Standard Overseas Student Health Cover won’t pay for routine dental check‑ups, glasses or physiotherapy – those are classified as general treatment and sit outside the OSHC Deed minimums. If you need extras, you’ll need a separate add‑on or standalone policy from an approved OSHC provider or any Australian private health insurer. This comparison breaks down what five well‑known providers offer for dental, optical and physio, so you can choose the extras cover that fits your budget and health needs.
Why standard OSHC alone isn’t enough for dental, optical and physio
All OSHC policies must meet the requirements of the OSHC Deed overseen by the Department of Health and Aged Care. The Deed says OSHC assists with hospital, medical, ambulance and limited pharmaceuticals – not general treatment like dental, optical or physiotherapy. For those services you need to buy extras, either from your OSHC provider or from a different Australian health insurer. That means you can keep your main OSHC with one fund and buy extras from another; just check waiting periods and benefit limits carefully so you don’t double‑pay for services you already have.
What the major providers offer for extras cover
Medibank
Medibank’s comprehensive OSHC includes limited extras such as private psychology and medical repatriation, but not routine dental, optical or physio. To get those, you can take a standalone Medibank extras policy. As a Medibank OSHC member you may be eligible for a promotion that waives 2‑ and 6‑month waiting periods on extras and gives you 6 weeks free in your first year plus 2 more weeks free in your second year, provided you meet the terms. Information correct as at the date of publication and subject to change; always check current terms directly with Medibank before joining.
ahm (a business of Medibank)
ahm OSHC focuses on hospital and medical essentials and does not include dental, optical or physio in its student cover. Like Medibank, ahm OSHC members can add a Medibank standalone extras policy. The same promotional offer – waived 2‑ and 6‑month waits on extras and up to 8 weeks free across two years – is available to eligible ahm OSHC members who join a qualifying Medibank extras cover. Check the latest offer details and eligibility with Medibank or ahm before applying.
nib
nib OSHC explicitly excludes extras services from its standard student cover. nib does, however, offer standalone extras policies that OSHC members can buy separately. Waiting periods on those extras policies may be waived if you’ve already served equivalent waiting periods with another Australian fund. Contact nib directly for current extras benefit limits, waiting period details and how to apply.
Allianz Care Australia (underwritten by Peoplecare)
Allianz Care Australia’s OSHC Standard and Essentials covers do not include dental, optical or physio. The provider explains clearly that OSHC does not cover extras; if you want those services, you’ll need a separate general treatment policy. Allianz Care Australia itself does not list a branded extras add‑on, so OSHC members looking for dental or optical often pair their cover with a standalone extras policy from another Australian health insurer. Always compare waiting periods and annual limits before you buy.
BUPA Australia
BUPA is listed by the Department of Health and Aged Care as an approved OSHC provider. At the time of writing, publicly available product information did not include detailed extras benefit tables for BUPA’s OSHC members. If you’re considering BUPA, contact the fund directly to ask whether it offers an OSHC‑linked extras policy, what waiting periods apply, and what annual limits you would have for dental, optical and physio.
Comparing extras waiting periods and benefit limits
When you add extras cover, waiting periods can affect how soon you can claim. Standard waiting periods for general treatment in Australia are often 2 months for basic dental and physio, 6 months for optical, and 12 months for major dental and some high‑cost appliances. Some insurers will waive 2‑ and 6‑month waits if you’re switching from an equivalent level of cover and have already served those periods. Benefit limits are typically annual dollar caps per service category – for example, a limit on general dental that might range from a few hundred to over $1,000 depending on the policy. Exact figures change frequently, so always confirm current waiting periods and limits with the insurer before you join.
Key things to remember
- You must keep compliant OSHC for your student visa. Extras cover does not replace your obligatory OSHC – it only supplements it.
- You can mix funds. Buy your OSHC from one provider and your extras from another, but remember that any waiting periods you’ve served on extras with your current fund may be recognised by your new extras insurer if you provide a clearance certificate.
- Check the latest offers. Insurer promotions can reduce the cost of extras, especially for OSHC members. Read the fine print and note any conditions such as direct debit setup or minimum holding periods.
- General information only. CompareOSHC provides editorial comparisons drawn from publicly available product information. It is not an insurer, underwriter, or recommendation engine. All information is general and does not consider your personal circumstances. If you need personalised help, contact the insurer directly.
For more detail on the regulatory rules, visit the official Department of Health and Aged Care’s OSHC factsheet or the privatehealth.gov.au site, which lists all approved OSHC providers.