The UK has a National Health Service (NHS) Private healthcare is available but the majority of people in Scotland opt to use the NHS, because in most cases, it is free of charge.
Doctors
All students must register with a doctor (General Practitioner/GP) and we recommend that you register with Drs Leslie, Ojo and Chetty within Woodside Health and Care Centre, 891 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G20 7ER.
Representatives from Dr Leslie and Partners’ surgery are often present at matriculation with registration forms or you can register as a patient online. Please do not wait to register until you are sick. Register as soon as you matriculate. If you live outside the catchment area of Dr Leslie and Partners you’ll need to register with a doctor in your local area. To find your nearest doctor, put your postcode into the service directory.
It has been confirmed that representatives from Drs Leslie, Ojo & Chetty, Woodside will be on site in the Renfrew Street campus on Tuesday 26 September 2023, 10am – 3pm. Please ensure you stop by for a chat so you can register with them.
If you are a full-time student at the Conservatoire you will qualify for free National Health Service (NHS) hospital treatment on the same basis as anyone who is ordinarily resident in the UK, from the beginning of your stay until one month after your course finishes. However, the Scottish Government has made assurances that if you are a Student route visa holder and have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge then your entitlement will continue until the end of your stay.
If you are a British or Irish citizen you have the right to access health care in either state. Both Governments have taken steps to ensure that this will continue now that the UK has left the EU.
Nationals from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein who begin living in Scotland after 31 December 2020 can use the NHS. They can also use a UK issued Global Healthcare Insurance Card (GHIC) when travelling in the EU, if they’re:
- ordinarily resident in the UK
- not insured by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland
Information on how to get a GHIC or a UK EHIC (if you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement) can be found using this link.
The Scottish Government has published guidance about how students can access healthcare in Scotland.
If you are in the UK as a short-term student with 6 months’ permission to be in the UK, then for any periods when you are not a full-time student you should take out private medical insurance. Nationals or residents of some countries may be able to take advantage of reciprocal healthcare agreements. If you are covered by a reciprocal health care agreement, you will be eligible for some free NHS hospital treatment. Reciprocal health care agreements generally cover free hospital treatment, the need for which arose during your stay, but in many cases does not cover treatment of an existing condition. Residents of Australia can take advantage of a reciprocal healthcare agreement provided their stay in the UK does not exceed 3 months.
Further information is available with this link.
Dentists
When you register with a dental surgery, you should check first to see if they will register you as an NHS patient. There are many private dental surgeries where treatment costs are higher than the reduced costs at NHS surgeries. Use this link to find your nearest NHS dental surgery by entering your postcode.