Health and the NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly funded healthcare system for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The NHS

Before you come to the UK, please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) as it will likely be quite different to health systems at home. The NHS is the UK’s publicly funded health care system. As part of the visa process, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office pays the Immigration Health Surcharge on your behalf and this allows you to have access to the NHS.

We recommend that all scholars purchase their own insurance (which includes medical insurance) to cover their time in the UK even if you can access the NHS free of charge. Waiting lists for NHS treatment can be long and if you have insurance that allows you access to private medical care, you may be able to get treatment more quickly.

Explore the information below to find out about the steps you should take upon arrival into the UK to stay safe and well.