It's important that you purchase OSHC insurance when choosing Australia as your overseas study destination.
The primary reason you cannot use travel insurance bought overseas is that the Australian Government has mandated that Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is required by all students.
The Australian insurance industry is regulated, ensuring that insurance providers have the financial resources to continue to deliver their services. Unfortunately it is impossible for the Australian Government to ensure that all overseas travel insurance providers can deliver the required services in a student’s time of need. Indeed, it would be difficult for the Australian Government to even confirm whether an overseas travel insurance provider was legitimate. So while it may seem like an expensive annoyance to have to take out OSHC for the duration of your study, it is clearly necessary to deliver health insurance to international students in this way.
Just because it is compulsory to take out OSHC, doesn’t mean you don’t have choices. See all the OSHC providers in one place, and ensure you get the cover that is right for you at oshcaustralia.com.au.