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Medical Services

Medical Services



The College maintains a small dispensary in each of the residences and liaises very closely with staff at local medical centres.

Medicare/Medibank Private Cards


Australian Students



All students must be registered with Medicare.

Students can apply for Medicare cards independent of their parents, and should do so before they arrive at College. All students will need to bring their Medicare card to College.

When at College, the addresses of the nearest Medicare offices are:

56 Victory Parade
TORONTO
Telephone: 132 011 301 Hunter Street
NEWCASTLE
Telephone: 132 011

Office hours are 9:00am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Students may need to produce proof of their student status when applying for a Medicare card, and should keep their acceptance letter from Avondale College for this purpose.

New Zealand Students



Australian Government regulations deem that New Zealand citizens who come to Australia for the specific purpose of study are ineligible for Medicare benefits, either under the Reciprocal Health Care arrangements or under the special provisions applicable to New Zealand citizens.

Instead, New Zealand citizens who are in Australia for the purpose of full-time study and who do not have Permanent Resident status in Australia are eligible to take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) with Medibank Private for the length of their stay. New Zealand students are strongly advised to so so, as they will not be covered by Medicare.

If a student's application shows they are a New Zealand citizen, they will receive a Medibank Private information brochure from the Academic Office, as well as a form on which they can indicate whether or not they wish the Academic Office to provisionally enrol them in OSHC. If they wish the Academic Office to enrol them, they will also be required to send the OSHC premium with the form prior to commencing study in Australia to ensure that they will be covered under OSHC when they arrive. After the Academic Office receives payment and enrols them in Medibank, they will receive a Medibank number which will be held at the office.

Note: If payment is not received by the Academic Office at least 4 weeks before the commencement of Avondale College Registration/Orientation, there may be a delay in the processing of Medibank Private membership. (During January-March of each year, the Medibank Head Office in Sydney processes large numbers of applications for OSHC, and it can take up to 3-4 weeks for the processing to be completed.) If the premium is not paid prior to coming to Australia, membership of OSHC can only commence from the date the students actually pays the premium.

As soon as students arrive at College, they should call at the Academic Office (Admissions) where they will receive further information about obtaining a Medibank Private card. Students will need to produce their passport/visa.

OSHC is payable each year of any course and will need to be renewed each year before it expires. The Academic Office will give students advice on this process after they arrive at College.

International Students



The Australian Government requires international students to have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) in order to receive a student visa. International students will have paid of OSHC when they paid their fees to the College. The Academic Office will provisionally enrol international students in Medibank Private, and when they arrive at Avondale, they should call at the Academic Office (Admissions) where they will receive further information about obtaining a Medibank Private card. International students are reminded that they must renew OSHC each year before it expires.

Ambulance Cover


Australian Students



This is not covered by Medicare. Students need to ensure that they are covered for ambulance transport in NSW through membership in a NSW registered fund. This cover is reasonably priced and students can join at any Health Fund office.

International and New Zealand Students who take out OSHC



OSHC pays 100% of the charge for emergency ambulance transport for the provision of acute medical attention which is required immediately or is on an unforeseen nature, and is provided by a registered medical or paramedical officer. However, benefits for the use of an ambulance (even if offered) for routine journeys, are excluded.

Health Care Cards



The Federal Government will issue Health Care Cards to some students, but there is a means test for this application. This entitles the recipient to ambulance cover and dental and optical treatment at a public hospital, and to some pharmaceutical benefits. Students should apply at Centrelink for this card, and should first phone Centrelink on 131 305 to ascertain if they are eligible.