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Looking after your health

We want you to stay healthy and well, so we advise you to check what vaccines you feel you may need before you arrive and make sure you register with a local GP once you are here. 

In the first few weeks of the academic year, when you get to meet lots of new people, you need to make sure you look after yourself and are protected.

Men ACWY Vaccination

If you haven’t had your Men ACWY vaccine, we recommend that you get in touch with your GP and ask for the vaccine to protect you from meningitis. If you are over 25 and feel you would benefit from the meningitis vaccine, please contact your GP to discuss the options that are available to you.

Mumps Vaccination

We also advise students to be immunised against mumps before starting their studies. The MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps, and rubella) is part of the routine NHS childhood immunisation schedule. This means most young people who’ve grown up in England will have had two doses of it in childhood and will have full immunisation. If you’re not sure you’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine, ask your GP for a catch-up vaccination.

Further general health advice for students is available here

If you have any concerns about your health, you can always talk to our student support advisers.

Registering with a GP

We recommend that you register with a GP Practice close to where you live, so if you are ever ill you know you can get the help you need.

If like most students, you spend more weeks of the year at your university address than your family’s address, you need to register with a GP near to you as soon as possible.

If you need regular prescription items, consider registering for the electronic repeat dispensing service (ERD), as you will be able to pick them up from any pharmacy you nominate, which can be easily changed if you are at home or at university when you need a further supply.