Doctor

Arrange and check your vaccinations

We want you to be healthy and happy while at University. Please take these simple steps to help protect your health.

Register with a doctor

All students living in Lancaster should register with a doctor; if you live in Lancaster you can register with the Lancaster Medical Practice which is located on campus. Wherever you live in the UK, you can use this tool provided by the NHS to find a local GP.

Check your vaccinations

The UK Health Security Agency advises that if you're starting college or university you should make sure you've already had:

  • The MenACWY vaccine. It protects against serious infections such as meningitis. You can ask a GP for this vaccine until your 25th birthday, if you missed having it at school or before coming to the UK to study.
  • Two doses of the MMR vaccine. It protects against measles, mumps and rubella. If you have not previously had two doses of the MMR vaccine, you can ask a GP for the vaccine.
  • HPV vaccine. It protects against cervical and other cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) together with genital warts.

Some students may also have underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of serious disease from certain infections like flu, pneumococcal disease or COVID-19. If you are in a risk group that is eligible for specific vaccines you should ensure they are up to date and keep up to date throughout your university life.

Find out more about vaccines and when to get them.

Healthcare surcharge

If you are an international student, you may be required to pay a health care surcharge which enables you to use the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Information about this and how to make a payment can be found on the UK government website. You can also visit our visa and immigration pages.

Learn about health, safety and our services

You can find more information about the health services on campus by visiting our Health Services page. You can also take a course designed to give you all the information you need to stay happy, healthy and safe while studying with us here at Lancaster. Access the Health and Safety at Lancaster course after you have registered and received your University account.

You may also like to check out the digital version of the University's Student Health Guide for 2023-24, which contains lots of tips for good mental and physical health.