Student Visa & Health Insurance

Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is a list of all the course providers and institutions that are allowed to accept international students. Students who want to register for the learning period of more than three (3) months need to obtain an Australian student visa. Student visas are only issued for registered courses in CRICOS. The duration of student visas granted is in accordance with the duration of the programme adopted.

All of these are covered in the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act – laws that protect international students, providing quality assurance of education in Australia and ensures the refund of school fees if the institution cannot fulfil its obligations.

In August 2005, the Department of Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) Australia introduced a new type of student visa: “eVisa or Electronic Visa”. DIMIA changed its name to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) in 2014 and in 2017, changed its name to the Department of Home Affair (DHA). With the eVisa method, the application process can be completed within a shorter period and is usually cheaper than the usual method.

SUN Education Group is an accredited agent for the maintenance of eVisa. So, we can provide visa processing services in two (2) ways, namely through eVisa or through the usual process.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) must be owned by all Australian student visa holders, which must be purchased from registered health organizations, such as Medibank Private, Worldcare Assist, Faith International, Australian Unity, BUPA Australia etc. Each institution has its own preferred insurance company. Therefore, OSHC is paid along with tuition, that is before students apply for a visa and the amount paid includes the total duration of the student’s learning. Students who do not have a student visa because the courses are taken less than three (3) months, are not required to have OSHC, but it is advisable to have travel insurance.

This insurance covers the cost of general practitioners, hospital inpatient care and prescription drugs. Eye and dental care are usually not included. Therefore, it is recommended that you check your eyes and teeth before leaving for Australia.

The cost of OSHC is around AUD 500 – AUD 600 per year