Healthcare for students in the UK
Students in the UK reach NHS services through the immigration health surcharge, paid up front as part of the visa application. Students and their dependants pay a reduced rate rather than the rate charged on other routes.
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- Student and dependants
- £776
- Youth Mobility Scheme
- £776
- All other routes
- The main rate
The surcharge is the largest cost in a student visa application after tuition itself, and it is paid in full before arrival rather than year by year. The visa application is at the UK Student visa.
01
How does the immigration health surcharge work?
The surcharge is paid up front as part of the visa application and covers the whole length of the visa. The amount is calculated on the length of the visa granted rather than on the length of the course.
Because a visa is usually granted for longer than the course itself, the surcharge is normally paid for more years than the programme runs. That difference is worth building into a budget before applying.
02
How much is the immigration health surcharge?
GOV.UK charges students, their dependants and Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders £776 a year. Every other visa and immigration application is charged at the higher main rate rather than at this reduced student rate.
| Applicant | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Student and dependants | £776 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | £776 |
| All other routes | The main rate |
03
How are part years calculated?
For periods of six months or less the rule depends on where the application is made. An application from outside the UK for six months or less is charged for half a year rather than a full year.
Periods longer than six months are rounded up to a full year, so a visa of fourteen months is charged as two years rather than as one year and two months.
04
What does the surcharge cover?
Once the surcharge is paid, a person reaches all NHS services on the same basis as a resident of the UK. That access does not make every service free, because charges that apply to residents apply equally here.
Prescription charges, dental treatment and eye tests are charged to residents in England and are charged the same way to a surcharge payer. Registering with a GP practice is free.
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05
Is the surcharge ever refunded?
A refund depends on specific conditions and GOV.UK publishes a separate application route for claiming one. The two best-known circumstances are a refused visa application and an application withdrawn before any decision is made.
A refund is not automatic in either case, and it is claimed rather than issued. Where a visa is granted for a shorter period than applied for, the difference is handled under the same published route.
06
What does British Global do at this stage?
British Global makes your budget visible from the start: it sets out your programme length and your expected visa length in a written preliminary report, with every cost including the health surcharge listed against them.
Immigration questions on the surcharge or on a refund are referred to an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority rather than answered here.
07
Frequently asked questions
Is the surcharge paid yearly?
No. It is paid up front with the visa application and covers the whole length of the visa.
Does it make NHS services free?
It gives access on the same basis as a UK resident. Charges that apply to residents, such as prescriptions in England, apply equally.
Is it calculated on the course length?
No. It is calculated on the length of the visa granted, which is usually longer than the course.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Students, their dependants and Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders pay an immigration health surcharge of £776 a year; all other applications pay the main rate. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — The immigration health surcharge is paid as part of the Student visa application and covers the length of the visa granted. — 26 August 2026
- GOV.UK — The healthcare surcharge is charged for each year spent in the UK on the Graduate visa. — 26 August 2026
