Lana Oconnell
International students in the UK can access healthcare through the NHS, which provides a range of services, including primary healthcare, hospital and emergency treatment, sexual health services, and mental health services. To use the NHS, international students must pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) as part of their student visa application, which costs £470 per year of their intended stay. Once the surcharge is paid, international students are eligible for free healthcare in the same way as UK residents, although there may be additional costs for certain services such as eye care, dental treatment, and prescriptions. It is recommended that international students register with a General Practitioner (GP) as soon as possible after arriving in the UK to access the full range of NHS services.
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What You'll Learn
- International students pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £470 per year
- Students on a course of 6 months or more are eligible for full healthcare
- Students must register with a General Practitioner (GP) to access NHS services
- Students must prove their immigration status to access healthcare in the UK
- NHS treatment is 'free at the point of use' for UK residents
International students pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £470 per year
International students in the UK can access healthcare through the NHS. The NHS provides a wide range of services, including primary healthcare at a doctor's surgery (also known as a General Practitioner or GP), hospital and emergency treatment, family planning, sexual health services, and mental health services. While NHS treatment is free at the point of use for UK residents, international students need to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) to access these services.
The IHS costs £470 per year of intended stay in the UK. If a student's visa duration includes a part of a year that is six months or less, they will be charged £235 for that portion of their stay. This cost must be paid as part of the student visa application process and cannot be avoided, even if the student takes out private medical insurance upon arrival in the UK.
By paying the IHS, international students become eligible for free NHS services, including A&E (accident and emergency) services, NHS hospital treatment, GP services, sexual health and family planning services, diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases, treatment of conditions caused by domestic or sexual violence, some palliative care services, psychiatric treatment, and COVID-19 tests, treatment, and vaccination.
It is important for international students to register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK, as they cannot predict when they will need medical attention. Universities can provide guidance on how to register with a local GP or health centre. Some universities have their own health centres, which may have links to specialists such as psychiatrists, sports physicians, psychotherapists, counsellors, and physiotherapists.
In addition to the IHS, there may be additional costs for certain NHS services. For example, there is typically a minimum charge of £20-£25 for an eye test in England, while eye tests are free in Scotland. Dental care is also not covered by the IHS, and international students are advised to register with a local dentist. While NHS dental treatment may be available, it is not always free, and students may need to consider private options.
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Students on a course of 6 months or more are eligible for full healthcare
International students in the UK can access healthcare through the NHS, but the steps to do so vary depending on the length of their course.
If you are an international student on a course of six months or more, you are eligible for full healthcare under the NHS. However, to access these services, you must pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) of £470 per year of your intended stay. If your visa duration is six months or less, you will be required to pay £235 for that portion of your stay. This surcharge must be paid as part of your student visa application and cannot be avoided, even if you take out private medical insurance. Once you have paid the surcharge, you can use most NHS services for free, including A&E, hospital treatment, GP services, sexual health services, and treatment for conditions caused by domestic or sexual violence.
After paying the surcharge, you should register with a GP as soon as possible. Your university may have its own health centre, or it can provide details on how to register with a local surgery or health centre. It is important to note that dental treatment is not included in NHS coverage, so you will need to register with a local dentist separately.
If your course is less than six months long, you do not need to pay the IHS, but you should take out private health insurance as you will need to pay for any NHS treatment you receive, except in a medical emergency. In this case, it is still important to register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK, and your university can provide guidance on how to do so.
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Students must register with a General Practitioner (GP) to access NHS services
International students in the UK can access healthcare through the NHS. To do so, they must register with a General Practitioner (GP) and pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) as part of their student visa application. The IHS costs £470 per year of intended stay in the UK. If the visa duration is six months or less, the fee is £235 for that portion of the stay. This fee cannot be avoided, even if the student takes out private medical insurance.
Once the IHS has been paid, international students can register with a GP to access NHS services. The health centre attached to the student's university is likely to be the most convenient option, as the doctors there will be experienced in the health needs of students. Many university health centres also have good links with specialists, such as psychiatrists, sports physicians, psychotherapists, counsellors, and physiotherapists.
It is recommended that students register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK, as it is difficult to predict when one will fall ill. Students can register with a local surgery or health centre, or with the university health centre if it has one. To make an appointment with a GP, students can ring their GP surgery or health centre, and appointments are usually available during the day and early evening. If a student calls outside of these hours, they will be directed to a service that can provide help.
After registering with a GP, students will be given an NHS number, which proves their eligibility for NHS services in the UK. With this number, students can access a range of NHS services for free, including:
- A&E (accident and emergency) services
- NHS hospital treatment
- Sexual health, family planning, and contraceptive services
- Diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseases
- Treatment of any conditions caused by domestic or sexual violence
- Some palliative care services
- Psychiatric treatment or treatment ordered by a court
- COVID-19 tests and treatment, as well as vaccinations
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Students must prove their immigration status to access healthcare in the UK
International students in the UK can access healthcare through the NHS, but they may have to prove their immigration status. If you are a full-time international student studying in the UK for more than six months, you are eligible to use NHS services. If your course is less than six months long, you will not be eligible to use NHS services and will have to pay for any treatment you receive.
If you are applying for a Student visa and are coming to the UK for six months or longer, you must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of your visa application. The IHS costs £470 per year of your intended stay. If your visa duration contains part of a year that is six months or less, you will be required to pay £235 for that portion of your stay. Paying the IHS means you can get free healthcare in the same way as a UK resident. However, costs for certain NHS services, such as eye care, dental treatment, and prescriptions, still apply.
Once you have paid the IHS, you should register with a GP as soon as possible. Your university will be able to provide details of how to register with a GP at a local surgery or health centre. The health centre attached to your university is likely to be the most convenient, and the doctors working there will be experienced in the health needs of students. If you have brought a spouse, civil partner, or children with you to the UK, they will be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment, but only if they are dependents with their own visas. Each dependent will have to pay the immigrant health surcharge individually and register with a GP to access the full NHS services.
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NHS treatment is 'free at the point of use' for UK residents
NHS treatment is free at the point of use for UK residents. This means that UK residents can access the full range of services at no extra cost, except for some special NHS services such as eye care, dental treatment, and prescriptions for medication. International students who are studying in the UK on a course of six months or longer are eligible for full healthcare (excluding dental treatment) under the NHS, but they are required to pay an immigration health surcharge (IHS) of £470 per year of their intended stay. If their visa duration is six months or less, they will be required to pay £235 for that portion of their stay. This cost must be paid as part of their student visa application and cannot be avoided. Once they have paid this surcharge, they are eligible to use NHS services free of charge. These services include A&E, NHS hospital treatment, GP services, sexual health services, family planning, and contraceptive services, among others.
It is important that all students, including international students, register with a GP as soon as possible. Being ill and away from home for the first time can be very stressful, and registering with a GP ahead of time can help students access healthcare services more easily when they need them. Students can register with a GP at a local surgery or health centre, and some universities have their own health centres where students can register.
While NHS treatment is free at the point of use for UK residents, there are some procedures that may require additional payment. For example, there is normally a minimum charge of about £20-£25 for an eye test on the NHS in England, but eye tests are free in Scotland. There might be variations in the services and costs in England, Wales, and Scotland, so it is important to check with a GP when accessing services. Additionally, while contraception and condoms are free for everyone from any GP or family planning clinic, other services such as dental treatment and prescriptions for medication may incur costs. Students can apply for help with health costs, including prescriptions and dental care.
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Frequently asked questions
International students in the UK must pay an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £470 per year of their intended stay. This cost is part of the student visa application and cannot be avoided. Once paid, international students can access NHS services for free.
International students can access a range of NHS services, including A&E, hospital treatment, GP services, sexual health services, family planning, treatment for conditions caused by domestic or sexual violence, and Covid-19 tests and treatment.
International students should register with a GP as soon as possible after arriving in the UK. Students can register with a local surgery or health centre, or with a health centre at their university if there is one.
