OSHC duration rules for Australian student visas
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Australian OSHC duration rules per student visa requirements. 10+ months ending Nov-Dec: cover to 15 March; ending Jan-Oct: course + 2 months; <10 months: course + 1 month; max 6 years. Special rules for postgrad research, primary school, packaged courses.
OSHC duration is set by Australian government visa requirements based on course duration. Edvisor applies these rules by default when adding insurance to proposals, sales, and bookings.
Agents can override or manually extend OSHC duration when packaging multiple courses.
Standard duration rules
Course duration | OSHC must cover |
|---|---|
10+ months ending Nov–Dec (academic year) | Until 15 March of the following year |
10+ months ending Jan–Oct | Course length + 2 months |
Less than 10 months | Course length + 1 month |
Maximum visa duration | 6 years total |
Special cases
Student type | Rule |
|---|---|
Tertiary packaged students | Coverage extends to end of last course (max 6 years) |
Postgraduate research | Visa extends 6 months beyond normal stay (e.g., for thesis marking) |
Primary school students | Max 3 years OSHC; 6 years total if packaged with high school (primary ≤ 3 years) |
High school (Years 7–12) | Visa and OSHC up to 6 years |
Why this matters
Meeting these duration requirements is required for visa compliance. OSHC durations shorter than these rules may lead to visa application issues.