Paying for NHS Treatment and Prescriptions

Up to date information of prescription costs.

As a student you may be entitled to full or partial exemption (on the grounds of low income) from prescription, dental and optical charges. With prescriptions you will either qualify for full exemption or no exemption. To claim exemption, complete a HC1 application, which is available from Student Support, GP or dentist surgery.
                                       
If you have already paid for treatment, it is possible to claim a refund within 3 months with form HC5, which is also available from Student Support. If you regularly have to pay prescription charges (i.e. for more than 5 prescriptions in 4 months) it will be more cost effective to use a pre-payment certificate.
 
Southend Students can register for the Academic Dental Clinic, which provides free basic dental care.

Students from overseas
If you are a national of an EEA country then you should be able to access NHS care whilst you are ordinarily resident in the UK as a student. You will need to apply for an EHIC card from your home country before you travel to the UK.

If you are a student from a country outside of the EEA and you are taking a course that lasts less than six months you will be treated as a private patient. Non-EEA students on courses lasting six months or more are entitled to NHS treatment from the time of your arrival in the UK. Your spouse and any dependent children are also entitled to full NHS treatment. You can also apply for exemption from prescription, optician and dental charges on form HC1. The GP will require a letter of enrolment from the university before registering you.

More information about health care in England is available from the Department of Health website and the Citizens Advice Bureau website. UKCISA produce a guidance note entitled 'Keeping Healthy' that we recommend you read.