¿Qué beneficios de salud estudiantiles puedo obtener?

Vacunaciones

If you’re off to university, you’re strongly advised to get the COVID-19 vaccination as well as the vacuna Men ACWY to protect you against meningitis. It is available free on the NHS to under-25s.

Also, consider having the annual flu jab, which you’re entitled to if you have certain conditions such as asthma. Did you miss either or both doses of the vacuna MMR ¿Vacunas contra el sarampión, las paperas y la rubéola durante la infancia? Ahora puedes recibirlas en el NHS a cualquier edad

Lo ideal es que te pongas las vacunas antes de ir a la universidad, ya que tienes un alto riesgo de infección durante las primeras semanas del semestre cuando estás en contacto con muchas personas nuevas.

Condones y anticonceptivos

Regardless of what contraception you use, you'll also need to use condoms to protect yourself de infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS) si no estás en una relación exclusiva en la que ambos hayan sido sometidos a pruebas. Los condones están disponibles de forma gratuita en clínicas de planificación familiar y salud sexual, así como en algunos consultorios de médicos de cabecera.

Many areas also have a programa C-Card for under-25s, making access to sexual health advice and free condoms even easier. You can register for a C-Card at most student health services or sexual health clinics, and then collect the condoms you want from various distribution points including pharmacies. Some services also provide free condoms online or by post.

Recetas

No hay cargos por recetas en Escocia, Gales o Irlanda del Norte, pero en Inglaterra el cargo completo es de £8.60. Ser estudiante no te da automáticamente derecho a recetas gratuitas, pero uno de los beneficios para estudiantes en salud es que puedes acceder a ellas de forma gratuita o a un precio reducido a través del Esquema de Bajos Ingresos del NHS.

You need to fill in an HC1 form, which you can get from the Autoridad de Servicios Empresariales del NHS, centros de asesoramiento de sindicatos estudiantiles, hospitales del NHS, así como algunas farmacias, dentistas, ópticas o centros de atención de médicos de cabecera.

You can also check if you qualify for recetas gratuitas for other reasons. If you don't qualify and you know you’re going to need more than three prescriptions in three months, you can get a discount with a certificado de prepago for £29.10, or for £104 for a year if you think you’ll need more than 12 prescriptions over that period

Salud mental

The prospect of making new friends and starting a new chapter in your life is often very exciting. But moving away from home, coping with your studies and not knowing anyone when you start can be stressful. If you find yourself feeling low, losing motivation to go out or study, or feeling more anxious than usual, you may be suffering from ansiedad o depresión.

Most universities will have free counselling services available as a student health benefit. These are run by mental health professionals such as trained counsellors and therapists. Check your university's website for details, or speak to the asesor de salud mental who can help you get the support you need.

You can also visit Student Minds for more help and advice. If you've been suffering for more than a couple of weeks, make an appointment with your GP as you may need medication as well as counselling.

Tratamiento dental

Los beneficios de salud para estudiantes tampoco cubren atención dental gratuita, aunque los chequeos son gratuitos en Escocia para todos y gratuitos para menores de 25 años en Gales. De lo contrario, puedes calificar a través del Esquema de Bajos Ingresos del NHS.

If your university has a dental hospital you may be able to get free care there, but you need to be happy about being treated by supervised dental undergraduates. If you can't get free treatment, your best bet is to find an dentista del NHS, lo cual costará mucho menos que acudir a un privado.

Cuidado de los ojos

Again, Student health benefits don't cover free eye care, but you may be able to get a free sight test and NHS vouchers towards the cost of glasses and contact lenses via the Esquema de Bajos Ingresos del NHS. En Escocia, las pruebas de vista son gratuitas para todos.

If you have any specific eye problems or certain other conditions such as diabetes, you are entitled to free sight tests and vouchers.

Some companies also offer free sight tests, so it's worth asking in store or checking websites such as Save the Student – un sitio imparcial que ofrece consejos financieros para estudiantes.

Ofertas y descuentos

Another great student health benefit is that many health and fitness companies offer great discounts for students on everything from contact lenses to gym memberships and sports gear. Find out more via the National Union of Students, Student Beans, y UniDays.