Day0 — Bupa OSHC

Day0

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Most students arrive underprepared. You don't have to.

85% find Australia more expensive than expected. 83% arrive without understanding their health cover. Four questions. 60 seconds. Find out exactly where you stand.

What is your first name?

Which city are you arriving in?

How much money do you have available? (AUD)

What is your arrival date in Australia?

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Your answers are stored on this device only. Nothing is sent to any server. Day0 does not share your information with your university, or anyone else.

Day Zero Assessment

Nissa

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What to do. In order.

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saved for arrival

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Your modules

Your Arrival Plan

Your pre-arrival checklist — what to do before you fly.

Your Health Cover

Know what you are covered for before you need it.

Cost of Living

This is how long your money will last.

Your Rights at Work

Hours, pay, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Help & Emergency

Blua, emergency numbers, and mental health support.

After You Land

Your first week checklist — SIM, bank, TFN, and more.

Community and Connection

Find your people on campus

Coming soon

Know Your Rights

Visa, tenancy, and work rules explained

Coming soon

General information only. Not personal financial or legal advice. Your answers are saved on your device only. Day0 does not send your personal information to anyone.

Module 1 — Your personalised arrival plan

Your Arrival Plan

Two lists. What to do before you fly. What to do on day one. Tick them off in order.

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Do now — you are offshore

Download your OSHC card and save it offline on your phone

Find the email Bupa sent when your policy was issued and download the myBupa app. Your digital membership card is available immediately in the app — you do not need to wait for a physical card in the mail. Save it offline so it loads without WiFi. You will need it at check-in and at your first clinic visit.

Book your flights and lock your arrival date

Without a locked date, you cannot book accommodation or start job applications — every week of delay costs you preparation time.

Lock your first 14 days of accommodation before departure

Students without confirmed accommodation spend 3–5 days managing housing under jet lag — that stress delays income by weeks. Book at least 14 days minimum.

Alert your home bank of your travel dates to prevent card freeze

A frozen card on arrival means no funds for 24–72 hours — call your bank before you fly.

Download offline maps of your arrival city before departure

You won't have a local SIM when you land — offline maps are the only way to navigate. Takes 2 minutes to download before you fly.

Final week — before you fly

Test that your OSHC provider app opens and your OSHC card loads without internet

Turn off WiFi and confirm the card loads offline — if it doesn't, resolve it before you fly. You may need it at enrolment within hours of landing, before your SIM is active.

Save your university's international student helpline as a phone contact

If something goes wrong on arrival — accommodation, card, transport — this is the number that fixes it. Save it now.

Confirm how you get from the airport to your accommodation

Check if your university offers a free airport pickup — many do. If not, map the exact public transport route offline before you fly.

Exchange AUD 150 to 200 cash before departure

AUD 150 cash covers your first 12 hours if your card is frozen or ATMs are unavailable — exchange before you fly, not at the airport.

Email scanned copies of passport, visa, OSHC certificate, and offer letter to yourself

If documents are lost in transit, these scans are what you use to enrol — takes 5 minutes, do it before check-in.

Arrival plan done.

Next: your OSHC card is the one thing clinics ask for on day one. Two minutes to set it up now.

Module 2 — Your health cover

Your Health Cover

OSHC is mandatory. Knowing what it covers — and what it does not — prevents unexpected costs on arrival.

✓ Covered

Doctor visits
Hospital stays
Ambulance
Mental health
Medicines

✗ Not covered

Dental
Optical
Cosmetic
Overseas care

Your policy may vary — check myBupa for your exact cover.

What you might pay

$0 at Direct Billing clinics · $20–$80 at others

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Doctor visit — Direct Billing clinic$0

Doctor visit — standard clinic$20–$80 gap

Hospital emergency room$0 (public hospital)

Ambulance to hospitalCovered

Medicine from pharmacySmall payment

A Bupa-friendly doctor submits your claim directly to Bupa, which helps reduce or eliminate any payment on the day. Always ask: "Are you a Bupa-friendly doctor?" before booking. Costs vary by clinic and location.

What to do when you feel sick

3 steps — tap to read

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Need a doctor from home? Bupa OSHC includes access to Blua — 24/7 digital health at no out-of-pocket cost. Phone or video, any time. blua.bupa.com.au

Step 1 — Find a Bupa-friendly doctor

Use the Bupa Find a Doctor tool to find a clinic near you. Bupa-friendly doctors submit your claim directly to Bupa, which reduces or eliminates any payment on the day.

When you call to book, ask: "Are you a Bupa-friendly doctor?" If not, search for a different clinic. Always confirm before your appointment.

⚠ Important 2026 change: As of June 2026, some GP clinics now charge international students a fee they did not charge before. This is because a government bulk-billing incentive was expanded to Medicare patients only — international students are not eligible for Medicare. Always ask about your out-of-pocket cost before your appointment.

Step 2 — Show your OSHC card at reception

Open the myBupa app and show your digital membership card. Can't find your membership details? Check the email Bupa sent when your policy was issued, or call 1800 888 942.

Your IHI number — needed for eScripts

After a Blua appointment your doctor will send a prescription by SMS or email. To receive this eScript you need an Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) number — a free 16-digit number linked to your Medicare card equivalent.

Get yours at servicesaustralia.gov.au after you arrive. Without it you will be given a paper prescription instead.

Step 3 — Claim back if you paid a gap

Submit receipts via the Bupa make a claim page or through the myBupa app. Keep all receipts. Most GP claims are processed within 5 business days. Hospital claims take 7 to 14 days.

You must have an Australian bank account to receive claim refunds. Bupa cannot transfer money into an overseas bank account. Open your Australian bank account in week one.

Pre-existing conditions

GP and mental health: covered from day one

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GP visits, emergency care, and mental health treatment have no waiting period — you are covered from day one.

For most other pre-existing conditions, a 12-month waiting period applies from your arrival date. Review your policy or contact Bupa OSHC before booking specialist appointments.

What is not covered — know before you go

Dental, optical and physio are not included

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Standard Bupa OSHC does not cover routine dental check-ups, glasses or contact lenses, physiotherapy, chiropractic, or other general treatment services. These require a separate Extras policy with its own waiting periods.

If you need these services, budget for them as out-of-pocket costs unless you have added Bupa OSHC Extras to your policy. Check your policy document or contact Bupa OSHC to confirm your cover level.

Set up the myBupa app before you land

Your membership number is in the email Bupa sent when your policy was issued. Takes two minutes. Don't wait until you're sick.

Set up myBupa now →

Module 3 — Cost of living

How Long Will Your Money Last?

These numbers show how long your money will last. If you do not know them, you cannot plan.

$550–$750

Estimated weekly spend

$2,200–$3,000

Monthly equivalent

First month cost: add $500–$800 for one-off setup costs — bond deposit, SIM, transport card, kitchen basics.

Weekly spending — your city

🏠Rent (share house)$250–$400

🛒Groceries$60–$90

🚌Transport$30–$50

📱Phone plan$15–$30

☕Eating out / social$40–$80

📚Study materials$10–$20

How to make your money last longer

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Costs based on 2025 Australian student visa financial requirements and city cost guides. Actual costs vary.

Module 4 — Your rights at work

Your Rights at Work

Australia has strong laws to protect workers. Knowing your rights keeps you safe.

How many hours can you work?

Up to 48 hours per fortnight (two weeks) while your course runs. Unlimited during official university holidays. If you have two jobs, both count toward the limit.

Check your exact conditions on VEVO →

Source: Department of Home Affairs, 2025.

What should I be paid?

Minimum rates set by Fair Work Commission — July 2026

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The minimum pay rate

As of 1 July 2025, the minimum pay rate in Australia is $24.95 per hour for most jobs. This is set by the Fair Work Commission every year.

If you are casual — meaning you do not have set hours each week — your minimum rate is $31.19 per hour. This includes a 25% casual loading. This is extra pay because you do not get paid leave.

Most jobs in hospitality, retail, and food service follow a pay rule called an Award. Award rates are often higher than the minimum. Ask your employer which Award covers your job.

Source: Fair Work Commission, fairwork.gov.au, 1 July 2026. Verified July 2026.

You must receive a payslip on the same day you are paid, or the next working day. This is a legal requirement in Australia. Keep all your payslips. They are your evidence if you are ever paid less than you should be.

Check your correct pay rate

Use the Fair Work pay calculator to check your exact rate for your job.

Go to fairwork.gov.au/pay-calculator →

What to tell your employer

Show your work rights before you start

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VEVO — prove your work rights to employers

Share a VEVO check with your employer when you start — it confirms your visa type and how many hours you can work. Free and takes one minute.

Check your conditions on VEVO →

Apply for your Tax File Number (TFN) in week one

Without a TFN, employers withhold 47% tax. Apply at ato.gov.au after you arrive — takes up to 28 days, so don't wait.

Apply for your TFN →

If something goes wrong

Free help, no fear, available in many languages

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If an employer asks you to work more than 48 hours in a fortnight during your course, this breaks your visa conditions. You can report this without giving your name.

Fair Work Ombudsman — free, anonymous help

Free government service. You do not have to give your name. Available in Mandarin, Hindi, Vietnamese, Arabic, and more.

Contact Fair Work →

Your university international student office

Free and confidential. They can help with employer problems. Find their contact on your university website before you arrive.

Finding your first job

Start with your university student jobs board — easiest first role. Then seek.com.au and indeed.com.au filtered by Casual. Have your VEVO, TFN, and Australian bank account ready before your first interview.

PhD and Masters by Research students can work unlimited hours once their course has started. Check your visa conditions on VEVO to confirm.

Source: Department of Home Affairs, 2025.

Rights locked in.

Last step: safety and emergency contacts — the one module you hope you never need but will be glad you completed.

Module 5 — Help & Emergency

Help & Emergency

When things go wrong, knowing who to call makes all the difference. This module covers your support options — from 24/7 online doctors to emergency numbers to mental health help.

Blua

Your 24/7 online doctor

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After hours

GP by video call — nights, weekends, public holidays.

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Cost

100% covered by your Bupa OSHC. Nothing to pay.

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How to use

Download the Blua app. Register with your Bupa OSHC email.

Access Blua now →

Works on WiFi — use it the moment you land, before your local SIM is active. · Source: bupa.com.au

💊 Blua medicine delivery

Too sick to go to the pharmacy? Blua delivers prescription and over-the-counter medicine to your door through Chemist2U. Available within 8km of a participating pharmacy. Free delivery on first orders over $30 or when uploading a prescription.

Order via Blua →

Emergency numbers in Australia

000Police, Fire, Ambulance. Free from any phone. No credit or SIM needed. Call in any life-threatening situation.

13 11 14Lifeline. Free 24/7 mental health crisis support.

1800 737 7321800 RESPECT. Free support for family and domestic violence. Confidential.

131 881Department of Home Affairs. For visa and student questions.

Save these numbers in your phone contacts now, before you arrive.

Personal safety

Simple steps that keep you safe

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Let someone you trust know where you are going when travelling alone at night. Share your location with a friend or save the number of your university's security team.

In any Australian bar or cafe, say "Is Angela here?" — staff are trained to help you quietly if you feel unsafe.

Trust your instincts. It's always OK to leave.

Mental health — this is part of your cover

Support is included in your OSHC. Use it early, not only in a crisis.

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Feeling homesick or anxious is normal. You do not need to be in crisis to ask for help. Reach out early — support is there before things get difficult.

Seeing a psychologist through your OSHC

1. See a GP and ask for a Mental Health Care Plan — free to request, takes 20 minutes.
2. You can then see a psychologist at reduced cost, covered by your OSHC.
3. Use Blua to speak to a GP after hours while you wait for an appointment — no waiting period.

Other free mental health support

Beyond Bluebeyondblue.org.au or 1800 512 348

Headspaceheadspace.org.au — ages 12 to 25

Lifeline13 11 14 — free, 24 hours a day

If something goes wrong after you arrive

🎓 Your university's international student office

Your university has a team to support you. This is free and confidential. Find their number on your university website and save it in your phone before you arrive.

⚖️ Fair Work Ombudsman — work problems

Free help with pay problems or unfair treatment at work.

Contact Fair Work →

🛡 Bupa OSHC — help and support

📞 1300 884 235 — 24/7 Student Advice Line in 150 languages. Covers medical guidance, personal safety, trauma counselling, legal and tax queries, accident and home assistance. Call any time, day or night.

📞 1800 888 942 — Student support team, Mon–Fri 8am–6pm AEST
📱 WhatsApp: Message Bupa or WeChat ID: Bupa-AU
📧 oshc@bupa.com.au
🌐 Contact Bupa OSHC →

These services are free. They are confidential in most cases. Day0 does not share your information with any of these services.

Blua is set up. Support is ready.

You have 24/7 support from the moment you land.

After You Land

Your First Week Checklist

Tick these off in your first seven days. Each one sets up the next.

Do this on arrival day

Buy a prepaid SIM card at the airport or at Woolworths or Coles

A $30–$40 prepaid SIM from Woolworths or Coles gives you data and a local number from day one — buy it at the airport or on the way to your accommodation.

Get your transport card for your city

Get your city transport card as soon as you arrive — Opal in Sydney, Myki in Melbourne, Go Card in Brisbane, MyWay in Canberra, Metrocard in Adelaide, SmartRider in Perth. Top it up weekly so you always know what you are spending on transport.

Find your nearest Direct Billing GP clinic

Use the Find a Direct Billing Doctor tool — these clinics bill your OSHC provider directly, so you pay nothing. Find one near your accommodation before you need it.

Do this in week one

Open an Australian bank account

Commonwealth, ANZ, NAB, and Westpac all let you open an account online before arrival — without it you cannot receive wages. Do this in week one.

Apply for your Tax File Number (TFN)

Without a TFN, employers withhold 47% tax — apply at ato.gov.au in week one. Takes up to 28 days to process so do not wait.

Start your part-time job search

Hospitality, retail, and campus jobs are the most common first roles for international students. Check your visa work conditions first — most student visas allow 48 hours per fortnight during semester. Search on Seek, Indeed, and your university's student jobs board.

One last step.

Three questions — then your orientation certificate is ready to save or share. Takes 30 seconds.

Before you land — three questions

After completing Day0, do you feel confident navigating the Australian healthcare system?

Only 17% of students said yes before arriving. Your answer helps track whether that's changing.

Do you feel financially prepared for your first month in Australia?

85% of students found costs higher than expected. Knowing your runway changes that.

Have you downloaded the myBupa app and located your OSHC card?

You'll need it at your first clinic visit — before your local SIM is even active.

Skip — go to my arrival plan

You're ready.

Your pre-arrival orientation is complete. Save your certificate below — you may need it at enrolment.

Day0

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✓ Orientation Complete

International Student Readiness Certificate

has completed Day0 pre-arrival orientation
and is ready to arrive in Australia.

● Arrival Plan

● Health Cover

● Cost of Living

● Work Rights

● Help & Emergency

Completed

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day0.com.au

Certificate ID

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