"Welcome to the website for students at the University of Portsmouth."
International and EU students
Health
Registering with a doctor
Have you registered with a doctor (GP)? Don't wait until you get sick, contact the surgery nearest to where you live and register NOW!
Basic health treatment is free of charge under the NHS. You do not pay for an appointment with the doctor. You only need to pay for medication (prescription). To benefit from NHS cover, it is a requirement that you register with a GP prior to falling ill. When you visit the GP to register for the first time, you will need to take evidence that you are studying in Portsmouth and evidence of your UK address.
A full list of doctors can be found on the Health pages.
The local Accident/Emergency Department is at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham. If you are not sure whether you need to go to the Accident and Emergency Department or need some health advice then ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647 - this is a 24 hour phone line. The Emergency number in the UK is 999 (to request an ambulance).
For more information on any health issues, please visit the Health webpages.
International Student Eligibility for Free Healthcare
Under the current regulations, anyone who comes to the UK on a full-time course for more than six months' duration, or a course of study of any duration that is substantially funded by the UK Government, will be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment in England. This includes your spouse and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) if they are living permanently with you in the UK for the duration of your course. You will need to pay any statutory NHS charges (for example, prescription charges).
Information on free NHS treatment for international students is available on the Department of Health website - please consult this website for further details.
Studying in Portsmouth for less than six months
Students studying in the UK for less than six months from countries with which the UK holds bilateral healthcare agreements will only be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment that is needed promptly for a condition that arose AFTER their arrival in the UK. These countries are:
European Economic Area countries (EEA): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus (Southern), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. Plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
Nationals of, and UK nationals in, the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Croatia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistaion, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Residents of the following countries (irrespective of nationality): Anguilla, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, Iceland, Isle of Man.
If you are NOT from one of the countries above and studying here for less than six months, you will be chargeable for any treatment you receive. Private healthcare can be extremely expensive and therefore it is very important to arrange medical insurance before coming to the UK for the length of your stay.
Medical Insurance
The University is unable to recommend any specific medical insurance providers. However we are aware that Endsleigh insurance are able to provide medical insurance for international students to cover medical costs if you are taken ill or have an accident which is not covered by the NHS for up to £2,000,000. This includes the cost of bringing a relative to the UK to visit you following a medical emergency or flying you back home for further treatment. For more details, please visit the Endsleigh website.
