Registering with a doctor where you study

At home, someone else probably knew which clinic to call. Once you move out, making sure a doctor knows you exist is your job, and the right time to do it is in your first week, while you are well.

Why this is a first-week job

• Registering takes minutes when you feel fine and becomes stressful when you have a fever, no transport and a deadline.
• Your doctor's practice or student health centre is the hub for prescriptions, referrals, vaccinations and test results, so almost every other health task in this module depends on it.
• Put 'register with a doctor' on the same checklist as opening a bank account and collecting your student card.
• Save the practice name, address, phone number, opening hours and booking website or app in your phone contacts the day you register.

In England: registering with a GP

• A GP (general practitioner) is a family doctor. The NHS says everyone in England can register with a GP surgery for free, including people visiting from abroad.
• Online: search for surgeries by postcode, choose one that offers online registration and fill in the form, which the NHS says takes about 15 minutes. You are usually told you are registered within 5 days of the surgery receiving your details.
• You only need your name, date of birth and address. The NHS says you do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status, and an NHS number helps but is not required.
• The form also asks for an emergency contact and your current GP. If you have no UK doctor, say so and keep your home doctor's details ready in case the surgery asks.
• Most people register near where they live. If you register far from home, the NHS warns that home visits, out-of-hours care and some community services may work differently, so ask.
• If a surgery refuses you, it must write to you within 14 days explaining why. Your local integrated care board, Citizens Advice or Healthwatch can help.

International students in the UK

• Most people applying for a UK visa pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of the online application. GOV.UK says that once your visa starts, and you have paid the IHS if required, you can use the NHS free of charge.
• GOV.UK also says you still pay for some services, such as prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. Budget for these (see the lesson on health on a budget).
• If you have a digital immigration status, you may need to prove it online with a share code when you use UK healthcare. Learn how to generate one before you need it.
• If you are only in an area for a short time, temporary registration lasts up to 3 months. If even temporary registration is refused, the NHS says you can still get any treatment you need immediately for up to 14 days.

In the US: campus health centres and compulsory insurance

• Most US universities have a student health centre on campus, which is usually your first stop for illness, vaccinations and referrals. Find its page on your university website before you arrive.
• Many universities require students to hold health insurance and enrol you in their own plan automatically. At the University of Houston, for example, students without an approved waiver are enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan and the charge stays on their account.
• Waivers have strict rules and deadlines. The University of Houston does not accept late waivers and automatically denies travel or study-abroad plans and documents not in English or US dollars.
• In the summer before you start, read your own university's insurance page, put the waiver deadline in your calendar and keep every confirmation email.

In the UAE: clinics and your insurance card

• In the UAE you will usually use clinics and hospitals through your health insurance. The u.ae portal says that in Dubai sponsors must insure their resident dependants, and in Abu Dhabi employers and sponsors must cover employees and their families.
• If you are a dependant on a parent's visa, ask for your own insurance card (or digital card), the insurer's name and the policy number before you move out.
• UAE nationals may be covered by government schemes such as Thiqa in Abu Dhabi, which issues a card used at a network of registered providers.
• Look up two or three in-network clinics near your university or new home now, and save their numbers. The next lesson explains networks.