Student health services

Healthcare for students is cheap or even free. Be sure to use it.

Doctors

Larger universities tend to have their own student health centre on campus. Depending on the size of the centre, it may house several doctors who are specialists in student ailments, nurses, physiotherapists, and sometimes dentists. If there is no student health centre, students have to register with a nearby general practitioner (GP).

A list of local doctors is included in most welcome packs, and freshers are strongly advised to sign up with a doctor in the first few days that they arrive. Nobody ever plans to get sick, but if you aren't registered with a doctor that just makes everything more difficult at a time when you aren't feeling 100%.

Counselling services

This includes trained counsellors and psychologists who provide a strictly confidential service for students in distress. They are available for anyone who is struggling with homesickness, anxiety, exam stress, bereavement, depression and a host of other problems. Your counselling services may be part of the health centre, student advice centre, or have its own separate building.

Dentists

You may be entitled to free, or reduced cost dental care on the NHS if your income is deemed low enough, but it can sometimes be hard to find a dentist who is still taking on NHS patients. If your university has a dental school, you may be offered free dental treatment of all kinds. The trainee dentists are supervised by senior staff at all times, rather that being set loose on an unsuspecting student population.

Opticians

Some students will qualify for free eye tests, and discounts on frames and lenses, the optician should be able to tell you more. Buying new glasses or contact lenses can be a major expense, but it's an essential one if you can't see projections or writing on the board during your lectures.

Pharmacies

Fill out the NHS exemption forms as soon as you become a student, and you can get free prescriptions for medication. Then all you have to do is produce your exemption certificate when you go to the pharmacy, and you won't have to pay.

Pharmacists are a good source of advice for minor ailments, saving you a long wait to see your GP, but if you think it's something serious, make an emergency appointment to see the doctor instead.