The UK's National Health Service is often referred to as the NHS.
The NHS provides treatment through a range of services from Accident and Emergency centres to Local GP (General Practitioner) doctor's surgeries. Some services are free and some are paid for.
If you are studying with St Mary's University on a student visa on a full-time course that is longer than 6 months, you will be asked to pay the immigration health surcharge. Paying this surcharge will qualify you to receive NHS treatment from the beginning of your stay on the same basis as anyone who is ordinarily resident in the UK.
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen without settled or pre-settled status in the UK, you will pay the immigration health surcharge as part of your Student Visa application. This payment will ensure that you have access to medical treatment through the NHS.
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen with settled or pre-settled status in the UK, it is important that you have healthcare cover. Please see these sites for further information about your access:
If you are entitled to NHS treatment, the following services will be free of charge:
- consulting a GP and most other GP services (such as visiting a clinic)
- treatment in a hospital (both emergency and non-emergency treatment)
You may need to pay for:
- medicines prescribed by your GP
- some GP services (such as vaccinations for travel, getting a sickness certificate) - ask your GP for details of costs
- dental treatment
- optical treatment
Accessing Healthcare
Your General Practioner, or GP, is your primary doctor. When you arrive in the UK, you should register with a GP surgery (i.e., a doctor's office) as soon as possible. The York Medical Practice and Cross Deep Surgery are the two closest surgeries to the St Mary's campus. If you are living elsewhere in London, you can find a local doctor on the NHS website.
How do I register for these services?
Once you've decided which GP you'd like to use, follow the instructions on their website to register as a patient. You will need to fill in a few forms, and you may need to visit them in person to complete your enrolment.
Private Healthcare
Students not eligible for NHS treatment are advised to ensure their insurance policies cover healthcare during their stay or get private medical health insurance so that they can access healthcare when needed.
The UKCISA website has information on private medical insurance for international students.