Finishing Your Course in Australia and Moving Your Money Home

This is a smaller and simpler checklist than a working visa's

If you studied without working, or worked only casual hours alongside your course, you likely don't have the superannuation balance, employer-related final-pay questions, or HELP debt considerations that a 482 or 485 holder leaving Australia deals with. What you do usually have is an OSHC policy, a rental bond, a bank account, and whatever savings are left in it — a shorter list, but still worth doing in the right order so nothing gets left behind.

Your OSHC refund

Overseas Student Health Cover is tied to your visa and course duration, and finishing your course ahead of the visa's original end date is one of the situations that can qualify for a pro-rata refund of unused cover. Migratio's guide on OSHC refunds when leaving Australia covers what evidence your provider will want (course completion confirmation and your departure date) and how the pro-rata calculation generally works — contact your specific provider (Allianz Care, ahm, Bupa, Medibank or nib) directly to start the claim, since the exact process varies by insurer.

Your rental bond

If you rented privately rather than through student accommodation, your bond is held by your state's tenancy bond authority, not your landlord, and is refunded at the end of the tenancy provided there's no unpaid rent or damage beyond fair wear and tear — see Migratio's guide to how rental bonds work in Australia for how the refund process runs, since each state's authority and exact rules differ. Give notice and arrange the final inspection early enough that the refund has time to process before your flight, since bond refunds are not instant.

Did you work? Check your DASP eligibility

If you worked any hours during your course — even casual shifts — your employer should have made superannuation guarantee contributions on your behalf, and as a temporary visa holder leaving Australia permanently you're likely eligible to claim that balance back through the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment scheme. Migratio's DASP guide covers eligibility and the withholding tax that applies; the amount for a student who worked only part-time hours is usually modest, but it's still your money and the claim process is the same regardless of the balance.

Closing your bank account

Once your OSHC refund, bond refund and any DASP claim have landed — which can take some weeks between them — close your Australian bank account through your bank's standard process rather than leaving it dormant. Some banks charge account-keeping or inactivity fees on a dormant account held from overseas, and an account you can no longer easily manage from home isn't doing you any good sitting open.

Moving what's left home

Most students finishing a course are moving a modest sum rather than years of accumulated salary, so a standard remittance app or a bank transfer is usually the straightforward option — see the site's corridor guides for specific countries for typical providers and fees on your route. If your total (bond, refunds and savings combined) adds up to a genuinely large one-off amount, the same considerations that apply to any large transfer — provider verification of where the funds came from, and clearing times for a first-time transfer to a new account — are worth checking before you assume it'll land instantly.

A rough order to do this in

1. Confirm your course completion date and get written confirmation from your institution.
2. Lodge your OSHC refund claim with your provider.
3. Give notice on your rental property and arrange the final bond inspection.
4. If you worked, confirm your final payslip and superannuation contributions have been made, then wait until after you've left the country to lodge your DASP claim.
5. Once refunds have landed, close your bank account.
6. Transfer your remaining balance home.

The exact timing gaps between these steps vary, so build in a few weeks between finishing your course and your departure date if you can, rather than trying to close everything out in the final days.

Can I get an OSHC refund if I finish my course early?

Generally yes, on a pro-rata basis for the unused portion of your cover — contact your specific OSHC provider with proof of your course completion date and departure date to start the claim.

Do I get my rental bond back automatically when I move out?

No — you need to give notice, arrange a final inspection, and lodge a bond refund request with your state's tenancy bond authority. It isn't automatic and isn't instant.

Can I claim superannuation if I only worked casual hours during my course?

Yes, if your employer made superannuation guarantee contributions on your behalf, you can generally claim that balance back through DASP once you've left the country, regardless of how small the amount is.

Should I close my bank account before or after my OSHC and bond refunds land?

After. Closing the account too early means a refund has nowhere to go. Wait until all expected refunds and any final DASP claim have cleared before closing it.

What's the cheapest way to send my leftover savings home as a student?

For a modest amount, a standard remittance app or bank transfer is usually straightforward — see the corridor guide for your specific country for typical provider options and fees on that route.