Health & welfare

Studying in Australia may be challenging for overseas students as so many things are different from home. All students at UNSW Institute of Languages have access to support needed to meet their full potential and to ensure that time spent studying at the Institute will be within a safe, happy and productive environment.

The UNSW University Health Service provides health and dental services for students. In addition, the School of Optometry offers services for students needing eye examinations and sight services. International students will need to show an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) card to access these services. UNSW Health Service offers general medical and dental consultations to students. International students using this service are charged the scheduled fee and are expected to pay at the time of consultation by cash or credit card. Most of this fee can then be recovered through the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) provider.

Australian Law requires International Student visa holders to maintain health insurance in Australia . UNSW Global provides this through the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) scheme. For non student visa holders, other health insurance (such as travel insurance) is recommended. Standard OSHC is a health insurance policy which provides affordable access to medical and hospital treatment for students while studying in Australia. OSHC will also contribute to the cost of most prescription drugs and emergency ambulance transport. Please note that OSHC does not cover dental treatment. As dental services in Australia are expensive you should have your teeth checked and any necessary dental work completed before you leave home.

If you are Under 18 and would like to study at the Institute in Australia but do not have a parent or guardian to stay with while you are here, our Accommodation Officer can help you with accommodation and care arrangements. All under 18 students are required to complete a Care and Appropriate Welfare Form (CAAW) on application. As this service requires UNSW Global to carry out extensive preliminary checks before issuing the CAAW, an additional fee is charged. This fee includes a set-up charge of AUD$400 plus AUD$10 a week while the student is under 18 years of age. See full information for applicants under 18 years of age.

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