Any health problems can be made worse by the effects of adjusting to a different climate, unfamiliar food and the emotional strains of being away from home, so be aware and be careful.

The following NHS treatment is free for everyone:
1.some emergency treatment (but not follow-up treatment)
2. family planning services
3. treatment of certain communicable diseases
4. compulsory psychiatric treatment

All international students studying in the UK on courses of 6 months or more are eligible to receive free health care under the National Health Service on the same basis as other UK residents. Students who will be in the UK for less than six months (unless they are studying in Scotland) are unlikely to receive free health care and should therefore take out appropriate medical insurance before they arrive.

In order to make sure that you are able to access the Health Service it is important that you register with a Doctor (known as General Practitioners or GP's) as soon as possible after your arrival in the UK. Please note that GP's are not legally obliged to register all patients in their area so you may have to try more than one before you find a surgery that will register you.

To register at the Doctor’s Surgery or Health Centre, you will need
- your passport
-  evidence that you are a student (for example, your enrolment letter or student card) and
-proof of your UK address (for example, accommodation contract or tenancy.

If you are not in one of the eligible categories described above, and your course is under six months long, you and your family are only entitled to limited free NHS treatment. You will have free emergency hospital treatment, but only the treatment given in a NHS Accident and Emergency department is free of charge. Once you are admitted on to a ward or given an outpatient appointment, charges will apply.

GPs may agree to treat you for free, but this will usually be limited to urgent treatment that cannot be delayed until you return home. You will have to pay for any other treatment as a private patient. It is therefore very important that you take out medical insurance for the duration of your visit to the UK. Please note that private medical treatment is very expensive if you do not have private medical insurance.

The UK has reciprocal health care agreements for the following:
1. Nationals of countries in the European Economic Area (see note opposite)
2. Those who are nationals of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Yugoslavia ie Serbia & Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan,
3. Macedonia, Moldova, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine Uzbekistan.
4 Those who are residents of: Anguilla, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Channel Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Isle of Man, Montserrat, St Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Do I need Medical Insurance?
If you are not entitled to free NHS treatment, you should make sure you have adequate medical insurance to cover medical costs if you fall ill, and also to cover the additional possible costs resulting from illness. These can be substantial, and include:
1. lost fees if you are unable to complete your course
2. costs of returning home if a relative is ill
3. costs of a relative visiting you in the UK if you fall ill
4. cost of returning to your home country for treatment • or in the worst possible situation, returning a body home for burial.

Even if you are entitled to free NHS treatment whilst in the UK, you should consider taking out insurance which covers the above additional costs.

For more information visit these sites:
UKCOSA's guidance note 'keeping healthy'
National Health Service
NHS Direct