Student Health

Students living in Aberystwyth are required to register with a local GP (family doctor) practice of their choice as soon as they have their new Aberystwyth address.  This is vitally important to ensure continuity of care, especially if you are in receipt of any prescription medicine or other treatment. If you are registered with a GP in Wales you are entitled to free prescriptions from a pharmacist in Wales.

If you have a complex medical history, please ensure that you bring sufficient medication when you arrive and also bring your repeat prescription form or medication report from your current GP. This will avoid delays and ensure continuity of care.

If you haven't already done so, please register with an Aberystwyth GP Practice by choosing one of the links below: 

• Padarn Surgery
• Church Surgery
• Ystwyth Medical Group

Please use your Aberystwyth address when registering.

 

UK students should bring their National Health Medical cards with them.

It will be helpful, but not essential, for students who have an NHS number (i.e. UK students or non UK students who have previously registered with a GP) to have it available when they register with a GP.

Students with particularly complex or ongoing healthcare needs may wish to remain registered with their home GP to help maintain continuity of specialist care. If you are considering this, we recommend discussing your circumstances with your current GP and ensuring you understand how any healthcare needs will be managed while you are living in Aberystwyth.

Returning students should notify their GP of any address changes and re-register if their GP Registration has lapsed.

The three town practices offer the e-Consult facility. eConsult enables NHS based GP practices to offer online consultations to their patients. This allows patients to submit their symptoms or requests to their own GP electronically and offers around the clock NHS self-help information, signposting to services, and a symptom checker.

Pharmacies in Wales are now part of the common ailment scheme. The pharmacy common ailment service is a scheme whereby your pharmacist can provide free confidential advice and treatment (26 common ailments) without you having to make an appointment to see your GP. If you feel you need to see a GP, patients are asked to ring the practice and they will be signposted to the most appropriate treatment.

 

International students, including EU/ EEA and Swiss nationals, who are coming to study for six months or more will need to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge as part of their visa application process. If you have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge then you will qualify for free NHS treatment on the same basis as anyone who is ordinarily resident in the UK.

EEA students are advised to apply for an EHIC card from their home countries, before travelling to the UK, as this may entitle you to apply for a full or partial refund of the Immigration Health Surcharge.

International students who are coming to study for less than six months and have not paid an Immigration Health Surcharge are advised to take out private medical insurance for the duration of their visit to the UK.

Family members of students who are not travelling to the UK on a dependant type visa will also need to take private medical insurance for the duration of their visit to the UK, as they may not be eligible for free NHS treatment.

Students from countries with a high incidence of TB should be vaccinated against TB.  Find out which countries have a high rate of TB.

Help Protect Yourself from MenB Before You Start Uni

To help protect students, a time-limited MenB vaccination programme is available free of charge to first-time university students. To achieve the best protection, you need two doses of the vaccine given at least 28 days apart.

If you are an international student who has not yet travelled to the UK, the Government recommends that you receive at least the first dose before leaving your home country, if possible. This can help provide protection sooner as you begin university life. However, MenB vaccines are not readily available in all countries. If you cannot access the vaccine before travelling, both the first and second doses can be provided in the UK.

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect your health, helping you stay well and make the most of your time at Aberystwyth University. We encourage you to plan ahead and ensure you are protected before term begins.

Find out more about the signs and symptoms of MenB and how to get vaccinated: MenB vaccine for young people – Public Health Wales

It is also a good idea to check that you are up to date with your other recommended vaccinations before starting university: Vaccination for students – Public Health Wales

Have you had your vaccinations? 

Make sure you're protected against meningitis, measles and mumps - it's crucial that you get your vaccinations so that you can stay healthy and make the most of your time at here at Aberystwyth University. 

Not only do these illnesses have the potential to ruin your learning experience, but in certain cases they can be life-threatening. Fortunately, you can easily protect yourself by booking a short appointment with your GP. 

Which vaccines do you need? 

There are two vaccines that you should make sure you have:-

1. The first is known as MenACWYand will protect you against meningitis and septicaemia (meningococcal disease), which can be fatal. The vaccine is administered through one injection to the upper arm and is free to all students under the age of 25. Please note, the MenACWY vaccine protects against four strains of the bacterial infection, but not the MenB strain. So, it's very important to remain vigilant, whether you have been vaccinated or not.  
2. You should also confirm whether you have had your full dose of MMRwhich protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Most are given this vaccination at two stages in their early childhood, first as a one-year-old and again at the age of three. However, in some cases people may be missing one or both doses and so if you are unsure you should check with your GP as a matter of urgency. 

Student vaccination update: New MenB vaccine for eligible students 

If you're a student under the age of 25 and starting university for the first time in September 2026, you may be eligible for a MenB (meningococcal B) vaccine, completely free of charge though the NHS.    

MenB bacteria can cause serious illnesses including meningitis and sepsis. While rare, these infections can develop quickly and become life-threatening. Students living away from home for the first time are at a higher risk because they are in close contact with lots of new people. The MenB vaccine is separate from the MenACWY vaccine, which protects against four other strains of meningitis. 

Check for symptoms 

Early symptoms of meningitis or septicaemia sometimes feel similar to a bad hangover, for example headaches, tiredness and aversion to bright lights, which can lead to the illness going untreated among some students until it escalates further. Later symptoms include a blotchy rash, fever with cold hands and feet, aching muscles and joints, as well as severe vomiting and diarrhoea.  

Measles begins with cold-like symptoms followed by a temperature and blotchy rash on the body, while mumps is recognised by painful swellings on the side of the face that can spread to the ovaries or testes.  

You’ve worked hard to get into university. Don’t let an avoidable illness get in the way of your continued progress. 

Contact a doctor 

Register with a GP here in Aberystwyth as soon as you can – don’t wait until you have a problem.  

Arrange with your GP to catch up on any vaccines you have missed or are due. You can find out more about registering with a Doctor in the first drop down link to this webpage.

Don’t assume it’s Covid 

It is vital that you learn to recognise the signs and symptoms of meningitis to differentiate it from Covid-19 and other illnesses. If you feel unwell, call your GP or NHS 111 straight away if you are unsure. Meningitis is a medical emergency, so it is vital you act fast. 

If you have a chronic health condition please ensure you bring a month’s supply of up to date medication with you and consider how you will store your medication and dispose of equipment (such as epi pens) safely. Advice is available from our Accessibility Service 01970 621761 accessibility@aber.ac.uk

International students are advised to:

• check availability of the medication that you need on the NHS website or by doing a Google search
• be aware that sometimes medication will have a different brand name in the UK but is actually the same medication
• be aware that some medicines are only available via secondary services in this country so GPs (primary care Doctors) may have to refer students on to secondary services for some medication which can lead to delays accessing the medicine that you need
• bring a sufficient supply of medicines, three to four months, to avoid problems in case of delays