Student visas and insurance
You will need a student visa and health insurance to be able to study in Australia.
Visa
Student visa
All Australian visas, including student visas, are granted by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
There are 7 different types of student visas:
- Independent ELICOS
- Schools
- Vocational education and training
- Higher education
- Postgraduate research
- Non-award
- AusAID or Defence.
Find out more about these visa subclasses.
You will need a student visa if you intend to:
- access Australia’s subsidised student health cover
- study longer courses
- work part-time.
Apply
You can apply for a student visa as soon as you get a letter of offer or an electronic confirmation of enrolment for your registered course of study.
Start an online application today or find out more about application assessment levels.
You can get help with applications in your home country by contacting your local Australian Government office for help with:
- the application process
- finding out what documents are needed to support your application.
Visas for short courses
You may be able to study a short course while you are here under another type of visa. This will depend on the course length.
Some courses that are less than 3 months can be undertaken on a visitor visa, while some courses up to 4 months in length can be completed on a working holiday visa.
Find out more about other Australian visas.
Student Guardian Visa
International students studying in Australia on a student visa may require a guardian if they are under 18 years. The guardian should have a student guardian visa.
Find out more about Student Guardian Visas and when they may apply.
Health insurance
All international students studying in Australia must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their visa.
Your health cover will help you pay for medical or hospital care, prescription medication or emergency ambulance you may need while you’re studying in Australia.
Find out more about what your OSHC insurance will cover.
OSHC providers
In Australia there are 5 OSHC insurance providers:
Visit a provider’s website to read more about their OSHC insurance policy details and to apply.
