Health Care for Students in the UK: the NHS Surcharge, GP, Dentist and Costs
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
The United Kingdom does not ask students to buy a health insurance policy for the visa. Instead it charges a fee with the application, and in return you use the National Health Service (NHS) almost like a resident. This guide explains what that fee buys, what is still charged, and how to use the system. It follows GOV.UK and the NHS website and describes England: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own health services and set their own charges, so check the official site for the place where you will live.
The immigration health surcharge
Most people applying for a UK visa pay the immigration health surcharge (IHS) as part of the online application. For students the rate is £776 a year (about €922), against £1,035 for most other applicants. The amount depends on the length of your visa:
- up to 6 months: nothing if you apply from outside the UK;
- more than 6 months but under one year: one full year;
- one year to 18 months: one year and a half;
- more than 18 months but under two years: two full years.
You pay for the whole visa at the start. The cost of the visa itself, the Graduate route and the money you must show are in the UK student visa guide. The GOV.UK pages describe the NHS route only and do not list private insurance as a replacement for the surcharge.
EU students are no longer an exception: GOV.UK says that those on courses starting on or after 1 January 2021 that last longer than six months pay the surcharge with their visa application.
What you get
From the date your visa starts, and once you have paid, GOV.UK says you can use the NHS in a similar way to an ordinarily resident person while the visa remains valid. In practice:
- a GP (family doctor) for illnesses that are not emergencies, with referrals to hospital specialists;
- hospital treatment under the NHS;
- accident and emergency departments, which are free, apart from emergency care after admission as an inpatient or at a follow-up outpatient appointment.
You may have to pay for NHS treatment if the Home Office has not yet decided on your visa. If you need proof of your status when you use a service, give a share code from your UKVI account, explained in the UK arrival checklist.
What is still charged
The surcharge does not make everything free. GOV.UK lists prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception as services where you still pay. The NHS publishes these English charges:
| Service | Charge in England |
|---|---|
| Prescription | £9.90 (about €12) per item |
| Dental band 1: examination, X-rays, cleaning | £27.90 (about €33) |
| Dental band 2: fillings, root canals, extractions | £76.60 (about €91) |
| Dental band 3: crowns, bridges, dentures, braces | £332.10 (about €394) |
| Urgent dental treatment | £27.90 (about €33) |
If you need treatments from different bands, you pay the highest band's charge once. Further treatment within two months that falls in the same or a lower band is free. Free NHS dental treatment for people in full-time education applies only to those under 19, so most university students pay. You can apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme for help with health costs. Because prescription rules differ across the UK, check them where you live.
How to use the NHS
- Register with a GP in your first week. It is free, and you do not need proof of identity, address or immigration status. See the arrival checklist.
- If you need help now but it is not life-threatening, use NHS 111, online or by phone. It can direct you to an urgent treatment centre, an out-of-hours GP or a pharmacist.
- For a life-threatening emergency, call 999. The NHS says to do this too if someone may have tried to end their life.
- Find a dentist early. Routine care is booked in advance, and the charges above apply.
Do you still need insurance?
The surcharge buys NHS access, and the GOV.UK pages do not describe cover outside the UK. If you travel home or around Europe, check what your own insurer gives you there. For a comparison of student health systems, see health insurance for students in Europe.
Not yet applied? Our catalogue lists 17,679 bachelor's programmes at 322 institutions: browse them. Costs for the course itself are in how much it costs to study in the United Kingdom.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: how much the immigration health surcharge costs
- GOV.UK: using the NHS in England as a migrant
- NHS: how to register with a GP surgery
- NHS: dental charges
- NHS: prescription charges
- NHS: when to use 111
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.