Healthcare in the UK
The organisation responsible for providing healthcare in the UK is the NHS (National Health Service). They are funded by taxes and provide free healthcare to those who are entitled.
As an international student, if you are studying for longer than six months you have access to the NHS. If it is for less that six months then you will not have access to the NHS and it is recommended that you go through private healthcare.
There are a few ways that you can access healthcare:
- You’ve paid the immigration health surcharge for the duration of your visa (£1000 a year)
- You applied for your current period of immigration permission before the immigration health surcharge was introduced in April 2015
- You were born in the UK
- You’re from the EU and have a right to free healthcare because of European obligations
- You’re a British Overseas Territory citizen
- You have been granted or have applied for asylum, humanitarian protection or temporary protection in the UK
- You are a child that is being looked after by the authorities
- You’re in the armed forces
If you are an international student and do not fall under any of these groups you will be charged at a high rate for hospital treatment, which can be around 150% higher the usual ‘tariff’. Therefore, it is recommended that you go through private healthcare insurance.
Please note: This is not required and can be an expensive way of accessing healthcare.
If you do fall under one of the groups of people entitled to free healthcare, here is a list of what is included:
- A&E (accident and emergency) services (but not follow-up treatment or admission as an in-patient to hospital)
- NHS hospital treatment
- GP services
- Sexual health, family planning and contraceptive services
- Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
- Diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases
- The Covid-19 vaccination is available to all international students aged 18 or over who are studying in the UK. The vaccine is free, and you will not need to pay. For more information on Covid-19 and your health, see NHS UK and Public Health England.
- Treatment of conditions caused by torture, female genital mutilation, domestic violence or sexual violence (provided you did not come to the UK for the specific purpose of seeking such treatment)
- Some palliative care services
- Compulsory psychiatric treatment or treatment that has been ordered by a court
- Treatment in prison or immigration detention
General Practitioner (family doctor)
The main point of contact in the UK for healthcare is a GP (General Practitioner) who can treat most ailments, but for more complicated issues they can refer you to the specialist who can help you.
If a doctor prescribes you medicine, the perscription will be sent to the local pharmacy where you can go and collect it and get re-fills if required.
In the UK, all prescriptions cost £9.65* unless you are:
- Under the age of 19 AND in full-time education
- Pregnant
- Over the age of 60
*This pricing is correct as of October 2023, but can be subject to change.
Once you have paid your healthcare surcharge as an international student, you can register with your local GP.
You should register with a GP as soon as possible to ensure you can get an appointment quicker, should you need one. If you try to contact the GP and request an appintment, but are not registered, this will prolong the process of seeing your GP to assess your illness.
Registering with a GP
To register with a GP, you will need:
- Your passport
- A letter from your university
- Any visa or immigration documentation that you have
When you register, they will let you know their opening hours and at what time appointments are made available as most GPs are very busy. The best time to call the GP for a same day appointment is in the morning. It is important to be kind and respect the GP staff at all times.
When you register you will receive your NHS number. This is mistaken a lot for a National Insurance number (referred to as a NI number). These are two different numbers. Your NHS number is only for the use of healthcare. Your NI number is for employment, benefits and tax purposes, never healthcare.
Any family members that you have brought with you are able to access NHS services, however they must be on their own visas and have paid their own healthcare surcharges. Each person must also register with the GP.
Dental and eye care
Dental care and eye care work slightly differently than all other health issues.
Dental care
You can access some dental services through the NHS, but the waiting list are very long and dentists (when dental health is looked after) are unlikely to be taking new patients on. Even as an NHS patient there are still some dental procedures and surgeries that won’t be covered by the NHS.
Dental emergencies, such as pain, a lost or cracked tooth, are generally dealt with by a dentist in your dental surgery not your GP or A&E, unless the injury has persistent bleeding or includes you jaw and any other part of your face and neck then please go to A&E or call an ambulance immediately.
Eye care
Eye care in the UK is looked after by private opticians, they can be found on high streets such as Boots and Specsavers.
A basic eye check-up will cost you roughly £20 to £30*. If you need glasses or contact lenses, then you will need to pay for the prescription. The cost of glasses can vary depending on your your budget, what prescription you need and what style/brand of glasses you go for.
However, if you have an eye infection, persistent problems with your eyes that isn’t simply needing glasses or medical emergencies, then you would need to contact your GP or visit A&E, depending on severity and risk of life/injury.
*This pricing is correct as of October 2023, but can be subject to change.