Health Insurance
The Duke Global Education office requires that ALL students are covered by health insurance while abroad. You MUST check with your healthcare provider BEFORE the trip to learn about the nature and scale of their coverage in Australia. DO NOT ASSUME that because you have health insurance in the US, that your provider will cover you during times that are spent abroad. Even a small infection in need of treatment could easily costs you a small fortune to treat if you are without health insurance in Australia!
Prescriptions and Medications
Be sure to bring all of your necessary prescription medication AND (required!) copies of the actual prescriptions from your doctor (official doctor labels on pill case suffices). If you are taking daily medications, it is recommended that you get a double-supply prescription for the duration of the trip and keep your back-up separately in your luggage (in case of loss, etc.). Also, it helps to have your prescribing doctor’s phone number on hand, in case you need to call-in an emergency refill. It is ILLEGAL to carry amphetamine-based medications in and out of Australia (note: some medication used to treat ADHD, depression, and some sleeping-disorders contain amphetamines). Talk to your doctor about the contents of your medications before embarking. For more information on what you can and cannot bring into Australia, personal exemptions, requirements, permit acquisition, etc. See here and here.
Prescription Medications and Customs.- If you are bringing prescription medication into Australia be sure to keep them in their original packaging (the small orange or white bottles are fine) and that they are accompanied by copies of the actual prescriptions from your doctor (official doctor labels on pill case suffices). It is ILLEGAL to carry amphetamine-based medications in and out of Australia (note: some medication used to treat ADHD, depression, and some sleeping-disorders contain amphetamines). Talk to your doctor about the contents of your medications before embarking. For more information on what you can and cannot bring into Australia, personal exemptions, requirements, permit acquisition, etc. See here and here.
Non-prescription Medications and Customs. – Many medications that are readily available over the counter in the US, are only available through prescription in Australia. In almost all of the past 5 years, our group has fallen victim to “THE FLU” without fail. Many of the regular flu/cold medicines available in the US are NOT sold in Australia (e.g. Theraflu, DayQuil, Sudafed, nasal sprays, Chloraseptic sore throat spray, etc.). If you want to fight your cold/flu with these products, you need to bring them with you. Customs will allow an amount that is deemed appropriate as a one-week personal supply.
