Find out how to register with a doctor and dentist, and what healthcare you’re entitled to.
Register with a doctor
We have an on-campus NHS health centre.
Important: Register as soon as you can; don’t wait until you’re ill. In the event you need healthcare, you must be registered to be seen. This applies to UK and international students.
You must live on campus or within the Brighton & Hove catchment area to be eligible to register.
If you’re living outside this catchment area, you can use the NHS website to find a doctor near you.
If you are currently receiving specialist NHS care for either a mental or physical health condition, please make sure that you ask the health professionals treating you to transfer this care to local providers, e.g. Sussex Partnership NHS Trust or NHS Sussex, in advance of your arrival here.
Register with a dentist
We advise you to register with a dentist. Find a local surgery.
You have to pay for most treatments, even if you’re registered with the NHS. Find out how much NHS treatment generally costs and whether you have to pay.
Collect contraception
You can get free condoms on campus by signing up for a University of Sussex X-Card. X-Card drop-ins also provide free self-testing kits for sexually transmitted infections and information about local sexual health services.
You can get advice on contraception from the campus Health Centre if you are registered with them.
Find out more about contraception and sexual health.
Accidents, injuries and emergencies
Doctors at GP surgeries don’t deal with accidents, injuries or any issues out-of-hours. However, there are out-of-hours and walk-in health services.
You can also call the NHS non-emergency number 111 if you urgently need medical advice but it's not life-threatening.
If you have an emergency you must call 999, the official emergency phone line for the UK.
Getting medicine
You can buy over-the-counter remedies and pick up prescriptions from the campus pharmacy.
Healthcare entitlements in the UK
The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s state-run health service. It provides free healthcare for UK residents and some, but not all, overseas visitors.
Everyone gets some emergency treatment for free, but not follow-up treatment.
Some hospital treatment is free for many people but not everyone.
Find out if you would have to pay hospital fees and check if you’re entitled to NHS healthcare.
Even if you do qualify for free treatment, you might consider taking out health insurance in case you want a quicker service than can be offered by the NHS.
If you’re studying at Sussex for less than six months, you will need to take out private health insurance – see health and welfare information for international students.