You already paid for the NHS through your Immigration Health Surcharge — £776 per year of your Student visa. This guide explains exactly how to register with a GP, what to do in a medical emergency, how to get prescriptions, find an NHS dentist, and access mental health support as an international student.
IHS you paid
£776/yr
Free NHS at point of use
GP registration
Free
10–20 min, online or in person
NHS 111
24/7
Free urgent advice line
When you applied for your Student visa, you paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) — currently £776 per year of your visa. This is not optional, and it is not a deposit: it is the cost of access to the NHS for the duration of your stay.
As a result, you are entitled to use the NHS free at the point of use — the same as UK residents. This includes GP consultations, hospital treatment, emergency care, and most services. The only costs you may encounter are prescriptions in England and certain dental treatments.
✅ Covered free under your IHS
A GP (General Practitioner) is your family doctor — the first point of contact for virtually all non-emergency health issues. You must register with a GP surgery (practice) near your accommodation before you can book appointments. Registration is free and takes 10–20 minutes.
Find a GP near you
Gather your documents
Register — online or in person
Receive your NHS number
One of the biggest mistakes international students make is going to A&E (Accident & Emergency) for issues that do not require emergency care. A&E wait times regularly exceed 4–8 hours for non-urgent cases. Understanding which service to use will save you hours.
📞
NHS 111
Urgent but not life-threatening
Examples: Chest pain you're unsure about, high fever, mental health crisis, need same-day advice
Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk — available 24/7, free
🏥
GP Surgery
Non-urgent — book in advance
Examples: Ongoing illness, repeat prescriptions, referrals to specialists, routine check-ups
Book by phone, online, or NHS App — usually 1–14 days wait
🚶
Walk-in / Urgent Treatment Centre
Same-day, no appointment needed
Examples: Minor cuts, sprains, UTI, ear infection, rash — things that can't wait for GP but aren't emergencies
Just walk in — search nhs.uk for your nearest UTC
🚨
A&E Only
Life-threatening emergencies
Examples: Severe bleeding, unconsciousness, heart attack, stroke, serious injury
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not use for minor issues
When your GP prescribes medication, you collect it from a pharmacy (chemist). The prescription itself is free — but collecting the medication may carry a charge depending on where in the UK you are studying.
England
£9.90 per item
Most common — students pay unless on low income
Scotland
Free
All prescriptions free regardless of income
Wales
Free
All prescriptions free regardless of income
N. Ireland
Free
All prescriptions free regardless of income
If you are studying in England and have a low income, you may qualify for free prescriptions via the HC1/HC2 form (NHS Low Income Scheme). You can get the HC1 form from your GP surgery, hospital, or by calling 0300 330 1343. If approved, the HC2 certificate exempts you from prescription charges and some dental and optical costs.
NHS dental care is one of the harder things to access in the UK — many dentists in England have long waiting lists or are not accepting new NHS patients. Start your search early, even if you have no immediate dental concerns.
Search for an NHS dentist at nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist — filter by postcode and “accepting new NHS patients”. If no NHS dentist is available nearby, NHS 111 can direct you to emergency dental care for genuine dental emergencies (severe pain, abscess, trauma).
NHS Dental Charges (England) — 2026
These are the charges per course of treatment, not per individual item within a band. Dental care is free in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for most patients.
Adjusting to life in a new country is genuinely difficult. Culture shock, loneliness, financial pressure, and academic stress are real and common. The NHS and universities both provide mental health support — knowing your options before you need them matters.
NHS mental health pathway
Immediate support — if you are in crisis right now
Samaritans
116 123 (free, 24/7)
Confidential emotional support — no referral needed, any time
Shout
Text 85258 (free, 24/7)
Free mental health text support — type SHOUT to start
Student Minds
studentminds.org.uk
UK's leading student mental health charity — resources and peer support
Crisis via 999 or A&E
For immediate danger
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E
🔴 Track your NHS costs with Monzo
Prescription charges, dental fees, and medical expenses can add up. Monzo's spending categories and Pots make it easy to track exactly what you're spending on healthcare — so there are no surprises.
🟢 Send money home with Wise
Whether you're receiving money from family for living costs or sending money back home, Wise gives you the mid-market exchange rate with transparent, low fees — no hidden markups like traditional banks.
Yes. GP registration is for planned, non-emergency care. You can use NHS 111 (call or online) at any time without being registered anywhere. A&E is also accessible without prior registration in a genuine emergency — you will be treated regardless. Walk-in centres and Urgent Treatment Centres also accept patients without registration. Registering with a GP is the first thing to sort once you're settled, not something you need to do on day one.
NHS GP practices cannot legally refuse to register you solely because you lack certain documents — and they cannot refuse you based on nationality, immigration status, or where you have come from. If a practice refuses you, you can report it to NHS England. In practice, most GPs are straightforward about registration. If the surgery's list is genuinely full, they are entitled to decline — in which case, try the next nearest surgery accepting patients.
You do not need to explain your immigration status to receive treatment, but it is helpful to mention you are a student — some practices have a student registration process and may be aware of university-specific services. You should mention it when registering so your GP is aware of your situation and can signpost relevant services (like free university counselling).
Unfortunately, no — being a full-time student does not automatically exempt you from prescription charges in England. You pay £9.90 per prescription item (2026). However, if your income is below the threshold, you can apply for the NHS Low Income Scheme (HC1/HC2 form) to get free prescriptions. If you regularly need multiple medications, a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) at £111.60/year covers unlimited prescriptions and saves money if you need more than 12 items per year.
Usually yes, but it may take a consultation or two. Bring your medication packaging, the generic (non-brand) name of the drug, the dose, and any letters from your doctor at home. UK GPs can review your medication and prescribe the equivalent UK-licensed version. Some medications have different brand names in the UK but the same active ingredient. Some controlled substances (opioids, certain anxiety medications) require additional prescribing steps, so discuss this at your first appointment.
This varies significantly by surgery and location. Urban surgeries near universities often have high demand and wait times of 2–14 days for a routine appointment. Many surgeries offer same-day urgent appointments (usually phone triage first, then a face-to-face if needed). If you cannot get a GP appointment but need same-day care for a non-emergency issue, use a Walk-in Centre or Urgent Treatment Centre instead — no appointment needed.
Yes. Once registered with a GP and assigned an NHS number, you can download the NHS App (available on iOS and Android) to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, see test results, and access your health records. It is a useful tool to manage your healthcare digitally.
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