I am an international student, how does the UK health service work?

Going to study in another country with a different healthcare system can be a daunting prospect. In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) is the system that offers residents physical and mental healthcare services. Most healthcare services are free at the point of use, but some procedures and requests may need additional payment.

If you are a full-time international student studying in the UK for longer than six months, you are eligible to use NHS services. If you are studying in the UK for less than six months, you are not eligible to use the NHS services. If this is the case for you, it is advised that you take out private healthcare insurance cover during your stay.

As an international student, you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) which costs £776 per year of your intended stay to use the NHS. This cost must be paid as part of your student visa application. 

Once you have paid the immigration health surcharge as part of your student visa, you must also register with a general practitioner (GP) at a local doctor’s surgery or medical centre after arriving in the UK in order to access NHS services. When you register, you will receive an NHS number, so it’s best to complete this process as soon as you arrive rather than waiting until you become ill. You can use the NHS search tool to locate your nearest GP service, and you will need to visit the surgery during consulting hours with a university enrolment letter, your passport and any relevant immigration or visa documents.

Once you have paid this and registered with a GP, you are eligible to use the following services free of charge:

• Emergency Department/A&E
• GP services
• NHS hospital treatment
• Sexual health, family planning and contraceptive services
• Psychiatric/mental health treatment or treatment that has been ordered by a court
• Covid-19 tests and treatment, as well as vaccinations against Covid-19
• Diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases
• Treatment of any conditions caused by domestic violence or sexual abuse
• Some palliative care services.

For more information view our page on wellbeing support available to international students.