers optional extras cover (dental, optical, physiotherapy) as an add-on to the base OSHC policy. The other 4 providers (ahm, Allianz Care, Medibank, nib) do not offer extras.
Some universities have preferred OSHC partners and may include OSHC in your enrollment package. However, you are not obligated to use the university's preferred provider — you can choose any of the 5 approved providers.
OSHC is mandatory for Student Visa (subclass 500) holders. Without valid OSHC, your visa may be cancelled. Your university may also suspend your enrollment. Always maintain continuous OSHC coverage for your entire visa duration.
Allianz Care and Medibank have no waiting period for mental health services. ahm and nib both have a 2-month waiting period for pre-existing psychiatric conditions. Bupa's 2-month waiting period is currently waived until further notice. If immediate mental health coverage is important, choose Allianz Care or Medibank.
Ready to Get Your OSHC?
Compare all 5 approved providers above and visit the one that fits your needs. All providers are visa-compliant and government-approved.
Back to Australia Guide